Bloomsburg democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1867-1869, 1868-03-25


distict remembrance Of il. In this rela
ton we may have omitted many details, bu
the general outlines are entirely true. a.i
A Moment OF Horror.
: I do not propose to tell story either 0
romance or of sentiment, but simply to mar
rate an incident which happened to myself
in the fall Of lS5-.' was bound WESTWARD
to the city of New York. r
The city was crowded with strangers. AZ
ter unsuccessful applications at several no
tells, at last obtained lodgings at --s
kept on the European plan. Here wa!
obliged to content myself with chamber
on the fourth floor, oddly enough arranged
in some respects, as, upon going to it, after
supping, for the purpose Of changing my
'travcl-stained dress, / noticed the room had
no window, with the exception Of square
opening in the wall, through which air and
light were admitted from the adjoining room.
To the opening, too, was attached shutter
in that room. I dressed, and attended the
Bowery Theatre, reaching my apartment
on returning, about halfpast twelve O'Clock
at night. ..4at.r ~. .:.t -..
When about stepping into bed, 1 observed
the wicket open, and a thought struck me
to take a look into the adjoining apartment.
Why it was know not; perhaps sense oi
my cold insecurity actuated me. aO .esH
I got upon chair, and gazed through the
window into the chamber. No one was
there. 1t was furnished like my own. A
lamp was burning upon the table, and upon
the latter was lying bolster, MILESTONE,
and pair Of large false whiskers 4 -i
Well, thought !, these are rather queer
articles of wardrobe. After glance at The
premises. l felt anything but easy. l
finally got into bed, first placing the lamp
upon the floor at the foot; and examining
my pistol, / laid i.carefully under my head.
At first, though quite fatigued, I could not
sleep; and when l did doze, my dreams
were uneasy and troubled. "Macbeth" had
been the play at the theatre, and witches
and black whiskers, Banquo's ghost, With
pistol, holsters, and the like interesting Wis
itors were the companions Of my dreamy
thoughts. q '.-'. ~
! About three o'clock, it might have been,
] was aroused by a somewhat singular noise.
On listening, it evidently proceeded from
the next room. 1t could be likened to
nothing had ever heard it was low, but
regular and metallic in its sound-so to ex-
press it, such a sound for instance, as
might be made it cutting glass with dia-
mond. Suddenly I thought of the whet-
stone on the table, and at the same moment
became convinced the noise was that of a
knife being sharpened. My bed was placed
in the diagonal corner of the room from the
wicket, and had been lying with my back
to the latter. turned in the bed as
noielessly as possible, so as to face the wick
ct, graspiug my pistol. The lamp was burn.
ing dimly, and all was as still as death.
As my eye fell upon the window, it en-
countered first hand placed upon the sill |;
then rose by degrees head, with pair of
glittering black eyes, great heavy whiskers,
and long, sharp knife between his teeth !
l think possess the ordinary courage of a
man, but l must confess the blood in my
veins seemed to curdle as I viewed the ap-
paration. Quick as lightning, spraug up
in bed, and pointing my pistol, cried out,
'If you move muscle from your position,
you're dead man." The eyes glared, the
head remaining, however, as described, the
man not uttering a syllable. 1 got out Of
bed, and with pistol still presented and eyes
fixed on his, l backed to the bcll-rope and
pulled it violently. In few moments
servant came up. I called to him to bring
u police officer; there is something serious
going on here. Ina moment the passage
was filed with the inmates Of the house.
In short time "star'' made his appear
ance, and took the man into custody. The
landlord said he had arrived that evening
without baggage. s.mq-. sL u
The next day gentleman claimed the
assassin as his brother, a maniac,
whom he had been conducting to the insane
asylum in Philadelphia, and who had esca-
ped from him while in that city. lie had
made his way to New York, and with the
well-known cunning Of q madman, had
managed to avoid detection. I suppose the
"power of the eye'-for kept mine fixed
on his--had restrained him, otherwise he
could easily have mastered me in a moment.
Since then, whilst in q strange place, I
have been careful to examine and secure my
before retiring. ,eisp .5.,.- ;,
AFTER the terrible powder explosion in
China in December, which blew half the
town of Hankow to pieces, one of the most