The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1869-05-28
But at last | felt the grasp relax.

gether and drew off to another cor
ner of the room endeayoring to go as
far as possible from the place where
this myterious thing had seized me.
Soon my wife and children turned
away. the former to work, the latter
to sleep. They knew not what it was
that affected me. but concluded that it
was some pain arising from sickness or
sudden fafntness. / did not speak
word but resumed my former seat.
And now, gradually, my craving re-
turned. Yet how could | satisfy it !?
Ny bottle was broken. And it lay in
fragments on the floor, Allmy liquor
was gone. What was I to do? The
craving became irresistible. had to
yield.
So | took nay hat, fumbled in my
pockets and found few cents, and Ia
king an old bottle that lay in the cor
ner, went forth into the darkness.
1t was not without some feeling of
trepidation that l entered the dark
passage-way. Fearless the same Thing
of Horror might return agitated me.
But passed on unharmed, reached my
old resort where laid my bottle on
the counter. The clerk soon filled it.
With an irresistible impulse clutch
ed the bottle and rushe forth to drink
the liquor.
| hurried off for little distance and
came to the head of wharf. Here un-
able any longer to resist my craving
pulled out the cork so as to drink.
1t was very dark. No one was near
me. In the distance rose the low hum
of the city out in the harbor might be
heard the noise of sailors and boatmen.
had general idea of this as | stood
there, though all my thoughts were
concentrated on the bottle. At last [
raised it to my mouth.
Scarce had the bottle touched my
lips when again / experienced that
terrible telling.
My throat was seized this time more
violently, more fiercely, as if by some
power which had already warned me.
and was enraged at having to repeat
the warning, My throat was COM
pressed painfully in that fierce grip;
there was anger in it. A thrill of hor-
ror shot through me. Again the bot
tie fell from my trembling hands and
was crushed to fragments upon the
stone pavement. Again I raised my
hands to my throat, though in deadly
fear but the motion was mechanical
a natural and involuntary effort to tear
away the thing that seized my throat, =
to free myself from the pain and horror
of that mysterious grasp. Again |
raised my hands, and again | felt
there under my touch, plain and un-
mistakable, the long, hard, bony hand
which l had felt before. One touch
was enough. My hands fell down. /
tried to shrek, but in vain, grasped
for breath, and thought that | would
be suffoeated.
But at length the grasp slowly and
unwillingly relaxed. breathed more
freely. AT length the touch was no
longer felt.
/ paced the streets for a long time.
At firss every vestige of my appetite
had been driven away by the horror of
that moment. AS time passed it be-
gan to return. Once more | felt the
craving. True, the fear of another at
tack was strong, and for a long time
deferred me; but at last the craving
grew too strong for the fear,
Nerving myself up to desperate
pitch of resolution, returned back to
the shop where | had first purchased
the liquor.
"See here :" cried, "I'm crazy for
drink. broke that bottle! Give me
glass, for Gods sake--only one
glass"
Something in my face seemed to ex-
cite the mans commiseration. He
poured outa glass for me in silence.
With trembling eagerness | reached
out my hand to seize it. With tIem-
bling hand raised it toward my lips.
The grateful fumes already entered my
nostrils. My lips already touched the
edge of the glass.
Suddenly my throat was seized with
a tremendous grasp.
1t was as though the power which
was tormenting me had become enrag-
ed by my repeated acts of opposition,
and wished now by this final act to re-
duce me to subiection forever.
1t was as if this power was using
with me the means of eoercing which
one uses with dog, viz: beat him for
each offence, and each time harder un-
til he is cGred.
This time the grasp was terrible, it
was aereer than ever; quick, impetu-
Gus.
In that dread grasp my breath ceas-
ed.
/ struggled. My senses reeled.
raised my hands in my despair. felt
again the bony fingers. l moved my
hands along the bony arms.
In my madness | struggled.
struck out my fists wildly. They struck
against what seemed bony ribs.
The time during which | struggled
seemed endless. The horror that was
on me cannot be told.
At last all sense left me.
When revived found myself ly-
ing on rude bench in the bar. 1t was
early dawn. No one was near. All
my bones ached. / rose up confusedly,
not knowing at first where was, but