Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1859-04-13
EBENsBURG, Pa, WEDNESDAY, APRIL I3, 1859.


grinding al oar presumed jealousy of onean-
other aud, in werd, made our lives unen-
durable. Be was a strong man, or he might
have corae off with mortal injury in some of
the furious struggles which ensued. After
one of these. Katy, weeping with rage and
vexation, vowed that she would never speak
to again.
That pleased him for time. think the
devil put it into his head to ill-use her, as he |
did afterwards. Or it might have been mere |
ly to spite US. I have said thathe was more !
eonsderate toeards her than others Now |
he began to Guide, to strike her. Shall |
ever forget witnessing the first blow? L did !
not wait for the secoed.
7 remember going to her that evening with |
some wild project OF flight which my brother
was to share. Gle manifested such frenzied |
rage daring her chastisement that my uncle
locked him IN an empty room, imprisoning
him for some days. She cried, but seemed
to think much lighter of the matter than
its influence had already faded from her vari-
able temperament. Henceforth, however,
she shared her uncle's brutality with US.
What would have come of this-how far we
should have been able to endure lido not
know. had he refraiued from one act. In
ft of sheer malgnancy, he one day, teok a
pair of scissors aud cut off a quantity of Hates
hair 1t was long and beautiful, and she
| had been excessively proud of it.
That night when we had been ordered off
to bed, there was an expression in Jacks face
whTeh frightened me. He had been unusu-
ally taciturn all day-we never talked much
together of late, but this day fewer words
than ever passed between us-I tried to draw
him into conversation, but without success
And [ noticed that be trembled very much
| when he lay Down beside me. 1t was my un-
cle's custom to lock US in, but this night, of
| ali nights in the year. he omitted to do So
Unable to sleep for long time, lay list
ening to the wind without. 1t was wild
blasterous night, such a one As had always
! exerted an cuqulet influence upon me; such
one as shall now never contemplate but
with horror, to my dying day. (Sometimes
l fancy that day will be its counterpart No
moon was visable as | looked out of our cur
taiuiess easement. and rack of heavy clouds
moved rapidly and continuously athwart the
face Of the heavens. The wind made a dis
NAL clamor among tho chimney pots, and now
and then fierce dash OF rain drove against
/ the 1ledow panes. Fearing TO speak to nv
brother; and | was as sacred and troubled in
| mind as though some evil influence were
abroad. Was there not? I lay listening.
until, from shear wcariness, [ tumbled, as
from pfecipice, into The arms OF sleep
That brought relief My dreams par
took of my mental disquiet. At first they
we're confused. forrnless, ohaotically horrible.
L was harrassed by an overpowering. name
less dread, haunted by an ever-chaDeing
phantasm, which nothing could exercise, and
the presence Of which inflicted unimag iuable
misery and apprehension. This horror grew
like one of the evil geni in Arabrian Nights,
LII
then abruptly ended. still slept. laborious-
ly, painfully, as oppressed by heavy uight-
mare; yet. by "a strange clairyoyance, be-
came conscious of the existance of the ex.er-
nal objects [ saw the black shadows on the
aoor the impenetrable darkness hrooding in
the corners of the room, and heard the wind
raging without. More than that, though my
brother lay with his back towards me, aud
his face to the wall, [ saw his face distinctly
as if it were fronting mine in MONDAY And
q do not pretend to explain these phenome-
na and can hardly expect to obtain credsnce
, though it was so. knew his thoughts Oh
the mortal agony that it was TO know them
and be unable to stir hand or foot to prevsnt
their execution.
: Gently and cautiously he put the bed
3 clothes aside; gently and cautiously he step
, ped over me. lay watching him through
{. an awful medium, which dispensed light witt
[ ordinary means One long look at the trout
s led midnight sky. another at the mirror
{ what dreadful attraction was there in his oxr
t face, then, l wonderland he stole acros
: the darkened floor and out of the room. N,
f preternatural vision followed him.
t Up the black staircase. To my uncle
room,
The blood sursed and throbbed in m
| oh afr nj
t ished steel before my eyes, and then . grea
| darkness With a cry of horror. 1 a~oke
= my hair bristiliug. My brothers place wa
vacant.
n slipped from the bed, and stole afterhiu
! a mortal terror in my heart, my blood con
a gealirg to ice. my knees knocking together
In the midnight blackness. his outstretche
i hands met miue-wet with what [ khe'
d must be blood!
) Why should write more? Boy as be wa
he died on the gailows, myself barely cscs
10 ping the same fate. Katy, waking up
r that nj ght Of horror, never closed her eye
j. in the sweet sleep of health or sanity agair
!. NV lie has been passed in self banishpeI
: from my na,ive land, am lonely old ma
= the last Of my race. A Id my story is told
u pR- a cabin boy en- board ship, IL
10 cspssin of which was . religious man, ";
T. called up to be whipped for some misiemeaI
d , or Little Jack went crying and tremblin!
i and said to the captain-''Pray, sir, will &c
visit till say my prayer, 2" Eyes" WI
4 the stern reply Well. them" replied Jac
as as looking up, and smiling triumphantly. Il
al say them when get ashore"
L. Twill you have it rare or we'll done
A. said landlord to an Irishman, few da
r. ago, as be was cutting piece of roast bet
in Il love it sell dono ever since am in to
at country-for it was rare enough We Us
re to ate il in Ireland.