The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1867-05-15

went ont into the moonlight. -hoping
that the cool night air would bring
me- sonta 4elief.S Close to our d ven
ing lies a dense, dark pine forest-a
favorite place Of resort with me-and
thither nowI bent my steps. The
wind sighed dismally in the pines,
whose tall trunks and rugged limbs
racked and creaked as if they were
struggling with some nightly invisi-
BILE giant; while, what struck me as
exceedingly strange, not a breath was
stirring the atmosphere in which I
moved.
How long I walked in this forest I
do not know, but, as listened to the
moaning of the wind, and paused to
watch the writhing of the old@pines,
there suddenly arose before my
startled eyes q spectre, at the reco1-
lection of which my soul is filed
with horror. Just below the tossing
branches OF the pines, and q little
above the ground, glided- -hoated,
rather-a tall, white-robed form.
Nearer, nearer it drew towards me,
and louder and louder seemed to roar
the wind. Nearer and nearer still it
camc on, until, distinctly, to my ter
rifed gaze, stood revealed the fea-
lures of Mrs. NJ -,
The eyes that had seen closed in
death cleaned upon me with n wild
and fiery light. The long, talon-like
fingers extended towards me, clutch
ing and opening only to clutch again,
as if eager to grasp their prey; while
the teeth gnashed, and seemed to
threaten me with more than mortal
malice.
Oh, the agony of that hour! How
struggled to evade that dreadful
grasp! 1 tried to flee, but one cold,
clammy arm encircled my waist like q
vice. and held my right hand fast
pinioned to my side! I struggled
with the energy of despair. In my
agony of terror, I struck her q blow
with my hand just above the eve,
and one drop of dark block oozed
from the spot, and, trickling down
her sunken check, fell npon my
arm. Then, with her voice kissing
through her teeth, hollow and wild,
close to my ear, she cried: ..t.
''Ihere is another world! Lam q
witness from it; but I have still power
In this and upon you"
With superhuman effort, I wrunS
myself from her; fear lent wings to
my feet, and as I fled I heard her
voice once more shrieking in the
wind: >
GA curse upon the coming light!
Were it not for those beams of the
dawn. you should not escape me
thus"
CHANGING back, I beheld her in
flight also hastening away, in the
direction of the yard where 1
had seen her inferred; while far away
in the dim East appeared the streaky
fingers of the morning.
L hurried home, and to my asto-
nished and incredulous friends told
my story. I begged them to open
the grave and SEQ if any appearance
there justified my belief that it was
indeed Mrs. N whom L had seen.
L told them of the blow L had struck
her upon the face, and showed them
the blood upon my sleeve.
After much persuasion from me,
they at last consented to have the
grave opened. My husband said it
could do no harm, and might posi-
bly, drive the strange crotchet from
my brain. They all believed me to
be mad
The workmen were called-at nv
request, the same who had O. few days
before placed the coffin in the grave.
They went to work, wondering and
half smiling at their strange task. A
crowd of curious spectators gathered
around, among whom, and close to
the brink OF the grave, stood my hus-
band and myself.
Gradually the earth and bricks
were removed from the grave until
they came to the coffin, Then they
paused, for they had found every-
thing just as they had left it-not a
brick removed from its place.
"Shall we open the coffin?" they
asked; cor are you all satisfed?"
My heart died within me as one
after another answered, eve are
satisfied"
felt as if upon the opening of
that coffin hung my fate. open it.
open It'll pleaded, and my husband,
sympathizing with me in my distress,
joined me in the request.