The Idaho world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1864-1918, 1871-09-28
A NIGHT OF HORROR.
BY DIR. JOHN BAsCoM.

When | was United States Consul to
Rio Janeiro, I passed a night Of hor.
ror, which morning revealed under the
most painful distressing circumstances,
and the mournful results of which could
have been so easily prevented had it
not been for negligence on my part,
that have never ceased to blame my
self for the horrible death that occurred.
A rich trader from the interior called
at the Consulate to transact some bust
ness in regard to the shipment of hides
and tallow to the United States, and as
he came bringing letter Of introduc-
ton from an old friend of mine, / ex-
tended to him the hospitality Of my
residence.
He was sociable, well-informed man,
had been engaged in the cattle trade
both in California and Australia, and
could relate thrilling incidents by the
hour, and so interested me by his con-
versation that | forgot an important
business transaction, and found myself
compelled to make my excuse after tea,
for the purpose Of attending to it, leav-
ing the trader on the veranda to enjoy
his smoke was absent longer than
| had intended to be, and returned to
find my guest had retired for the
night.
! also found upon my table bottle,
accompanied by note, but supposing
it to be some present OF wine or other
drink, which | was the daily recipient
of, | left it to be examined and perhaps
tested by my guest and myself at the
breakfast table next morning, and re-
tired.
The weather being very warm, it was
my custom to leave the inner doors of
my residence all open for free circula-
ton of air, but this night | retired feeling
an unusual oppression from the heat
and there seemed to be some strange
influence acting upon me, some forebod
ing of fear that held me in wakefulness
until far into the night, and then when
sleep came TO me it was in iitful starts,
filled with hideous dreams, from which
| would awake with cold perspiration
ON my brow.
1t was perhaps two o'clock when |
was aroused by a most uncarthly
groan, and springing up in bed, saw
the most fearful sight ever behcld, al
most freezing the blood in my veins
a .hideous form robed in white, with lis
mouth and clothing all heckcd with
bloody foam, each hair seemed to stand |
separate from the other upon It's head, |
and its eyes deathly glazing as it came
toward me with outstrctched hands, |
altering the most uncarthly groans. /
In horror | sprang out Of bed and ran,
pursued by the awiullorm as | crouchcd .
lere and there TO escape it. But on it
came, growing more fearful as it APP
preached At last | thought cf the
atticed closet in the adjoining room
and fled for it, my very knees knocking
with fear, reaching it and closing the
ioor as my CHASTITY pursuer put his
lands through the broad lattice work.
'eaching far III after me; but | was
'afe from pursuit at last, and in the
ceiling Of security my strength gave
way, and there lay upon the floor in
as | started out at the
earful form that was clinging to the
attice trying to reach me while it ut
cred the most pitiful means.
The excitement had been too much
or my weak frame, as had only re-
covered from an exhausting illness and
swooned away under it. How long
ay in an insensible condition | knew !
lot, but when | revived the horrible
Orm was still there, but it had fallen by
he door and was lying still with its i
ace upturned and It's eyes fixed in
eathly glare.
Oh, heavens, what could it be! 1t
vas no phantom of air. and yet could
ot believe it to be human form; was |
some victim of a premature burial
rom the plague that had torn away
rom the Imprisonment of the coffin
nd come to pursue me with its deadly
| shuddered to think it,
nd then | was forced to remain in my
light and weakness within reach of the :
earful and CHASTITY form, visible from {
ne dim lights | always kept burning1r
I nv rooms at night, The moments :