Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1857-02-19
NEW SERIES, VOL. I, NO 8.

leaning thereon, and hand shading my eye
from the light, spent many long hour
nobody by, bat the queer old book | ha
brought down from the garret.
A went we'll, till the incident now abou
which, like every other in this narration
| happened long before the time Of the "Fo.
girls"
/ Ii was late on Saturday night in De
cember. In the little old cedar-parlor, be
fore the little old apple-tree table, I "a
sitting up. as usual, alone. had mad,
more than one effort to get up and go t,
bed; but could not. ] WAS, in fact, unde
sort of fascination. Somehow, too. Ger
tain reasonable opinions of mine seemed
not SO reasonable as before. | felt nervous
The truth was, that though. in my previou:
night-readirgs, Cotton Mather had bu
amused me, upon this particular night he
terrified me. A thousand times had laugh
ed at such stories. Old wives fables,
thought, however, entertaining. But now
how different They began to put on the
aspect of reality. Now, for the frs, time
it struck me that this wss no romantic Mrs.
Radcliffe, VINO had written the "Magnolia;'
bat practical. hard-working, earnest. up
right man, a learned doctor, too, as we'll at
a good Christian and orthodox Clergyman.
What possible motive could such man
have to deceive! His st. lie had all the
pIainness and unpoetic boldness of truth.
In the most straightforward way, he laid be-
fore me detailed accounts of New England
vitchcralt, each important item corfo5orated
by respectable townsiolk, snd, of not few
OF the most surprising, he himself had been
eyewitness. Cotton Ma,her testified where
OF he had seen. But, is it possiblel asked
myself. Then | remembered that Doctor
Johnson, the matter-oi-fact compiler of a
dictionary, had Seen believer in ghosts,
besides many other sound, worthy men,
Yielding TO the fascination, read deeper
into the night. At last, | found myself
starring at the least chance sound, and wish
ing that it were not so very still.
A tumbier OF warm punch stood by my
side. with which beverage, in a moderate
wav. VS. accustomed to treat myself
every Saturday night; a habit, however,
against which my good wife had long re-
muns;rateG; predicting that, unless | gave
j. up, | would yet die miserable sot. In
deed, NAV here mention that, on the Sun
day n.orsisg 70 o'loSng rny Saturday nights,
| had 20 be exceed ng.y cautious how gave
way to the siights-t imPatience at any &c
ciGentul annoyance; because such imPI-
t enc was sure to be quoted against me as
evidence of ihs melancholy Consequences of
overnight ,ndulg nee. As for my wife,
she. never slipping punch, cou'd yield t. any
little passing peevishness as much as she
pl.ased.
But, upon the night in QUESTION, found
myself wishing that, instead of my usua
mild mixture, had concocted some potent
draught. / felt the nesd OF stimulus.
wanted something to hearten me against
Cotton Maher--do eful, gaostly, ghastly
Colt. n Math ] grew more and mere ner-
vouss Nothing but fasci aatisa kept me
from Heeins the room. The Candles burnt
low, with lung snufs, and huge winding
sheets But eurst not raise the snullers
TO them. 1t would make too much noise.
And yet, previously, | had been wishing for
nose. Tread on and on. My hair begin
To have sensation. My eyes felt strained;
they panied me- was conscious of il. Il
knew was inj'rring them. ! knew should
rue this abuse OF them next day; but | read
on and on. | could not help it. The skinny
hand was on me.
All at once--Hark!
My hair felt like g-owing grass.
A faint sort of inwc,d rapping or rasping
"a strange, inexplicab e sound, mixed with
= slight kind of wcod-pecking or ticking.
Tick! Tick!
Yes, it was faint s~rt OF ticking.
/ looked up at my great Strasbourg clock
in oie corner. 1t was not that. The clock
mad stopped.
Tick! Tick!
Was it my watch,
According to her usual practice at night,
my wife had. upon retiring, carried my watch
If to our chamber TO hang it up on its nail.
/ listened with all my ears.
Tick Tick!
Was it death-tick in the wai8scot.
With u tremuIoLs step | wen: all round
the room, io.ding my car to The wainscot.
No; it came ret from the wainscGt.
Tick! Tick.
| shook myself. was ashamed of my
fright.
Tex! Tick.
Ii grew in precision and auiibleness. /
retreated from the wainscot. 1t seemed
advancing 10 meet me.
| louked round aud round, but saw moth
ing, on}y one cIoven leqt OF the little apple
Tree table.
Bless me, sa:d 10 myself, with sudden
revulsion, it must be very late; ain't that
my wife calling mel Yes, yes; | must to
bed. suppose all is locked up. No need
TO go the rounds.
The fascna,isn had departed, though the
fear had increased With trembling hands
putting Cotton Mather cut OF sight, seon
Tound myself, candle stick in sand, IN my
chamber, with peculiar rearward feeling,
such as some truant dog may iees. In my
eager ness to get well INTO the chamber,
stumbled against chair
do try and make less noise, my dear"
said my wife from the bed. You have been
taking too much of that punch, l fear
That sad habit grows on you. All, that
should ever see you thus gsering at ight
into your chamber"
"Wife, vile, hoarsely whispered l.,
ssthere isis something tick--ticking in
the cedar parIor."