The gazette and Democrat. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1860-1860, 1860-09-20
AN HOUR OF HORROR.
BY W. H. c.

BY w. ii. @.
In 1916, not long after the murder O
Colonel Davenport, on Rock Island, wher
many parts Of the West were filled with
criminals Of every grade and hue, anC
the traveller had good cause to be suspi
cious Of all he met, l was journeying OF
horse back through the northern part o
Illinois, then but sparsely settled. NJ,
companion was an only sister. just recos
tered from lingering attack of fever. w,
had buried both our parents and an only
brother upon the other side of the Fathe
Of Waters. and wero now wedding ou
way back to New England, the land O
our nativity.
One evening, just as the sun was set
ting, we emerged upon a broad prairie
stretching beyond us as far as the ey,
could reach. Ten dreary miles had beer
traversed since we had seen house, anc
now the little log cabin which greeted
our sight was as welcome as the oasis tc
the tried Arab. Riding up to the door
an old woman Of most ferocious appear.
ance answered my summons, and in re.
ply to my question of how fat it was tc
the next house, grunted out that It was
twenty.eight miles.
Here was dilemma. Our horses were
already jaded. and my sister so faligued
that she could scarcely retain her seat in
the saddle. To proceed was impossible
10 remain there. felt strange present.
ment would be but cOurtiug death. From
a whispered consultation with my sister
| found that she shared my suspicious re.
specting the old woman and the characte,
Of the house. Finally Of the alternatives
we decided TO ask for lodgings. The ole
woman made some excuses--said there
was but one bed in the house besides heI
own and that she was not prepared to take
travellers.
AS l was we'll armed-not without
some experience in hand to hand fight.
ming, and could have bed for my sister
! decided to remain In preference to ven
lure across in the night. AS we dis
mounted from our horses, villainou:
looking man, apparently twenty five years
cid. came up from a ravine beyone tn,
house with gun upon his shoulder anc
large hunting knife in his belt. lie dii
not look us in the face, but cast sid4lons
glances Indicative OF one whose cousci
ence was i'll at ease.
After a supper Of vension and corr
bread Of which both my sister ard mysel
partook spariDgly, notwithstanding ou
long fast, requested that my sistc
might be shown to bed. As there wa
but one below, we knew the bed must b
in the left, the floor of which was lai
with "punsheous," leaving many broa
cracks. Accordingly by ladder, l &C
companied my sister to the room abov
and having viewed the place and some
what reassured her, descended 10 pass hal
an hour with my hostess and her son.
Upon engaging her in conversation,
learned that she was formerly from Tenn
essee-that her husband had been kille
about year previous in fight about
claim and that she was intending to re
tuIn the next north 10 her native State
AS | became more acquainted with hel
my fears subsidized, and when finally de-
cided to retire TO the room above intend
ing to sit and watch all night, l forge
) to take my overcoat, in which were m
pistols and bowie knife.
My sister was still awake, and 1 wa
rejolced TO find that like me, her fear
were gone: Seating myself upona chai
without any back. l leaned against III
wall, and was just dropping iuto dozt
, when l was startled by hearing whisper
at the foot Of the ladder. Cautiously ri
sing to my feet, peercd through wild
crark. and distinctly saw the old woma
sharpening the huge hunting knife, ,wnic
. now looked double its natural size. A
. the same moment the young man leane
against stick ofwnod in tie corner, caut
ing it to fall to the hearth.
"Hushf' whispered the old woman
"you will wake them up"
( In a moment, like a shock of electricit
I full sense of our awful situation rushe
upon my mind, had evidently Ice
wheedled into confidence by the old ha,
that she might the more easily murder u
And my pistols! o, horrors, they wei
beyond my reach, and I could see nol
ing, save tho chair, with which to defen
Q myself. Had l been alone, | think
!. should hot have lost my presence oimin'
Q But my sister, the only near relative | hs
q upon earth-the life Of my sister hun
upon my protection, and by one of thet
J strange contradictions In nature, when
!, should have been most active, I sank dow
: on the chair perfectly paraly zed.
4 | now distinctly heard the old woms
ascending the ladder, but to save my II
| could not move muscle. Fortunate
u my sister was asleep and 10 my dreadf
d extremity was so base as to hope th
J. the blow might be struck with unerrir
4 certainly, that she might awake TO consc
BUSINESS only in The land of spirits.
J On came the old womau-I saw b,
o grizzly bead as it peered into the loft
& saw the light in one hand and the horr
!. BILE knife in the other saw her turn h,
glaring eyes, full upon me-saw the d
monlac scowl upon her withered ieatur
still could not move. The agony
3 that moR,ent if meted out in ordinal
9 proportions, would make a man miser
0 bio for thousand years.
2 When | could bear it no longer-ju
4 as was about to swoon the old woms
q raanhad fnrwnrd and a,r,Ih nm ;.n,, s.....