The gazette and Democrat. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1860-1860, 1860-05-31


caught up by huge vulture. But it hav
ing been attacked by auother feathered
monster, as she was about to devour me,
| escaped during the contest. Lastly /
thought that furious wind had arisen,
prostating the old oaks of the forest and
shaking the house 20 it's very foundations.
Suddenly fearful Blast came and l lho't
it was falling in ruins upon my head
The moment | found myself awake, and
standing beside my chair, l could scarce.
ly persuade myselfthat | had only dream.
ed. Day had gone and night come; the
bright FIRE by which | had eat, had died
out IN q mass Of embers, and the wind
like an angry spirit was bowling without.
By the light of taper, | saw the book, |
mad read, lying beside the chair. Its fall
then, was the crash of the falling house
which had reused me from slumber.-
Once more heapsd on the fuel, drew my
chair to the fire and resumed reading by
taper. Sleep however, soon came over
me, and filed my mind with wild and fear
full visions. Hideous beings peopled the
air shout me-now smiling on me with
ghastly deformed faces, now flashing their
angry eyes AMI gnashing their ter
rible teeth almost in my face. Such sleep
could not last long; and then the louely
house seemed beseiged by savage hob
COLLINS; some Juggling at the windows and
others rqpping with furious blows against
thc door.
again found niysclfawake, and by my
chair, The FIRE was low, and the taper
but mere point Of flame, throwing chill,
ing gloom over tie dark chamber, For a
moment all was still without, save the
moaning.of the night wind. II was but s
moment-oh! who can image the indescri
bable horror, the heart-sickening terror
which chilled my soul on hearing again I
loud pl rap! at my door, Now, indeed
it was no dream wide awake stood. as
the raps fell upon my trembling door,
For momeht i stood utterly unable t
move muscle: still. oh, deadly still, VA
my heart! had a sister fallen into tn
flames, / could not have reached a rescu
ling arm. Slowly as the rspping ceased,
rpgained my selfconIrol. Rap rap! how
ever, soon came agau, followed by a hu
man voice asking admitance. I called
aloud lest should be mistaken, and agai
voice was returned. Inow summone
resolution and, though with much mis-
giving, approached the door. l hope
ana tried to believe that some friend ha
called; yet it was with the most painfc
dread that | threw open the door. A dar
form stood before me, SO deformed. s
haggard, that had lie not at this momet
uttered mild voice, / should certainl
have thought him spirit from anctht
world, and closed the door in terror. A
it was, ventured to invite him in, an
gave him a seat beside my feeble fire.
soon discovered that he was a mendican
and at his request, placed before him
cold lunch.
Hitherto, / had taken but casual glar
ces at him by the Pickering taper, but no
Ihad rebuilt the FIRE and trimmed the Il
per, and, as he ate the lunch, the brig
illumination of the chamber enabled n
carefully 10 survey the mysterious stra
ger. Now l felt sure, had | at first BEL
him clearly l should not have taken hi
for one of my own species. So pallid
counlensnce, so sunhen an eye, and
palsed frame had not before SEEN.
Ills head was bald, save few silver hail
His face and chin were covered with
long uncOmbed beard hanging in knots
his bare breast. His right leg had be
amputated above the knee. His leftfol
arm he had lost-a hook being iasten
to the arm at the elbow, on which he CT
lied a budget; and there were but t.
fingers and thumb entire, on the rig
He walked by means ofa cratch.
Aller became fully assured Of the |
mainly of my guest | confess was no
liu!e pleased in the hope that his conv
salion. or at least his presence might b
ish llat painful gloom which / alwi
experienced in a stormy night when alo
When hs had finished eating he glauC
toward me and asked il Iwore alone
the house. and learning that | was, ne
piled that it was not wonderful had b
italed to admit him. He informed
that he rapped once, and hearing nc
ceased moment, and then raped aga
n Here, then, in his first rapping which
woke me, is the explanation q my DIRE
Of house falling upon me. | fnrt
learned that he was an Englishman
-, good family. that he had received a
-, education at Oxford, that for bad, di'
,e.' ~ lute counduct he had been disinheri
~. w. and driven from home, and tha. as a
III Ill resort he shipped as common sailor '
a"n m the design of quitting the land forever
-. ~ lie now drew his chair to the fire and
10 ~ cling his naked foot on The warm bea
" " 7 began narration Of his history, sucl
., D. never till then had heard. and such
""o ""o never desire 10 hear again.
ases After many tolsome years Of seafal
on life in the South Pacific Sea. he had
eot. rived at New York. During his della
ain. two weeks he visited the Bethel pref
was ing and became believer and conver
ipg, Christianity, and ever since that time
ere. tried in his own words,to make the
took Testament the guide ofhis lffa." |
ho he took from his budget and showed
noon well-thumbed bible--a gift from
win. minister who had baptized him. A
ioue spoke Of these things and his early '
rood wardness, his cheeks were washed
Zion alternate tears Of Joy and grief. At
|, the request he now gave me brief histo
a.: himser And for NV soil, / cannot a