Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1871-07-26

the nre, very muen ab ease anu JUL
myself on the good for
tune which had led me to seek the
shelter Of so hospitsble a roof Ny
friend apologized for the aUsence Of
the wife, as he called her, but said
that I should make her acquai ntance
IN a few minutes, as she would By
that time have finished the domestic
task that she was then engaged in.
We sat talking Of former times, and
nv friend gave me q portion OF his
history, which need not recapitulate
here, I remember I was specializing
as 70 what kind Of q lady the wife
would prove to be; Wheu side-dOor
opened, and I saw what gave me q
thrill Of horror. Wearing the same
dress loaded with the same jewellery,
REGARDING me with the same dark and
terrible ewes, stood the tDOnlon Of the
tunnel With appalling dlstinctness,
the whole Of that horrible cireum-
stance recurred to me-dTld there she
Uds.
I cannot tell the expression which
nv countenance wore, but / know
nv friend looked Disconnected he
must have noticed the change that
came over me, and wondered what
should cause il. But here I must note
another peculiarly in this terrible
meeting; II I recognized this woman
as Identical with the apparatiOn which
1 had seen in the tunnel, she too rec
ognized me as identical with some
one or some thing which she had seen.
could see depicted on her counte--
nance, first horror, and then fear, and
then the same look OF hate that the
apparatiOn had daTted on the other
figure which saw In the tunnel 1
don't know what our greeting was
like. I gasped out something as /
took her hand, and she did the same,
and then abruptly retired. apollo
gized TO my friend told him I had
never seen the lady before, as indeed
I had not, adding that had q nerv-
ous affection, which must account for
my extraordinary conduct Still, as
NAV be supposed, he seemed far from
satisfied and for my part, any one
may imagine the state Of my feelings.
The lady remained in the bar, and as
I glanced at her furtlvely / eguld see
that she was regarding me with LOOK
Of intense fear and aversion How
wished I had never visited the house
the town. What was 10 be done2
What would come Of II all ?
One thing I felt-I could not SIT
there longer; / could not deeently
resume nv conversation with the
landlord. 1 could do one thlng-eould
20 to bed. I accordingly told my host
that [ felt unwell, and would retire
for the night. he said nothing, but
fetched candle-stiek, and motioned
to me to follow him.
The chamber TO which the landlard
conducted me did not wear q reassuT-
ing aspect, In spite Of bright nre
which was burning In the CRATE lt
might have been q haunted room the
ANTIQUE bed furniture, the huge lum-
berfng chairs, the quaint pattern OF
the paper on the wail-an spoke OF
those who had passed away.
NV host having babe me goodnight
I threw myself into chair and be-
gan to reflect. After all had seen,
II h not 10 be wondered at II / was In
an uneasy state Of mind. l must do
myself the justice to say that PalPi-
bic danger occupied more OF my al
tention than ghostly terror, thongh,
were i to confess to q little OF the lat
ter. I should have, / think, fair ex-
euse to urge. This woman, for some
reason. evidently regarded me with
fear and hatred, and was / safe
Gould i trust myself TO slumberl
Might she not visit me, and, while l
slept. repeat the tunnel Incident 1ori
ss / had not the least doubt OF her
Identity with the appaFitiOn / had
seen. / had come to believe that she
had really committed q muFdeT.-
Gould ]. .wearied as WIS, keepaEake!
The moon was shining in the room
I tried to imagine the aspect OF hel
face by that light, and the idea ol
meeting her alone was too much foI
me. 1t was true had locked my
door. but then she might possess
kev. or. II not, I doubted II q rickety
lock would present an insupeTable oo'
stacle to an enemy or 50 determined
character.
AS things did not look very promis-
ing inside, I pulled up my blind, and
looked out. Below me was the Inn
ward. down into which the fall moon
was shining so brightly that I could
have counted every paving stone
Two heavy numbering gates, uRelos-
ed. we're In front of me, leading into
the street; and right under my win
dow stood cart with 2 load Of straw,
The height was not great; and in hal
q minute, / was out Of my WINDOW
and plump down upon the straw
without any body being the wiser.
slid down from the load, and out o
the ward ] walked, and across the
street A little public-hOuse chaneec
to be still open, for It was moi late
and I speedily engaged q bed Int
parlOur company found much morS
numerous than select. However,
was fain to make one Of the party, ane
though it may not enhance my repu'
tation for courage, yet am bound Z
say that, despite certain turbulent
proceedings, / never more heartily
relished the society Of my fellow
| creatures in my life.
The first thing / heard the mex
morning was the startling fntelli
genee. that but q few minutes afte
I the landlord had conducted me 70 tn
room whence ! had made my escape
his wife had suddenly expired. 4
medical man was called In, and state'
4 that the cause Of death was heart-dis
ease-an opinion which subsequen
4 Lost HlOrtefn examination Of the bod
showed to be correct. ] however
1 thought il necessary, as briefly a
possible, to narrate TO the landlorl
I the whole Of the occurrence Of Whtel
1 I had been witness and, as may D
expected, the recital affected him con
siderably, though whether he beHeye
7 that what I described had actual,
happened, or was the fruitOf an oYeI
wrought imagination, 7 cannot say
The woman was, however, dead an
none could tell the cause Of he
strange conduct on eneountering me
Il whether her feelings ReFs similar {
1 nv own, or whether. Whatever the
might Be, they were CAUSED by 81
cold touch OF approaching death IN
woman being deceased, did no
think it necessary to make the PAL
ticulars Of this business furthe
known. The husband told me vo
unfairly that be had married his vii
at the Cape, whittier she had arrive
A only few months previously nor
4 England. He confessed that be kne'
but little OF her previous history
Here, then, the matter was allOWe
to rest. took leave Of my host o
the following day, and have neve
met him since.
One thing remains 10 be told. Quit
by accident, subsequently, learne
that, shortly before my memotabl
Journey to London, the body OF 3 mai
fearfuliy Tnangled BY passing train
had been taken up at the mouth
! I kho kr1nnaT