Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1869-12-25

ally saw his hair lift from his head,
and the great beads of perspiration
burst from his forehead. He took not
the slightest notice Of my movement,
but slowly raised one hand, as If
pointing to something in the room be-
hind me; then suddenly, and without
giving me a moments warning, with
one loud yell of agOnized terror, he
dashed to the door leading into the
passage, through the passage, and out
of the main door, which slammed
heavily behind him. | hurried after
him into the passage. Then l remem-
bered that the outer door closed with
a spring-lock, and that the key was
in the pocket of my great coat, which
was hung Hp in the bedroom.
We had inadvertently left the door
open on coming in, and thus s.
had been enabled to escape. 1t would
be impossible for me to describe my
feelings at finding myself alone in the
passage. How long it was before l
mustered up sufficient presence of
mind for reflection l cannot tell, but
at last realized to myself the fact
that to leave my chambers it was
necessary to get the key. With
desperate courage, / returned to the
sitting room. The lamp was eX-
tinguished; the fire was burning with
a sickIy glare. With closed eyes /
advanced into the bedroom. quickly
felt my way to the peg on which my
coat was hanging, when something
happened that caused my very heart
to stand still, and my blood to freeze.
1 heard a movement in the passage
a strange, heavy, shufhing sound, as
of body dragging Itself along the
floor. An impulse seized me, unae-
countable as all the other events of
that memors ble night. L felt impelled
to follow the thing that was painfully,
slowly dragging itself down the pas
sage. l stepped through the dressing
room; and as | moved, l heard 1t
move on before me, keeping at the
same relative distance from me. l
quickened my pace, l ran; but still /
could not oVertake that which l still
heard dragging itself along.
After three or four headlOng rushes
from room to room, stopped in the
middle of the SittingrOOm to recover
my breath. As l stood, a revulsion
of feeling come over me. My eager
ness to confront and discover the
cause of the sounds 1 still could hear
gave way 10 horror. ! left my life
and reason to depend on my escape.
As moved to the bedroom door it
closed in my face. 1 frantically en-
| deavOred to force the lock. The thing
was dragging itself along the passage
/ into the room in which was. Again
/ the nauseating stencil of the night
| before rose in my nostrils; | rushed
| to the window with the intention Of
/ throwing it open and jumping into
/ the space beneath; but it was too late.
/ | turned my eyes downward. A man
Writhing on the floor, his features
/ blue, blOated and decOmpOsed, the eye
balls turned up, yet bearing full upon
me, dead and CLASSY, an impure phoS-
/ phOreScent light emanating from the
| body itself. As l gaZed, one diScOlOred
| hand was raised to the throat, in
which ! perceiysd a hideous cash. 1t
| drew itself gradually closer TO me.
| became insensible.
When 1 was discovered In the morn
/ ing, my friends, who were tele-
graphed for, removed me to the
country, where, among cheerful
| cC6u6o duu pCOPAC3 L SOOi ACNOF 90
S-died of brain fever within
three days of the night on which he
sat and watched with me.
I have never cared TO make in
quirfes as to the previous inmates of
the chambers, 1t is true have heard
that an inmate OF one cut his throat
under peculiarly horrible circum-
stances, hut | was never curious to
identify the seence of the suicides
death with the chambers l occupied
for so short a time; indeed, nothing
would induce me ever again to enter
Gray's inn-square.