The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-12-16

faint measured, sGpulChfhi iap', Iii 1
This time from a door in the row. da.,sion-
concluded TO lie still ana a"ac. ,ni,,ht
ments. or uuiet-whichever une III .t 7 tyns
decree. I was nervous, anu . i.nn ,bo wo.
;,,sti6ed In being so. l even enIi.' hrn,,oht
man in the next room the oph.n : ,vo1ijd
to her ly the opium pill. l unou .sif hut did
get up and procure one ioi ii'7e
not. ro.o 7 fell into a dozc.
ny mn;n,S was awakened by hearing, or
.i ,G,rin" I heard. feet coming vi ssa',s. !.
,i'n'nmd7 pat. Int, pat quick ana li;"'i
,is n. = sudden sensation. Ailer a"hll: l
tlnd araiu. "pat. pat, pat on inc Ill,
",,irl, and light, awokc me. 1 lhus1u Tr
Ir.,n,natic regularity Of the SOUND. Illee
80 thrcc feet, three steps. was ill., -
,"l of a coming event? Dld !, sl.'ins
,r,.nn Lorrs. three days, three weeks; tLlte
a"d y y or three wears? Did | actual! see
a''I hnar yyhat I saw and heard! or was l
,," NV head felt like Il ball of molten lifc.
Wr ho,r; was beating with the raplp't,v Oh
a battle rcvillc. I lifted my right li'lla
~ m, Cor,.bcad. II was as cold, stl3. ana
,.,,Ics. rs the hand Of u dead man. These
80. were so. | was not dccciving my
.nlr: il was rot IN illusion. | would get up
md rush into the strcet-anyWherc out OF
thi, house of the internal. ! SpranS from
fine bed and gropcd for my clothes. Dong
so I CHANGED to glance UP ut the tlansom
LIGHT over my room door. 1t consisted OF
three names of glass. In the centre OF each
nanc flashed for a luminous instant a fiery
figure 49, Again three! The tcrrors OF
apprchcnsion climaXcd here. Nature could
endure no more. and the reaction came. l
laughed aloud-dcfiantly. | cared for no.
thing. "Can't you do something in
the four or five way" | exclaimed ;
"this three business is becomil 6 mo
notonouS.o | waited and expected some
thing diaholical in response. Nothing
came; | went out into the hall and looked
down stairs. | saw nothing. The moon had
gone down. The first faint. ashy-gray light
OF the carly morning shimmercd i'll Il feeble,
way through the skyliGht. l sat
down on the head of the stairs, and pounded
with my pnralyZcd hand. Richards solllo-
uuv, Here tonight; but where tomorrow
night tl0ated through my mind. "No
matter whcrc,' / muttcred, and leaned my
tcvcrish head against the stair-lail. slept.
I had an indistinct CONSCIOUSNESS Of the
bli<-lul fact and that ! inwardly said Thank
Cod" [ heard the strcct-loor open.
J heard 4 ru>tling in the lower hall,
and then footsteps on the Stairs lap-iap-
tap" quick and light then Il sudden Scr>a-
ton. The cahalistic three again. The steps
were repeated. with intervening cesSatiollS,
M The first flight Of Stlirs, through the mid
die iall 10 the foot Of the stairs upon which
| sat. / glanced down. Standing i'll i row
abreast of each other at the foot of the stairs
| saw the outlines of three black figures,
bearing in their hands before them Il floating
white object. ''Tap-tap-tap," quick and light,
the three figures came up three steps ana
stopped. All hiack-nothing but black. What
was that Write somctllin" in their hands. |
could not define it. "Iap-talrtap." Three
steps nearer. "1ap-tap-tap.' Nearer still.
Three more omino,ls ''tap>,' and they Were
but three steps below. They made Il move
ment forward, the white object in their hands
uninldcd. 1t was II siir"ud! "St"p!" |
shricked. and sprrrn- up, fully awake. !
looked for the funeral Three. full confident
that they were there, and saW-nothinG! l
heard The birds singing outside; the
the skvlight; it was broad day. The
husband of my terrified lady com
raaion thrust his rumplcd head olt OF his
door aud "rowlcd, "Why are you standing
there in next to nothing. and yelling like Il
Iullatic III hUlilli-. L hh"u i' l'1lO'"N'
but retired to my room. threw myself on the
bed, and slept Somdly until | o'clock. |
awokc with mind refreshed and right hand
sensible. If there is anything in omcns, !
ro@itatvd, somebody III this house is on linn
ilcd time. Three hours, three days, three
weeks, OF three Years. will decide Ii. All
these rIocllS have passed. and all who were
occupants of the house then arc living now.
The lady removed the next morning. No
thin" could have persuaded her TO remain.