The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1859-10-26

of chain.
"Ha v' Thought "my ghost is at least q
good old-fashioned, conventional one. He
howls, walks. and drags q chain Could
anything be more tomantically supernatu.
raj !"
The cellar.door in the front room opened
with a dull, booming sound, and the foot
steps evinced the presence of my ghost
above ground. l fancied that he was about
to call upon me but he passed my door and
went up stairs to the second story, still drag
ging bis chain, and making unearthly, glib.
bering noises-partly snatches of wild song,
partly muttered words, and with the same
mournful howl intermingled throughout
NY curiosity to osee the author of these mystic
rious noises began to be aroused, and get
ting out of bed, opened the door little
wsy, so that could see out and catch
glimpse Of the ghost as he passed.
After roaming about for while overhead,
the disembodied gentleman began his de-
scent, and took up position at the door,
peeping unxiousIy out. Doubtless the fact
of its being aiar attracted his attention, for
he approached, and pushing me back with
the door as easily as if had been child,
walked in, muttering, moaning, and clank.
ing his chain.
1t is not polite to salute q stranger, 80 |
kept silence. The ghost, however, not hav-
inc so much respect for the laws of etiquette
as myself, accosted me in a. cleur, musical
but plaintve voice :
"Who ort thou =
told him my name.
"Oh know thee ~
"Possibly. Who are you 7"
81 am Hermes Trismegistus.
"Ah then have heard of you !"
"What ~ cried my visitant, dropping his
chain, and speaking with a',remulous accent;
"what, have yQd been with us, too ! Have
you seen the new rod, and the grave.worms,
with their horrible eyes ! Ugh !"
l did not quite know what to say to this
I had no, "seen the new rod," and the other
agreeable objects specified by my visitor
nor did care about seeing them. He saved
me the trouble of answering, however, by
, breaking out again
"Why do you have it so dark here 1t is
dark there, too-all dark-dark everywhere
Am not to see light any more, wonder
1t is too bad and when come here, you
must have 1t all dark, zoo -
These words were said in mournful tone
as if he were almost crying. wished to see
who or what he was like, and TO tell the
truth, l began to feel little nervous SO
FASTENED to relight my lamp, and set it upor
the mantle, where its rays would fall fairly
n upon the mysterious parsonage, whose lnco
+ hcrent conversation have given.
My ghost, then, was masculine. A tai
h figure, slightly but strongly made, with a fac'
:. perfectly colorless, thin, peaked, and bony
4 long, sinewy hands, matted black hair, cling
- ing to his forehead and temples as il with
ir cold perspiration, and eyes that seemed as
d they had burned themselves into their sock
,. cts. Across his face ran frightful seal
ID dividing tho left eyebrow, the nose trans
"a versely, and the right corner of the uPpe
lin, dstorting allthose features, so as to Civ
er them an expression of horrible humor-
I sort OF ghastly corpse laugh. if may use tn
ID term. His lip, twisted by the cicatrice, lie
an opening, through which one or two sharI
r. ly pointed, white teeth were visible, and
er short. stubby, black benrd-the unshor
growth Of week, perbaps-added to the
feet of his exposed teeth, and livid, viol
ne lips.
AS looked upon this terrible being' i
n. returned my glance, and burst into Ion
Of convulsive laugh, almost wall, broken vii
something between ordinations and sob
iii 1t was peculiar sound, beginning soltl
swelling up to on intense loudness, and
nd ing away again in demoniac cadenees.
70. can compare it to nothing save my early i'd
of the laughter Of lost souls, arising from
re- bottomless pit.
mid After this laugh, the apparation remain
les silent for short period. My nerVousn'
,r increased
g 81 think you said you were Hermes TT
an megistus I" saked, merely to hear my o.
md voice.
an 81 am and l have something to tell
If if before you 60 with me-you are going W
IAN me, are you not :" 1913.
81 do not know yet" r..
~, "Ha! ! know. Sit down. Sit do
tho here, in front OF me. Let US be sociable
,bt gay, as we used to in the old times. Ho
On. He shiyered as if cold, and made kint
Mite chattering wall between bis teeth. too
.o chair, and he sat down facing me.
mn. Snow them" he began, "of course
was know my condition :" . .
on. "Well, no--not exactly" ga. ..
md "Why, I am lost, you know. died
ival repentunt. laughed at all their religi
palaver, you see-laughed OF it on my DEF
all bed-laughed in the middle Of the death
ow tle-and SO was lost. Sathanas waited
lin. me, and caught me. Not but what Sath
tate as and l are excellent friends, you know,
nad do not think he used fair means to get
.ur. Do you think he did" Hsa .
The distorted face assumed rnenac
10, expression, and ventured to say that
not think 30.