Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1860-12-08

~ ohN pidCcu hll Lne aValldOie luTnlluTt
10 the room against it, which operation:
considerably aleviated the uneasiness of my
mind. As turned towards the table tC
examine my pistols, was startled at see
ing, In cheap looking glass which rested
against the wall, the reflection of the enc
OF my money belt, just visible between my
waiscoat and pantaloons. / commonly
wore It next my body, bot on this morning
had accidentally forgotten it till nearly
dressed, aud had therefore strapped it a
round me hastily, as l had little time to
spare.
recollected with no small disquietude
tue opportunity Of observing this which
had been afforded by the dark lantern
and the enigmatical remark of the woman,
the dla6ocal look of my hosts aud the
suspicious behavior of the dog, simultane.
ously required TO my mind, and contributed
greatly to Increase this disquietude. My
nrst impulse was not to go to bed at oil ;
but my second was to apostrophize myself
under the title of Internal fool aud follow.
ing the line Of conduct implied, although
hardly expressed iu this remark, / took of
my clothes and plunged Into bed.
The wild meanings Of the wind kept me
listening TOR while to their gusty music,
ana enhanced the feeling of awe which
stroVe In vain to banish from my breast.
Alter an hour or two, however. as every-
thing seemed perfectly still, the fatigue of
my journey gained the mastery of all ankle
" aud fell into state akin to sleep, but
distinguished from it by my retaining a con.
selousness OF where was, aud how was
circumstanced. l was powerless to move
or act, but | seemed gifted with almost
supernatural acuteness Of mental activity,
by which | took cognizance of the least
noise or disturbance. In this abnormal
condition appeared to remain tranquil for
q long time, seeing aud hearing altogether
independently of physical organs of sense,
when 1 became aware in my dream-for it
was only an unusual kind of dream-of q
scratching noise Just outside of my chamb-
er window, which was near the head of the
bed. This grew louder and louder, until,
bursting the spell of inaction which had
hitherto bound me hand and foot, | ap.
peared to leap up aud rush to the window,
Ali without was hidden in inky blackuess,
and the candle had left burning on the
table was Pickering in its socket, evidently
about TO expire. With a gr eat effort /
flung up the easement and peered eagerly
into the gloom, but l could discern nothing,
and as was on the point of closing the
window again, for the wind was high aud
sent shiver all over my frame, large OBJ
ject brushed against my hands and leaped
into the room. started back, and giving
hurried glance round the chamber, saw,
by the latest flicker of the dying candle,
the form of the Strengthening dog l had
seen down stairs, sitting on the bed bolt
upright and staring at me. The next in
slant was in utter darkness s.--..
For some moments, hardly knew how
long. I stood motionless, while crowd of
conflicting emotions swept across my mind !;
but soon recovering myself luckily re.
membered there was plenty Of matches in
my cigar case f; towards my coat pocket,
therefore, l groped my way, aud securing
them, struck one of them. What was my
| JOY to see, standing on the wooden mantle-
piece, second candle, half burned, but
still able to give light for a couple of hours
at least This was speedily kindled, and
then turning towards The dog, approach.
ed the bed. The animal seemed TO have
no ill-natured designs, but as / drew near
er, turned his nose upward and gave a low
growl, and finding | did not heed his PAN
tomine, but stretched out my hands to seize
him, he repeated the action, and took every
possible means to direct my attention to the
ceiling. Without understanding his desire
at the time. / nvoluutariy glanced upward,
aud conceive my horror at seeing directly
over the head of my bed the faint outlines
Of large trap door.
Ny frozen blood had hardly begun to
tingle along my veins once more, when my
eyes, firmly rivited on this mysterious OBJ
ject, plainly perceived it tremble and com.
mence slowly to open. The dog observed
this likewise, and uttering a loud howl
sprung from the bed and out of the still
open window. The door, nevertheless, as
cended gradually, and just as furious gust
of wind swept by. and with one Of its ed
dies extinguished the candle, large, heavy
something fell with crash upon the bed
With a gasp and cry of sufocaton
started, and opening my eyes discovered
had been dreaming and the sense of be
wilderment accompanying my waking dl(
not prevent feeling of intense relief.
At frst could not recollect where was
and fancied / must be at home but few
seconds suHiced to diSpel the illusion. Cast
ing my eyes around in ON effort TO identif.
myself aud ascertain my position, saw thu
candle on the table aaring up every nov
and then in desperate struggle for exis
tence. Hastily glancing at the mantel,
saw another candle, half burned, which
had noticed when went to bed. l wa
now thoroughly aroused, and with forebod
| ing apprehensions looked up at the ceiling
and, o heaven, in the dmness of the ligh
/ saw the regular figure of rectangl
traced upon the plsstering directly above
me- Every muscle of my whole body wa
paralyzed by this discovery, and weigh
seemed to lie with crushing force upon m!
chest /; and with q spirit now completed.
/ overcome with superstitious terror, lay al
tempting to summon sufficient resolution Il
arise and examine the chamber more close
| Iy, when-hark, could it be !-yes-no-
yes. there was unmistaksbly faint sount
outside my window, resembling the noise 0
a dogs claws against the wall. IL grew
voo.o -and mara distinct accompanied at 10