The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-12-25
ELECTED BY A GHOST.
BY JOHN PITNAN.


on to narrow passage, at the end of which,
on the right, was the door Of the sitting room,
the three windows of which looked on to a
dingy green eXpanse, where stood few tall
paunt London trees. In one corner OF the
sitting room was q door leading into the bed
room. which communicated with dressing
ROOM This dressing room had door leading
into the end OF. the passage, to the left of the
main entrance from the landing. Thus could
make the complete circuit OF my premises :
from the sitting room, through the bed and
dressing rooms into the passage, and through
the passage into the sitting room again. am
anxious to be understood on this point as o
realization Of the topography OF the place is
necessary for the comprehension of the incl
dents have to relate.
Twill premise by assuring my reader that at at
the time of which am speaking I was in
thorough physical health. As is the case with
most sucking barristers, rather prided my,
self on cultivating habit OF mind that should
not permit me to be unduly impressed Dy
causes unwarranted by calm rehectlon. nao
been accustomed to sedentary, to some eX-
tent solitary life, and in moving to Gray's-
inn-square had determined to apply myself
nnremittingly to legal studies.
NV new chambers had been unoccupied for
some months, and after making sure that they
had been well cleaned and scrubbed, l sent In
nv furniture, and took possession. 1t was on
q chill dark October evening that, after dining
at an accustomed eating-h0use, wended my
way TO NV new quarters. l shall never forget
that evening there was heavy clammy feel
ing in the air of the streets and as turned
into the dreary square the air seemed heavier
and clammier. On arriving at my chambers,
found the deaf spirit sodden old creature
who had attached herself to me as laundress
and charwoman in the act of setting out the
tea-things. The lamp was lighted, and a bright
fire burned in the CRATE. On my coming IN,
the old woman mumbled few words, the
Ofv .hOWpEpr
Wen pleased with the air Of comfort she had
impaired to the place, wished her cheery
good night as she went out.
Having closed and locked the outer door, /
returned down the passage into the sitting
room. can perfectly call to mind It's appear
was cleaning and gllstening In the light, the
windows were yelled by thick curtains, and
= the door leading into the bedroom stood ajar.
congratulated myself on my possessions, and
g. having poured myself out cup OF tea and
lighted my pipe, settled myself with volume
Of Hallam in an armchair by the 1re. had
been reading for some time, my attention had
somewhat wandered to vague sleepy con-
sideraton of matters not strictly relevant TO
constitutional history, when l became aware
of a strange all-pervading sensation OF cold;
The sensation was so sudden, so acute, thaC
rose from my chair shivering, in the expecta-
ton of finding one OF the windows open. But
no they were all closed and fastened. Through
the panes could discern the gaunt branches
of the trees, unstirred by any gust OF wind
On glancing round the room, notced me
flame OF the lamp, which, though somewhat
dim, did not flicker or seem agltated by the
lev stream of air which chilled me to the
bones, The bedroom door. as l have mer-
toned, was ajar; and thinking the draught
might proceed from one OF the inner rooms,
lighted a candle, with the intention OF looking
Through them. Bat the instant entered the
bedroom the candle went out; not suddenly as
from a current of air, but quietly, instantane-
ously, as though it had been introduced into
an atmosphere Of carbonlc-acid gas. AT the
same moment the sensation Of cold again
came over me with ten times greater Intensity
than before The gaslight in the square sh0ne
feebly into the rooms, and l was able to nnd
nv way through them into the passage, and
back into the sitting-room. My sensations ap-
peared TO me somewhat unacconntaoie put
attributing them to some draught, OF which l
could ascertain the cause in the morning,
closed the doors and resumed my place by the
fire. After little while fell again into my
INTERRUPTED train of dreamy thought, and
gradually fell asleep. Now, before proceeding
further, ] may state that had never 0een
victim to nervous fancies. Nothing had ever
occurred to me bearing IN tne remotest way
on the events am about to relate, events 80
utterly inexplicable by natural causes, and yet
so fahtastically real that even after lapse of
many years call them to mind with shudder
of horror.
remember, as though it were yesterday,
the appearance of the room as unused lazily
In my armchair before going to sleep. The
sound of an organ, which was playing In some
neighbOring street, came to me nunly, at
times seeming to be almost close to me, at
times, again, seeming to proceed from some
great distance The f1re had burned low, ,occa-
sionaly cracking and ticking; the lamp, as
have mentioned, was burning dimly, and
large portion Of the room was IN deep shadow.
do not know how long had slept, when
became conscious of my own being. cannot
say that awakened; for though all my mental
faculties were struggling painfully into life,
unable to move hand or foot. A cold perSpi-
ration burst from all my pores as made ire
mendous but vain efforts to shake OIL Inc
incubus that was upon me. My feellng was
not one of impotence; 1t was as though nad
been frozen into solid block OF Ice. en-
deayored to call out; had no power over my
voice, and could not utter sound. But as
gasped and painted, there stole into my nos
trils deadly, terrible, overpowering stencil,
unmistakable in its penetrating slckliness 10
me who had trequented hospitals. IL was the
dread odor of decomposing mortality that was
suffocatng me as | sat. felt that | must
break the spell, or die. With one terrific eXer-
ton that strained every nerve and muscle,
burst from the chair, and fell covering on my
knees before the fire. The lamp had gone out,
, q faint CLEAN from the flre aflOrded the Ou
light in the room. relighted the lamp, and
having swallowed glass OF brandy, endeav-
ored TO collect my thoughts. My first idea
was, that dead body must be somewhere
concealed in the room. The hideous odOr still
clung 10 my noStrils, and the absurdity OF such
a suppositon did not strike me. searched
the room, but Of course found nothing
though, to my astonishment, the bedroom
door, which had carefully closed, was wide
open. As advanced towards it with the in
tention OF shutting it again, my lamp was ex-
tinguished in the same unaccOuntable manner
as before / locked 1t, however, securely, and
again struck light.
By thistime had sufficiently recovered to
endeavor to reconcile my sensations to natu-
raj causes, or at any rate to formidable at
tack OF nightmare. lighted my pipe, in the
hope of neutralising the terrible stencil that
pervaded the room. Leaning on the mantel-
tpiece, actually smiled at beholding my own
male scared-loOking face in the mirror AS
looked, suddenly every pulse In my body stood
stiIl. / beheld the reflection of the bedroom
door, which gradually, noiselessly, opened OF
itself. tried to command myself, and turned
round towards the door. The same intense
thrill of cold, but not soul was there. con-
.sidered for an instant, and crcSS-cXImined
myself as to my own condition. II was ev-
dent that my nerves were completely Instrung,
and decided, as reflected in the looking
GLASS my own ghastly-looIing face, that was
not in u condition to Investigate the matter