The Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1859-1865, 1860-11-15

might have entered the EashCesh dreams
of Mahommedan devotee, but not the
hcayen-scnt vision Of Christian neophyte.
\ 1t even that classical beauty, modelled by
Cvtherea and baptiscd in the -Egean-loW
b"owed and perpendicular nosed. Not
even like Dolly-amber-eyed, scarlet-dyed
with electrical hair like thin-spun glass.
None of these-but yet glorous-cntran-
g-magniicent and awful.
1t crept toward me and coilcd up at my
feet HaIf-veied in some strange feccy
garment that shifted and waved as it NOV
ed, and, stirred by invisible air-currente,
seemed to wreathe and writhe about it, as
snoke-through which the polished ma
hogany Of It's inner surface seemed to
glisten and glide duSHily like a serpent's
skin-always graceful and charming, even
in its 0phiomOrphous outlinc-i saw 1t
lean It's head upon It's hand and turn Its
awful glittering eyes upon mine. l tried
to rise but could not. | tried to turn my
eyes away, but was fascinated like bird
in the scrpeut's tolls. But it was not the
relentless, unwinkin@ glitter OF the rattle
snake, although | felt all the dreaded Ell
trancement Of its gaze. lis eyes were soft
cued and humid as It looked 1t mine. and
bright with ineffabIe longing. Again /
tried to move but my limbs were torpid.
] tried to speak, but my Fps We're power
less. | could only look; my faculties
found expression in that one sense. until
the weary lids sank over and veiied the
other lustrous orbs from my benumbin@
consciousness, and slowly, quietly, / fell
asleep.
When I awoke it was bright moonlight
There were the Ton. paraiIelograms of
lights below my window. and above the
twink;ing city, the frmament, starred and
respIendent. | rubbed my eyes. | was
cold, nervous and trembling. There was
bitter taste in my mouth-the room
seemed close-the air heavy with tobacco
smoke Pufcr's meerschaum lay beside
me Oh the floor. l picked it, up, and was
about to return it to It's case. when my
eve caught and became riveted to the car-
we'd bowl 1t was the OLD brown -tiuged
/ caryatid which seemed to possess this
fascination and which recalled something
OF my past experience.
You, oh reader, who have tresnasSed
upon some forbidden ground, who have
INDUCED in some prohibited vice-you
can recall how much easier becomes the
descent after the FIRST downward step,
than to retruce your footballs to the dread
iui verge. Let me then hurry over the
! ieyerish impaJieuce with which | review
/ ed my impressions OF awful night aud the
/ gradual absorption Of my faculties in the
repetition Of tha, FIRST excess. How often,
alter visit FROM that awful presence, rest
/ less ana tossing upon MY couch. feverish,
/ with parche4 tongue and that bitter, burn
/ ny TASTE Yet lingering on my palate, have
/ prayed to be delivered from It's awful
destinations. How often has shis been,
! only to rise again and invoke It's soothing
trunquiiizing, supplying presence from
out Of It's misty habitation. How this
record has been told over in shattered
nerves and trembling limbs, cloudcd intel
Iect and vision, and remorsefUl conscious
ness. Perhaps none but myself can know
One other, perhaps-Doily.
She eyed me narrowly. She often
spoke Of my falling health and jaded looks
| sometimes faucied she had detected the
secret, with the insight peculiar to prac
teal young women. Who discovers the
skeleton in your friends closet, gentle
reader? Always a Dolly. You 90 abou
stumbling hither and thither, in YOU
masculine knowledge OF men and things
opening musty bookcases, and coming
over black letter, and looking into stree
corners for the old skeleton. Dolly, ions
ago, has gone into your friends room, anC
looked into the closet 1T his bedside
Which was always open, and-seen it.
began to fear that Dolly knew it-an'
had seen 1t, too.
I had retired one night wearily to m
room, and took from my closet the gree
, shagreen case. | once more filed It
, bowl but in my feyerish anxiety to in
woke It's now familiar presence, l omit
ted the precautionary rule / laid down .
, the beginning Of these pages, OF clearln
its concave alembic. 1t answered bu
| feebly TO my inspiring breath. 1t seem
, ed cioggcd and sulen. [ applied my pei
+ knife, and again resumed my seab. The
= slowly, as beitted It's awful advent out {
f the ascending smoke wreaJhs 1t grew /
! all It's dim, mysterious glory. Again !
crawIed toward me with its burning eyes
j again 1t coiled up at my feet and Its braiC
t ed musky locks upon It's hand, and too
1 my palm within its own. Again | fe
c the strange indefnablc thrill possess IL
n as | gazed into It's lambent eyes. But
i strove to shake off the familiar torpo
$ when as if divining my intent, 1t SCENE
5 80 raise great heaven to level wit
n my breast. 1t approached me with liqui
t loving eyes, snd biz, pointing, scarlet Ii.