The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1860-05-30
MISCELLANEOUS.
From Chambers Journal.
THE RED ROOM.

7 have never seen ghost, and l don't
want to see one. If anything Of that ma
ture, under a mistaken notion of beneftting
me by warning me of danger, or pointing
out trcasurc-hOle, or putting me up to
present itself, should be frightened to
another ghost in the room in about half a
minute. AS for deyil-may -care.dogs who
visit Necropolisses alone at midnight, or
who are prepared to sit up alone in their
solitary beds and pronounce their own
names solemnly three times, with the inten-
ton of raising their familiar spirits-I don't
believe that such creatures exist. What
man dare do with rcspectability II dare :;
''who dare do more" have good authority
for stating, "is nonc." When a certain
spectral light steals into my chamber upon
sudden, | am accustomed to make me a
sort of Crimean tent of the blankets where
from l emerge only at long intervals to
breathe have lost more pounds of flesh
in this manner, through moonbeams, than
any African traveller surrenders to the sun.
w ell do remember that particular terror
of my boyhOod, which resulted in my re-
manning at five feet seven, instead Of six
feet one and half-the altitude attained by
each of my brothers that shock from which
my constitution took two entire years to re-
cover itself, during which-at youths most
growing time-I did not approach the stairs
by single inch.
was about nine years of age when the
frightful incident occurred, and what is cal
led-by very old persons who have forgot
ten what school was-a happy school boy !;
that term, however, was, just then, applica-
| bic to me enough, since l had got away
from my place of durance and instruction
for a few days Of Easter vacation. was
staying at the house of cousin, who lived
in the outskirts of large provincial town,
of which-as kept in mind with unutter.
able awe-he was then Mayor.
Cousin Richard was short and stout to q
degree that l should now be inclined to
term "podgy;" but being invested with
this supreme and mysterious dignity, he
seemed to possess presence more impos
earth's surface. --.
red room, Harry, since you are so fond o.
getting up early, and then you won't dis
turb the house in the morning in putting or
your boots," submitted without remon
STRANGE. -@'~
That did like to get up early-so tha
might enjoy as much of the present i'm
munity from my schoolastis privileges a!
possible-that did commonly make tire
mendous noise in sulling on my boots, wa!
true enough; but that | should be put il
red room, the state apartment dedicated t
exalted guests, away from the rest Of tn
house, and-almost to certainty-haunt
ed, seemed mode of prevention worthy o
the worst days of the inquisition. Hal
my father proposed snch proceeding, hat
my schoolmaster, indeed any authority Yitl
whom could glapple, and whose power
could calculate the extent, | would hay
protested manfullv; but the edict of tn
Mayor appeared to settle the matter beyon,
dispute, and knocked under Mt cnce witt
Asiatic servility. ....g-l .,s
l need not say how the rest Of the after
neon was embittered by the thought of tn
night that wos to follow; those who are &C
uuainted with such terrors, can easil,
enough imagine them; those who are no
can never be made to understand them 3.
mere description.
Enough to say, that about 0 o'clock p
NJ, l found myself in the big bad in the ret
room, in cold bath Of perspiration, ant
with my eyes tightly closed, endeavoring t.
, go to sleep before the adults Of the hous
should have retired. AS long as the nois
Of tongues and feet continued, howeve
) much in the distance, my mind would,
knew, be comparatively tranquil, and sub
ject to the drowsy god but if once tn
sense Of solitude should creep over me
slumber would become impossible, and
should fall victim to dreadful powers o
darkness for the rest Of the night.
; did 60 to sleepin accordance with thes
, profound calculations; but unhappily, ant
contrary to them, woke about three hour
: afterwards. 1t was midnight. did no
require the weired accents of the cuckoo
clock upon the stairs to tell me that. Ipos
) sessed as acute perception Of that gtos.'!
!, time as aldermen of the dinner hour, O
station-masters of the period when tn
night express is wont to fash for amomen
bew.en the trembling walls.