Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1871-01-21

. FiSot w tuS AVAbmbo hVAC hA
ghtniug through my excited an(
iperstitions mind. / asked him
with a trepidation it was impossibl,
TO conceal, ifhe was ready to 60 an(
my torturing fore-bodingwa reallz
cd as he replied he should remail
and pass the night with a youngel
brother who was unwell. ventures
/ TO insist, hut suppressed litter from
our fair companions, and a mischiev
Ous leer from him, convinced me tina
they fully comprehended the nature
Of my situation. Only the one al
formative appeared left me-to go
and go alone.
opened the door and looked out
Thick clouds and darkness ha(
shronded the world as if for hel
grave. The air had suddenly chang
ed to that balmy softness which, il
that climate, is the unfailing precur
sor, and a strange and hollow-sound
/ ing gust of wind swept by like somt
fearful and ominous spirits Of th'
night. Far away to the north-Wes
the Cumberland Mountains wert
grOaning their deep toned and signi
fiCant warnings OF the coming temp
est. All nature seemed rife with thu
mysterious and the terrible.
THAT night g child might understand
/ The d'vil had business on his hand"
My hair stood on end as closed tht
door behind me, and inYoluntarily
turned back. But there the ridicult
of my companions awaited me; aut
fixing my hat firmly on my head,
stepped forth,
proceeded few PAGES, and began
to breathe more freely, when sud
denly the awful vision Of the mystic
rious murder rose up before my mind
With horrible distlnctness. | became
fixed in my tracks; a strong conyul'
sion passed over my frame, and l tell
every hair on my head bristle up as
if to encounter some dread and ghost
Ily visitant. A gale of wind swept by
and carried away my hat. | did not
try to regain it; but, wheeling,
darted instinctively back to the door
/ | had just left. Then came the nen'
! tai conflict. One way, | seemed sure
of meeting the devil, or something
worse-thc other, l was certain Of
/ the ridicule Of my associates. Like
true man ofthe world | determined
TO brave the former,
/ mustered up all the resolution
could and after q short and fruitles.
search III the dark street for my hat
resolving to rise at the earliest dawn
the next morning and find it before
! it could be discovered by even the
most jealous disciple of the Franklin
ian philosophy of early rising, al
length | set out with rapid step fol
my lodgings. ! got along better than
could have expected; ; all the TIM
however, like wary Tam O'Shantcr
"Glowring round with prudent care
Lest bogles catch Inc unavarcs'"
aud increasing my speed at ever!
sound of night wind thai hurried by
The Court House was quaint Ole
stone building at Least 80 yards from
any other house i'll the village, from
which, even yet, edicts and decreet
go forth IN tho sacred name ofjusticG
! could lust perceive IT'S GarL nl lin,
against the grim sky as | epprc he'd
When a few PAGES from the door
could see that it was open by the stil
deeper blackncss which was within
Again | paused, and q subtle horror
crept through every vein As | remem
bered that Just one year precisely haC
elapsed since the occurrence OF the
mysterious and horriblemurder. My
knees seeGed failing beneath the
weight of my body, and dizzy sick
ness oppressed me as this singular
coincidence destroyed in my mind
the last vestige possibly that |
should escape meeting some frightfuI
apparition wandering earthward from
the spirit land.
What could be more probaDle-nay
more certain--than that the murder
ed mans ghost, which had been rent
from its native body in so violent and
mysterious manner, should, after
such a period, revisit the fatal spot
in search ofthe vengeance which was
its due? The wind, too, had grown
furious, and the constant slamming
of the crazy old window-shutters
against the wall seemed to warn me
af the danger of entering. ! looked
Ground for some scheme to escape
the fearful ordeal. | thought of go
ing to the nearest house and procur-
ing candle, as | felt | should be
ghost proof if once armed with light;
but this would be uuavailing, as the
wind would extinguish it instantly;
and in so doing, | might by word or
act divulge my fears to some fellow
mortal, which would not that any
ono should know for the world.
Once more ] rCvolvcd the idea OF re-
turning, and claiming lodging with
my chum, but, the consequent ridi-
culo seemed intOlCrable, How could
| boar the jecrs of my "ladye-love" "
After wayeriug aud resolving several
times, there appeared no alternative;
must brave the dead
no longer doubted that | should
see the ghost and, trying to reconcile
to the encounter, ] began to
think over thG favorable circum-
stances of my desperate situation,
Nv chief comfort was derived from
The considerations that had never
wronged the unfortunate man-that
had experienced the strongest dis
of the foul deed that de-
,rived him fife, and great anxiety
ion the discovery any punishment OF
lis murdered--and | reasoned that
might be the nature of his
ceilings toward others, against me
urely he could uot possibly cherish
nv resentment. ! therefore set for
ward once more.
Ny head reeled As | stepped into
he yawning black door, and every |
lair stood Cn end with terrible ap- !
,rchcns;on. dared not look TO |
ithcr side rs breathlessly moved !
long the midnight passage and up |
Lc norr,,,r StairlVuV | wont glowlv !