The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1857-12-09
AND oHIo WEDNESDAY MORNING, DECEMBER g. 1857

form of his hands arrested my attention.
They were exceedingly long and bony.-
Each of the finger joints were wider than
the rest of the finger; showing that his
hands had been endowed with great
strength. 1 shuddered when saw them,
for the particulars of his last crime, and
the one indeed which brought him to the
scaffold rushed into my mind.
returned to my seat by the side of the
stove, my thoughts filed with his last
fearful crime.
l recslled the manner in which ne had
accomplished the death of his victims,
and could we'll understand how he had
been able to effect his purpose with such
strong hands as he must have possessed
L remained musing thus an indefinite
time to me, for I was so wrapped up in
my thoughts, that could not tell wheth
er it had been ten minutes or an hour
remember suddenly of turning my eyes
to the murderer's body, aud faucied that I
saw the cloth covering him, move.
No, it could not be, it was only an
hallucination of my senses. and I en-
deavored to chase away the idea Again
thought l saw the covering move-there
was no mistake about it this time-the
fact was plainly visible to my senses. I
gazed horror stricken-I could feel the
blood receding from my cheeks. The
movement of the covering continued. Oh,
heavens what was that I saw? One of
his long bony hands projecting beyond the
sheet-the fingers convulsively opening
and closing in the palm of the hand I
was benum bed, and could not move hand
nor foot, but could only gaze in mute hor-
ror at the terrific spectacle.
Slowly the body rose in sitting pos
ture, and glared around the room. HE
face remained as block as it was before
and the lower jaw was hanging down.
The hideous monster had found me out
When he saw me devilish smile crossed
his features, and he gibered and glared at
me like a maniac. He continued to work
his hands convulsively. Iremained SPELL
bound and could not utter word.
The murderer continued his hideous
contortions for some minutes, when what
was my horror but to see him slowly get
ting off the board on which he had been
placed. Yes, could see his legs emerge
from the sheet. He endeaYors to reach
the foor--he succeeds he slowly draws
his body after him, and stands erect IN the
middle of the room. Good God he ap-
he is walking deliberately towards me.
utter a cry of horror, and start from my
seat, and move away. The murderer fol-
lows me-his eyes are all the time fixed
on me with basilisk's glare. I endeav-
or to turn away my eyes from him, but it
is in vain. He still approaches. dait
around the room-he follows me with a
hoarse laugh. He gains upon me. can
feel his kissing breath on my cheek. His
hand is on my shoulder; 1 sink exhausted
to the ground. The demon raises anoth-
er mocking laugh, and clasps my neck
with his long bony hand. His grasp tight
ens-I am suffocating-I am dying. I
can feel my eyes protruding from their
sockets. 1 can no longer breathe. 1
die ! 1 die
"What in the name of fortune are you
pulling your neck handkerchief for ?" ez-
claimed voice in my ear.
started up and it was daylight, and
my friends Earnest, Alfred, ard Jean
were in the room. gazed around. 1t
had been only frightful, hideous dream.
Courade's body was there exactly in the
same position as the night before.
Come" said Earnest, ''you have staid
here half an hour longer than the time
agreed upon. 1t is now halfpast six =
When We came into the room you must
have been dreaming something not very
agreeable, for we found you pulling at
your neck handkerchief until you were
black in the face"
1t appeared 1 had fallen asleep over
the fire, and my situation, together with
the liberal supper I had eaten the night
previous had given me the nightmare.
Won my wager and kept my own
counsel