Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1871-03-30

figures about il in natural posturesg What
more fitting place could they choose than
this damp, weird place, up above all human
sights and sounds, ouly level, it seemed,
with the raving tearing wind? and what
more fitting time for them than this win
ter midnightY How long was it since it
struck oney When would 1t strike two?
II would be almost relief to hear the
clock again-the great heavy pulse that
might still my own for a minute. 1t
seemed whole long night since | crept
into that infer into that dismal organ
loft.
What was the use of it, after all? If
every stop had been used the whole time
the orga. would not have been really in
jured | need not be half such a tidgity,
anxious fellow rs | am over the instrument; /;
| might very well have let that poor little
donk- that poor little gentleman alone for
this conf, for this one service | had
better, indeed, have been sitting deceutly
in a pew down stairs, listening to the old
parson. lie said good many capital
things, no doubt; do not see why
should have scoiled al the idea of the sery.
ice; | wonder that had done it. | would
not again, for it was done for good pur
pose, After all, | was in holy building
too do not see why should be afraid /;
il was only Imagination, ! dare say. W hat
figure could he up il such 4 place as this
and silent, toop Nonsensel 1t must have
been coat, hung up perhaps by one of
the ringers, Was growing a coward in
my old agey would go toita again. Sup
pose | spoke first | don't know why I
should, seeing II was only a bell-ringer's
coat; but | viii, just to air my own voice.
1t did not sound exactly like my own,
though, when it did come. Is any one
here IN the bellry with me?" | said; " if
So, pray speak, for ! am shut alone in the
church" No answer. OF course not-l
laughed little grim kind of laugh-what
answer had | expected from an empty
coat? | took a few small hesitating steps
forward, and, shutting my eyes, even in
the dense darkness, perhaps TO concentrate
all my powers in my sense of touch, | put
out my right hand with slow, cautious
movement along the wall again. For an
instant my head reeled rs if it would
throw me down like teetotum, for my
fingers went straight into thick mass OF
tangled hair, and when | drew them sud
denly back and put them to my head to
steady it, they were cold as death. No
bel-inger's coat-a ghastB, hairy head !
not human, OF course What living man
would be standing thus in such a place,
the head tlattened against this rough, cold
wallY If II had been any one shut IN like
myself, he would have only too readily
answered my words besides, what human
being would stand in such a postureY
What living man? All! that brought
new horror to my mind. Vas be living
or could "a corpse be stationed go in this
ghostly placer Could a foul murder have
been once-No Nonsense had not the ringers
all been Ginning there gayly only couple
Of hours before? Ii there had been a
corpse; butt would listen for the breath.
do not know how | could do it, though
you may laugh at the horror ii had for me
in your comfortable !ucapacity for pic
turing this ghostly tower. ! bent my head
forward, listening but the thump of my
own heart and the gusts that ragged round
me were all | heard Was it human or
supernatural? Was it living or dead? Oh
VIII re were the bells, that | might sum.
mon kindly release from this horrible inn
prisonmenty But how could / reach the
bell now? dare feel my way no farther,
with the possibility of another CHASTITY
figure barring my progress, Yet if | did
notch, horror. TO imagine VIII lc
night here in Heaven knew what awful
companionship No; | would summon
all the strength and courage that used 10
think possessed, and walk straight Off
into the space till felt the ropes Spread
ing now my two hands before me, stun
bled on, round AMI round, backward ami
forward, irantica!ly dasbng out my hands
in all directions, until at last oh, Heaven
be thanked | Glutched the Carpeted rope,
and felt that the power of bringing help
was in my hard at last. But then new
dread crept over me. Iactualy was afraid
TO sound the bell. There, when | had
reached what | had been struggling for,
this new coWardly fear took entire posses
sion Of me. My eyes were strained and
wide open in the darkness The rope was
graspeQ in both my sore and bleeding
hands, and there ! stood trembling like Is
child. How did know what the sound
might not waken? Did not know for a
certainty that | was not alone in this
haunted place? At the first note Of the
clauging bell, might ] not--acitIt might |
not summon?
As htsitated, with an intense throb-
bing pain over my eyes, my foot moved
something on the Eround--a piece Of rope,
evidently and, vaguely glad Of anything
that sholld delay Tor moment the cal
wished TO give, | stopped and took ii in
my hand. 1t resisted me, aud / drew my
hand along it to feel to what it might be
attached. AS did 50, my hand came in
contact with another hand. For one mo-
mont | rcclcd and tottcrcd in the next,
with one mad effort, ] seized the bell-rnpe,
raised my feet from the ground, ana hung
my weight upon my hands; and, as one
solemn note doomed out, my head swan
round, my fingers slid down the rope. and
fell back senscless on the ground.
Neither a shock nor friendly voice
called me back to consciousness; | awoke
In cold shiyer, to the horror and the
darkness of which had been for a time
unconscious. ! sat up, opening my eyes
wcarily, for the intense darkness literally
seemed - weigh down my eyelids, and it
all came slowly back upon me with two
fold horror.
What time would it be now How long
had been in this double darkness All
iistcn the great clock bell shook and
tremblrd through the tower. One, two.
Only two! Ii the night were 10 be spent
here, and each hour were to be like this,
my hair would be gray before daylight.
Two o clock now snugly every one was
sleeping now, and how unthinking Of the
one miserable man in the tower How
little should be thinking Of ANYTHING 50
Ghostly If were comfortably between my
own sheets now Those things do not
trouble one much until they visit one with
a terrible personality Ike this. Even TINS
aving, maddening wind would hardly
keep me awake on ordinary nights, vet