The Lincoln County herald., 1868-11-05

gle0 muse0e AROUND D uvoO opOW, suu 2
fsss blacksned, swollen, distorted, the
|hideousoesa Of Q den.on's. Here and
there IL elided. now standing plain aud
distinct In the brilliant moonlight, nov
lost from my siyht il come shsdowv re
cess, now vrovelling upon the Aoor, with
ing ~ In deadly PUN, now sprinuing with
u,aninc lightness to some dark shade, and
listening with head erect a. IL ior some
pursucr's footsteps. ,if,r
AZ for me, Z. horrible stupor seemed TO
possess ell my po~crs. A strong leth
arry vas upon me from which l could
not escape. Iknew 10 my troubled dream
that peril was nigh me, that no human
arm vas nigh to srve. but oil else was
swallowed in . name ess horror and
dread.
How long I lay thus. struggling be-
tween dream aud reality, csnnot tell
4 Strain Of music uwoke me at lust. For
long time II seemed part Of my dream,
but gradually, o. my scatteref senses re
turned, I knew the sounds heard were
not the offspring Of Imagination The
moon shone brightly 10 at the curtaincd
windows. and starting up with the infu
encs Of that fearful dream still uron me.
l looked throu. b the open curtains into
tho room beyond.
Mercifdl heavenl bending over the pi
,uo. tho moonlight falling full upon him,
his face turned to meet its brightest rays,
stood the mnniac passenger. No longer
ruving aud furious With madness, his face
wore sn expression of stony despair,
hardly less awful to contemplate tIun
the irenxicd distortion I had last seen
upon Il. A dark stain showed itself
upon bis forehead. be,teath tho matted
hr.r, and when the moon, obscured Tor
moment. shone forth again clear and un-
clouied, l raw that irem hideous. gaping
wounds upon his brow aud cheek, thu
fresh, crimson heat tide had flowed un
s'snched, and even now Mas dropping,
dropping down from the tIack Grip beard
up"n his soilcu and tattcred garments
But the hsnds that wandered with y
masters touch over the keys Of tho pi.
ano. though stained with the ruddy drops
falling from his wounns. seemed exempt
from tho mudncrs which reignsd in every
look aud gesture Of the unhupyr man.
SRch wondrous melody, such perfect OF
ecution. l have rarely heard. I could
but think even 10 my exhcme Fear aud
peril. what knowledge aud lii must have
been his, sincJ, though reason had de-
sersed her throne, snd life itself tremblsd
in tho balance. so much Of power and
genious still remsiued. He still played
6tiully, yet always ia the ha,ne soft,
nourOtul s,vsiu, often psusinR to look up
IT tue bright moon, o, rosud the shsd,sy
room, ~ # 10 fear. Once, stopping sud
deply in the midst Of = passage s,lemn
~ death dirge, yet 70 wild snd strange
my blood chilled vt the sound. he raised
a long, glittering knife from i,s dark
resting plsce at his side, felt it's keen
edge with careful hand, then slowly re.
turned it to ito place.
! Hooked on horror struck, almost wild
with terror. and scarcely able to reprcss
the shrrk which would have betrayed
my presence, snd have cost mo perhaps
my lite. As yet ho had not seered awure
that he was not alone.
Reason showed me that escspe from the
room by door or wind"w wss utterly i'm.
possible. 10 cry out fo, help from those
sleeping ~ far distant was too dangerous
to b. attempted : bat blind instinct, rath
er than rsa.on to"ced us to hs quie, and
uotionle-s. while the snYuish of terrible
fear burned like consum Gre ut my lreart
u, the agony Of that boar Of suspense
hive passed years, happy years since
then, that seemed far shorter. Sl.wIy,
slowly, the moments dragged away, while
waited for deliveranse walled and
hoped for safety, though I could mol
ioresee tile manner Of its comiug.
/ knew not how soon snolhsr Of those
horrible spasus might seise my dread
companion, and I felt that once more
possessed Of that wild frsnsy, escape wa.
; hopelcss. I marked with terror bis music
bcsomiuy more fttul aud wild, While the
glenn Of the aAshiny eye grew more
. bripht. -..-..- '.,.. l....
But help was near, though my car,
had listened 80 long in vain. they almost
refused to besr inc the blessed truth
But I vas not deceived I; In the pause o
tho musice, now hursh and loud mud
broken ny. incoherent mutterings and
wild laughter. l heard the ol ening aud
shutting Of dours. the sound of I.issct,e'.
clear voice. and the heavy tread Of he,
husband, ~ they cuus nearer to my door
But the prospect Of deliversnce near u,
hand was clouded BY the fear lest dread
, Iul evil shoald iall on those I loved &c
. we'll. I would have cried out to war;
them Of their danger, but NY psrchet
. lips only moved without sound. The,
were at the threshold. and the mania'
still played on, heard Mr.. Camsrol
calling to mo through the closed door:
"Myra, Myra, lot US 10. Are 20,
Z crased thst you play such music a. ihi,
time OF nixht2 For heavens sake, Myra
stop playing, and open tho door !" 'r .'I' :.
I there was shrek, dreadful shrek
which haunta 10 this DIV NV ttn,hl.,