Maryland free press., 1867-04-18

ms question this time admitted | did see the
sprc.
"Ah, good, good. Well, under that spirc is q
| church, and around the church is graveyard
There live, and there l came from. It's very
lonesome sleeping in the damp, cold ground; and
the grave worms-ugh to feel them creeping
along, over ones skin-so Shiny, and slippery,
and cold, banqueting upon the warm flesh of the
dead! They say, the dead are cold; it'sa lie,
ir liel Feel my flesh; is it coltl?'
| He barod his skinny arm and forced me to lay
my hands upon it.
"There, is that cold?"
| I told him no.
tTs it warm?''
| I replied that it was, and he continued
"They make it cold-the grave worms do
They make it cold and Shiny as they crawl over
it. Did you ever feel the grave worms on your
aesh?"
shuddered with disgust as told him.
'No."
"You didn't eh? Lucky dog, lucky dogl But
you're not dead yet; wait while, and you'll
feel them, just as do, pretty soon."
And he whirled the carving knife round and
with
a swoop till he grazed my throat.
With groan Of agony, not for the slight
scratch, but the horror of mind under which I
was, recoiled from the filittering blade, shudder
ing rs ifI would have sunk down through the
bed-down, down through the aoor. How I
wished in my soul that could have done So
down anywhere out of that horrible presencc!-
nd @I,o Il.
ror, and then he said.
Enlightened, eh? frightened! won't kill you
for half an hour yet. Pm going to cxperime mt
upon you. think I'll bleed you to death, Just
to try how long it will take you to die, ell? what
do you think of it?''
What did think ofit2 Ny God I THOUGHT
nothing, only that would soon be dead, or as
mad as my companion, if some deliverance was
not soon,, Opened up. never pray much-God
forgive me! but just then, / brcathcd something,
| scarcely knew what for aid, for deiverance
know that 1 dare not escape. My first move
mcnt would have been the signal for my death
blow, and if l called aloud, might not awaken
any one in the house, but merely infurate the
madman to such an extent that he might mme-
diately butcher me. What under heaven to do
knew not; and if the maniac, in his desire TO
experiment" should open vein, must iuevi.
tably bleed to death. Meantime he was waiting
for an answer to his question, which he repeated
rather angrily--
"What did thing of his proposal to bleed me
to death?'
was about answering something desperate,
and giving myself up for lost, when bright idea
flashed across my troubled brain. Oh how de-
voutly thanked heaven that had read the cara
biau Nights in my boyhood! There was my idea
which, as yet, only heaven knew whether it
would be successful or moi; would tell him sto-
ries, and bcguie his fancy till morning, and then
surely, / would have some means Of escape, | an
swercd his question BY another.
tSuppose tell you story about bleeding to
death-or rather about a man who supposed he
was being blcd to death, and died from the
fright?"
"Died from the fright, eli? Let us hear it."
Very gladly began making it long, and add
ing as much as possibly could to the original,
which was something rccolected long ago to
have heard about some one who wished TO tex
pertinent" and had a nan blindfoldcd, his arms
bandaged, and gently pricked, butnot sufficient
ly to bring the BLOOD and then heard the regu-
lar, drop, drop of fblood-or what lie supposed to
be his own blood, though in reality only water,
till he died from the mere suppositon that he was
being bled to DEATH forgot the story now, but
it it familiar to every one. When concluded,
suggested to the maniac that he should try
this model experimenting, and see how long /
would take to be frightened to death.
eyes, yes" he anewered, with sly, cunning
laugh; Every good, very good" and seeing
through the device, with the cunning of madness
he laughed again as he said-Very good, sir,
very good. And you would take till morning
to die, and meanwhile wanta companion in
the church yard, yonder, down among the grave
worms. Come, bare your arm, and let me do as
| said I'll bleed you. intended to have Ia
ken your head off first but I've changed my
mind because wouldn't like to have head
less companion. Bare your arms.
God! what was l TO do! 1 felt my brain
seethe and whir, as though !, to, were going
mad. With desperate effort to be calm, said
''Suppose tell you another story frst?'
ooh, no. you can tell whiIc yon blecH'
"But shall want to see the blood flow too
said, with an effort to refrain from shuddering.
sTruc, true, he said. 'Wcll, let's hear your
story-quick, begin"
waited for no urging. was too glad to find
him in the humor 10 listen; so began and rcla
ted every story rcould think of-as soon as one
was done beginning with anothcr-aud in this
manner nearly two hours passed. As was a
bout to begin another story, he stopped me per-
emptorily-
'INo more: no morel won't listen I've lis
tened too long all ready, and I've no time to
bleed you either! may take your head off as
I FIRST in..ndcd, disagroeab!e as it is to have
headlcss compNnion?'
Around and around his head again went the
glittering knife, coming down in direct line
will, nv thront: and thu Il as the edge sharp ~