The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1864-12-02
H0RR0R-A True Tale.
CONCLUDED

II ever mortal's good angel had
cause to sigh for sorrow, not sin, mime
had cause to mourn to mourn that
night. But Imagination plays us
strange tricks. and my nervous sys.
TEN was not over-composed, or very
fitted for judicial analysis. 1 had
to go through the picture gallery.
l had never entered this apartment
by candle-light before, and was
struck by the gloomy array of the
tall portraits, gazing moodily from
the canvas on the lozenge- paned
or painted windows, which ratified
to the blast rs it swept bowling by.
Many of the faces looked stern, and
very different from their daylight en-
preston. In others, a furtive flick
.ering smile seemed to mock me rs my
candle illumiued them and in all, the
eyes, rs usual with artistic portraits,
seemed to follow my motions with q
scrutiny and an interest the more
marked for the apathetic immOyahll
ity of the other features | felt i'll at
ease under this stony gaze, though
'cOnciOus how absurd were my appre-
tensions; and called up q smile and
an air OF mirth, more as if acting Il
part under the eyes OF human beings
than Of their mere shadows on the
wall | even laughed as confronted
them. No echo had my short lived
| laughter but from the hollow armor
aud arching ROOT, and | continued ON
my way in silence.
! By q sudden and not uncommon
revulson of feeling | shook Off my
aimless terrors, blushed at my weak
ness, and sought my chamber only
to glad that l had been the only wit
ness of my late tremors. AS / enter
ed my chamber l thought / heard
something stir in the neglected lum
ber-room, which was the only neigh
horing apartment. But was de.
termined to have no more panics. and
Iresolutely y shut my ears to this slight
and transient noise, which had moth,
ing unnatural in it; for surely, be
tween rats and wind, an old manor
house on a stormy night needs ne
spirits to disturb it. So / entered
! my room, and rang for my maid. A,
| did so ! looked around me, and ;
most tunaccountable repugnance to my
temorary abode came over me, il
spite of my efforts. 1t was no more
to be shaken off than chill is to be
shaken off when we enter some damn
cave And, rely upon it; the feeling
of dislike and apprehension will
which we regard, at first sight, Ger
tain places and people, was not i'm
planted in us without some whole
some purpose. Igrant it is irration
al--mere animal instinct-but is no
instinct Gods gift, and is it for us tC
despise itY 1t is by instinct tha
children know their friends from thei
enemies-that they distinguish will
such unerring accuracy between those
who like them and those who onl,
fatter and hate them. Dogs do the
same; they will fawn on one person
they stink snarling from another
Show me a man whom children anG
dogs shrink from, and l will show
you false, bad man-lies on his lips
and murder Mt his heart. No; lei
none despise the heaven sent gift o.
innate antipathy; which makes the
horse quail when the lion crouches il
the thicEet-which makes the cattle
scent the shambles from afar, and low
in terror and disgust rs their nostril,
snuff the blood-polluted air. l tel
this antipathy strongly as looked
around me in my new sleeping-room
and yet l could find no reasonable
pretext for my dislike. A very gooC
room it was, after all, now that the
green damask curtains were drawn
the fire burning bright and clear, can
} dies burning on the II antle- piece, ant
the various familiar articles of toile'
arranged as usual. The bed, too
; looked peaceful and inviting--a prett,
little white bed, not at all the gaunt
funereal sort Of couch which haunted
apartments generally contain.
My maid entered, and assisted me
to lay aside the dress and ornaments
/ had worn, and arranged my hair
as usual, prattling the while, in Abb,
lgail fasion. l seldom cared to con-
verse with servants; but on that nigh,
q sort of dread of being left alone-s
longing to keep some human being
near me---possessed me, and I encour.
Iaged the girl to gossip, so that he,
duties took her half an hour longer
Ito get through than usual. At last