The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1866-10-19
THE MYSTERIOUS HAND.

( Ofa all the mental InfirmitleS of my
fellow-beings, there are none that l am
less inclined to laugh at, and, in fact,
more disposed to respect, than belief
| in appariti0ns and a fear Of the super
natural; and one reason is, that al
though a decided skeptic in those mat
ters, / have never been able entirely to
divest myself ofthe superstitions ofmy
/ youth; and another, that even atana ad-
vanced age, I have been placed in sitpa-
tions, both at home ana abroad, where
reason
That column Of trae majesty in man,
has been prostrated, for a time, before
what seemed the most appalling reali-
ties, and I have experienced anthe ter
rors Of my childhood revived with IN
diminished power-the groundlessness
ofmy fear only being made manifest by
some desperate effort of courage, or the
most patient subsequent investigation.
Despite the march ofintellect, rapid as
it is, such belief viii always more or
less prevail; and | am not sorry that it
should; for besides the poetry Of the
thing, have always been Of opinion
that it has beneficial effect al least if
otareligious one, upon the credul0us
and thoughtIess, by impressing upon
them, if nothing else will, the absolate
certainty Of a future state, between
which and the present spirits must be
considered by them as the messenger
and connecting link; and, by conse-
quence, lead them, through their fears,
to abstain from many sins i'll which
they might otherwise indulge. BE this
as it may, there are many things that
occur out Of the common course Of e.
vents, having so much the appearance
of the upernatural, that ifnot RATIONAL
Iy accounted for, will produce the most
supersdtious effects upon the strongest
minds. out Of several instances that
have occurred under my own immcdi-
ate observation, the following VIII
probably be deemed not uninJeres,ing
by The lovers ofthe mysterious.
Many years ago, J was awakened one
night from anumquiet sleep by a feel
ing Of acute pain, and a disagreeabIe
thrilling throughout my whole frame,
with the exception Of my forehead,
which felt singuIarIy chilly, and as if
pressed upon by dull, cold weight. l
became strangelyalarmed ;andrcmain-
ed for several minutes immOyable, and
at a loss what to think. After several
Intellectual attempts to feel whether
there was any object Of terror near, my
hand at length encountered and fell
trembling and powerless upon another
hand-a strange, motionless, cold, clam
my hand! My flesh crept upon my
bones-my hair felt like writhing need
les ON my haad-an icv narGnipation
started out from every pore Imy BODY.
/ made q violent attempt to scream; my
tongue, however, cIOveto theroofOfmy
mouth, and shutting my eyes, l gave
myself up to despair. ButdGspair, how
ever it may for a time remaininactive,
hath its energies-energies which moth
ing short Of hopelessness can arouse;
and, musteringmy resuscitaied powers,
/ struggled to remove the horrid hand,
for ] felt it pal pabiy, in all its cold real
ity. within mine, and, giving a long
and piercing shrek, fell exhausted on
my pillow and tainted. On coming a
gain to myself, ! found the bed sur
rounded by thewhoIe household, with
lights and various weapons Of defence;
and when, to their hasty inquiries, /
shudderingly answered that a strange
and icy hand the hand Of death, was
beside ME. and had been upon myf0re-
head, an instantaneous roar oflaughter
burst upon my myastonished senses. Start
ing ~, I looked round, and found that
a astoppage in the circulation ofthe blood
had deadencd my left arm. upon which
I had been lying, and that the hand,
the awful and mysterious hand that
had occasioned all my terror, was my
own