The semi-weekly mountain Democrat., 1860-09-05

considered sacred. TO be sure, in mere
levity and cxultation Of spirits, we per-
formed acts that, to persons unacquainted
with US and our circumstances, might
seem seasoned with carnestness. To such
MISUNDERSTANDING, by a third person,
may be attributed the origin of reports
that we, my wife and I, lived an unhappy
lifc-a life of turmoil-of blows Many
around us held to such an opinion, but
from mere ignorance Of the exact nature
Of our lives.
But |, descending speedily to the grave,
do declare that we never, by word or deed,
transccndcd the bounds of our great love
for each other or transSresssd those laws
that should preserve the person of the
wife from blow or contumely. II it were
possible to exist without jarring discord,
to turn the sweetest sympathies into bitter
hatred, ours was that existence. Yet
it availed me not in the dark day that came
upon my household; but rather offered
opportunities by which to strengthen an
apparent gniltiness.
Jessie" said to my wife, one eve
ming, "do You stand on one side Of the
room, while take 4 position on the other.
Give me ball of yarn from the basket,
and then whoever is hit with the ball the
greatest number of times, shall make a
present to the other. A nice present, of
course. ii --'------'-------'-'''-
"If lose, my present shall be dress
ing.gown," said Jessie, "but you know
you Il have to pay for it,"
IL will be just rs acceptable" l
answered. But if lose, you shall have
that ring with the emerald and pearls"
Then the soft ball Of yard flew quickly
from hand to hand, VIC all the time laugh
ing and talking with great glee. A knock
Mt the door, and an acquaintance entered,
finding our faces flushed with the excite.
mcnt Of the contest, and each uncertain
who was the vanquishcd. declared that
she had won the ring, and promised to
put it upon her finger the next day;
which day, to her. never came.
About two o'clock that night, I was
awakened to consciousness by one of those
inexplicable preternatural premonitionsof
near danger, which are often encountered
but generally in skeptical spirit.
My mind was clear to reason-not hav-
ing its delicate powers blunted by sleep.
Scarcely were my eyes unclosed, before |
became cognizant ofthe presence of a cold,
clammy nature, by its loathsomc contact
with my face, and by its presence upon
my bosom, whereby it nearly stillcd the
beating of my heart. Naturally, am no
coward but the knowledge of the pres
cncc of this burden, combined with utter
darkness. creator Of fierce fear, completely
unnerved me, and my body shook like an
aspen leaf
The quiet condition Of this body, which
appertained not to myself or my wife.
its mysterious situaHon-and above all,
the moist, chilly contact with my face,
deprived Inc for an instant of self. possess
ion. The Gathering Of a blind, or the
nibbling Of a mouse, seemed like peal Of
thunder to my cars; the overstrained eye
saw, or seemed to see, ghostly shapes
pendant from the chandelier and bcd.post.
dared not shout aloud nor change my
position in bed, for fear that my throat
would be clutrhed by the incubus that
sat like hideous nightmare fully dcvel-
oped into reality upon my chest.
the strong swimming or the vcnturous
diver, when coming in bodily contact, un-
forewarned, with corpse beneath the
surface of the watcr-whcn nature acts
like an electric battery, and discharges
volumes Of fear at the slightest movement; ;
or like one in the dark, who encounters
skeleton.
was peculiarly situated: surrounded
by an immensity Of terror; expansive,
inasmuch as it draped thoughts and mo-
tions in habiliments that gave them q
gigantic appearance; immersed in sea
of dread and doubt, and finally completely
cowed by fear.
Now reason made its appeal to the
frightened soul. The mere consciousness
of bodily contact with his invsibilty sug.
gested its substantiability, but hesitated
to make the first movement, hostile or
otherwise. There was half-formed sup
position in my mind, that if l stirred there
would come upon me an onset, by the in
cubus that I could not withhold; this
hesitancy to action partly overcame by
the circumspect rising Of my left arm-it
was free. moved my right instantly, and
contcmporaneously with that movement,
the weight upon my face was removed to
my neck. A little more stealthy investi-
CATION, still fearful of an attack by an in
sidious enemy, and l found that my right
hand and the arm as far as above the el-
bow, was temporarily paralyzed, or in
that condition called "asleep;" that the
hand was cold and without sensibility,
and that it was the object that had rested
upon my face.
OF course was much elated at the dis
cOvery, and ashamed that had been SO