Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1870-12-17
#isttIIaus,
THE GHOsPS SUMMONS.
Wanted, slI a patient.

4" W anttd, slI--a patent"
1t was in the early days Of my pro-
fessional career, when patients We're
scarce and fees scaroer; aud though
was in the act OF sitting down to my
chop, aud promised myself q glass OF
steaming punch afteFWard, In honor of +
the Christmas season, hurried Instant
ly into my surgery. entered hrlskly /
hut no sooner did ] catch sight OF the .
figure standing against the counter
than | started back with strange feel
ing Of horror which, for the life Of me,
! could not understaad.
Never shall forget the ghastllness
of that face-the white horror stamped
upon every teatllre--the agony when
seemed to sink the very eyes beneath
the contracted brows; II was awful for
me TO behold, accustomed as ! was TO
scenes OF terror.
"You seek advice ," began with
some hesitation, ~
4" No; | am nOt i'll. -. ...
Z You require then
Hush ~ he interrupted, appIoacli-
ing more nearly, and dropping his al
ready low mnrinur 70 a whisper.
believe you are not rich. Would you
be willing to earn thousand pounds 7"
| \ thousand pounds! He words
seemed TO burn my very ears.
~ should be very thankful II could
do so honestly I replied with dignl-.
ty. "What is the service required OF
ne@n
! A peculiar look Of intense horror
nassed over the face before me; but the
Dlue-black lips answered firmly: ITO
attend a death-bed" "
a thousand pounds y attend q
death-bed. Where am 70 go theh =?
Whose is il?
Nine ~ =,
The voice in which this was said
sounded 50 hollow and distant, that III
voluntarily shrank hack. Yours .
What nonsense. You are not a dying
man, You are pale, but you appeal
perfectly healthy. YOU ,.,
Hush - he Interrupted; | know
all of this. Iou cannot be more con,
yinced Of my physical health than
am myself; vet know that before tht
clock tolls the first hour after mldnlgh
I shall be dead man
"But----p
He shuddered slightly, but stretching
out his hand commandingly, motohe'
me TO be silent. Z" am but two wei
informed of what Affirm hc sald
,mietIy II have received q mysterl
aus summons from the dead. No NOR
tal aid can avail me. am as doome'
as the wretch Oh which the judge ma
nassed sentence. Ibid not come eithe
TO seek YOUR advice, Or to argue IN
matter with you, but simply 10 ou
your services ] offer you a tlo9sah
Il bounds to pass the night i'll my chan
u t,er. and witness the scene which TAXI
e place. The sum may appear to you "a
% trayagant. But have further nee
u 10 count the cost of any gratltlcatloi!
y and the spectacle you will have to WI
l. ness is no common sight of horror
The words, strange as they Wer
" were spoken calmly enough ouI
& the last sentence dropped slowly n0i
Is The livid lips an expression OF sllch WI
S, horror again passed over the stranger
e face that, in spite of the immense fe
~ | hesitated to answer. r
el ,tYou fear to trust the promises ol
II dead man See here and be convln
at ed,u he exclaimed, eagerly and q
sT next instant, Oh the counter betWeE
70 rs, lay parchment; and iollowii
" the indication Of that white musc9i
ne hand, read the words And to N
I'd Tredericsh Read, of II High Street, a
b. ton. I beoueath the sum OF &l,OVO
to certain services rendered to me-
a q have had that will drawn up wit
Id in the lost twenty.four hours, aud
he sioned it an hour ago, in the presen
he of competent witnesses, | am prepare
ed you see. Now, do you accept my OF
go Nv answer was to walk across I
n ,oom and take down my hat, anu I'd
oe- lock the door of the surgery commul
he eating with the house.
er, e. Nt
res # was dark, icy-cold night, =
somehow the courage and determll
lis lion which the sight Of my own nan
for IN m The connection Of thousand poui
DDS had given me, tagged eonsidera0ly
ag- / found myself hurried along thr0u
be the silent darkness by man Wh,
he Jeoth .hed / was about to attend.
i've was primly silent, but Us his Ina
vas tonched mine, in spite of the ifOst
felt like q burning coal. A..
ich on we went--tramp, tramp, thtOl
ner the snow-on, on, till even grew W
.irs, nv, and at length, on my appalied, y,
in struck the chimes OF a chureh cio
oor while, close at hand, ! dlsuhsulsl
zen, thc snow hillocks Of a churchyar'
first Heaven Ne was this awful scene, fwlil
II OF / was TO be the witness, to Jake pi
,ton veritably among the dead:
und q T1IeyenW gr0aned the doomed III
reat s,Gracious God hut two hours ID
OWN and that ghostly messenger VIII u
gol- the summons, Come, come lof I
pom cyis sake let Us hasten.
nan There was but q short rCsAd sels1la y
he ~ now from wall which surrouh
} die \ large mansion, and along tnlS
lidst h,steHe,l until we reached a small q
passim0 through this, In few MIN
ests, ,vs were steaIthily ascending the
un- 60 staircase to a splendldly lurhl'
|, he srtment, which left no doubt OIL
d b. ,IealtL of It's owner, All was inten
siIent, however, through the ny
anJ about this room in nparuculaf, !
yns @ n stiffness that, as ! gazed afo
struck almost ghastly.
,lved Nv companion glanced ~ Iiic !
bill nn he mantle-shelf, and sank IL
. No. larpe lar chair by the side Of the hIe
them ~ sr3ndIer NCnly an hour and Z
loon- Ianyer. \ he nuttered.G Great, hea
lat n i thought / had more lortltuue'
eases; horror unnlans me- Then q y
i ana tone, and clutching my arm, ne az az
wing NiIa! you mock me- you tninE
nent mad; But wait TIL YOU see--wai
Z and .nS'" ,,n,, Zoo pi ID
lady, II nut my hand Oh his wrist iOf
nent, was now q fever in his slmken
buta Which checked the snperslltlous
rpose. which had been gathering over me
after ,,,ade rue hope that, after oil, my
swal- ls;,snicion r was ooETeet, and that N
rprlse Iianf was but thevictlm VI some n
e was hullucination. "a az I
Before & Mock you! | answered s0oL
ubt to " ilFar from it; sympathh
ad so tSnsely with You, and would d0
IN the -Vss' ,sN,sN NOlre Iputlilo sleep.