The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-03-02

a boat oame off with message for Wilson, to |
the effect that his wife had had bad epilep-
tic fit the night before, and was then very i'll.
I could not offer any opposition to his depar-
ture under such circumstances, and had even
SO we'll recovered my ordinary nerve that
when he asked me if he should send another
man to take his place, said no; all the noises
/ had heard must have been the effect
of imagination, and / was quite content to
remain alone. So he went off. Friday
and Friday night, passed quietly enough,
and on Saturday morning was obliged to go
on shore to get some provisions wanted l
was doubtful at first whether | would go, as
the day was dark and lowering, with heavy
banks of leaden-looking clouds to windward,
which betokened coming gale. However,
/ determined to risk it, and make as much
haste as | could; and taking advantage of the
wind (now rising every minute) was only
away about two hours. On my return, L
made all due preparations for a stormy
night, doubly barring the doors and put
ting battens on all the lower windows.
After the lamps were lighted, 1 stood
for some time at one of the windows above,
watching the warning of the elements. The
black scud flew across the heavens as though
rushing in terror from the fierce wind that
howled across the waters, and the sea seemed
turned into gigantic caldron of seething
foam, save when, like monsters arising from
other with furious roar, the foamy atoms
into which they dashed themselves glistening
in the murky night, till swept away by the
wind
The scene was a grand one; but, with a
feeling of compassion for all in distress
at sea that night, 1 turned to the more
congenial view of my bright little fire,
beside which l now sat down and
smoked till nearly ten, arousing myself
Of hot 10 1atf of inn,
portance to my brother. The subject upon
which l was engaged had reference to some
accounts which had examined for him some
time before, and respecting which he had
written to me. The letter necessarily con-
tanned quantity of figures, and 1 was SO
deeply engaged upon them, that 1 paid no
heed to the flight of time, till, with a sense
of horror amounting almost to sickness,
heard the sound of oaths and blows emanat-
ing from the cellar. A moments pause, aud
the footstep had heard before assembled the
stair; and as / crouched into O corner, with
eyes dilated and every hair upon my head
moving in my agony of terror, the sound
of scu1fling commenced close by me,
though, as before, not thing was visible.
| Again the sounds appeared to descend the
| stair; again, above the bowling of the wind
and the roar of the waves arose the agonized
entreaty, George, George! for Gods sake
don't murder me-"
How passed the remainder of that night
l hardly know. Nothing more occurred; but
I was 30 unstrung by what 1 had for the
second time heard, that 1 remained, Heaven
knows how long, crouching by my bedside,
muteripg incoherent prayers, and in state
of hysterical fear which almost bereft me Of
my senses. With the first streak of dawn
I prepared to go on shore, at great risk
| to myself; for though the sea had
been somewhat beaten down by heavy
| fall of rain it was still much too rough
to be quite safe for small baat with only one
man to manage it. However, got safely on
shore, and instantly went direct to Mr.
! Thomson's cottage, and told him what had
taken place for the second time.
''This is very strange, my man" he said,
cycling me with no particular favor. "This
thing happened to me when you were alone
before. / give you man can trust in, aud
nothing takes place while he is there; but the
moment his back is turned, you come to me
with cock-and-bull story, which 1 tell you
candidly don't believe"
/ replied that he might believe it or not,
as pleased him; that had told him nothing
but the truth; and begged to be allowed to
give up my situation at once, as, said, no
| earthly consideration would induce me to
pass night alone again in the lighthouse.
He looked hard at me for a moment, and
then said, "Of course it is your own fancy;
but something has evidently frightened you.
/ will try you once more, and get Wilson to
stay with you this next week; and next Satur-
cay night will myself come off and stay
with YOU"
We went down together to Wilson's cot
tage; and although his wife was still very
unwell, MIR. Thomson got him to agree to
come off with me at once, and stay the next
week, and on the Saturday he himself would
join us.
We returned to the lighthouse at once
Wilson in no very good temper, and evidently
thinking me a cowardly fool, or that L was
| hoaxing him. When we got off, he insisted
on going down to the cellar with me. Every
thing was as we had left it, save that the
door, which we had fastened with long nails
was ajsr, the nails seeming to have been
wrenchod from the wood l at once assured
my CON panion that had never been down
the steps since he WAS with me. He heard
me in silence, but with evident incredulity;
and together we fastened up the door in such
a manner that nothing short of sledge- ham
mers would open it, and returned to the
watch-Ioom.
The days and nights went quickly by, no
thing occurring to alarm or disturb us in the
slightest degree. Wilson recovered his good
temper on hearing that his wife (to whom he
was deeply attached) was much better, and
proved himself, as before, a most entertain
ing companion.
At about -four o o'clock on Saturday afternoon
Mr.. Thomson came off, and asked us banter
ingly what we had heard.
The reply of course was, Nothing"
''NOr ever will, was the answer. "However
I'll look out with you tonight"
He then questioned me closelyupon the exac
situation and description of the sounds haC