New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1871-05-11

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depend upon?''
'"There are not many such to be heard, 1
replied, sand am afraid il has never been my
good fortune To meet with those who were
really able tn give me genuine, well-anthentl-
Gated story.a
"Well, you shall never have cause to say so
again and as IL was adventure which hap
pened to myself, you can scarcely think it other
thar well authenticated. L know you TO be no
coward, or might hesitate before l told it to
you. You need not stir the fire there is plenty
Of light by which you can hear it. And
now to begin. had been riding hard one day
in the autumn, for near y five or six hours,
through some of the most tempestuous weather
to which it had ever been my luck to be ex-
posed. 1t was just about the time of the equi-
nox, and perfect hurricanes swept over the
hills, as if every wind in heaven had broken
loose, and had gone mad, and on every hill the
rain and driving sleet poured down in one un-
broken shower.
"When i reached the head Of Wexford
valley-you know the place, a narrow ravine,
with rocks on one side, and those rich, full
woods mot that they were very full then, for
the winds had shaken them Till there was
scarcely leaf on their bare rustling branshes)
on the other, with clear little stream wind
ing through the hollow dell--when l came to
the entrance of this valley, weather-beaten
on my way; the wind, as it were, held in be-
tween the two high banks, rushed like a river
just broken loose into a new course, carrying
with it perfect sheet of rain, against which my
poor horse and l struggled with considerable
difficulty; still l went on, for the village lay
at the other end, and had patient to see
there, who had sent a very urgent message, en-
treating me to come TO him as soon as possible.
We are slaves to message, we poor medical
men, and / urged on my poor jaded brute with
keen relish for the warm fire and good dinner
that awaited me soon as could see my I'M
fortunate patient, and get back to home
doubly valued on such day as that in which
1 was then out. II was indeed dreary riding
in such weather; and the scene, altogether,
through which passed was certainly not the
most conducive toward raising mans spirits ;
but positively half wished myself out in it all
again, rather than sit the hour i was abliged
to spend by the sick bed of the wretched man
had been summoned to visit. He had met
with an accident the day before, and as he had
been drinking up to the time, and the people
had delayed sending for me, found him in a
frightful state of fever and it was really an
awful thing either to look at or to hear him.
He was delirious, and perfectly furious and
his face, swelled with passion, and crimson with
the fever that was burning him up, was sight
to brighten children, and not enc calculated to
add to the tranquility even Of full grown men.
/ dare say you think me very weak, and that |
ought to have been Injured TO such things,
minding his rawlings no more than the dash of
the rain against the window; but during the
whole of my practice, had never seen man
or woman, in health or in fever, in SO frghtful a
state OF furious frenzy, with the impress OF
every bad passion stamped so broadly and fear
fully upon the face; and, in the miserable
howell that then held me, with his old witch
like mother standing by, the babel of the wind
and rain outside added to the rawlings of the
wretched creature within, / began to feel
neither in happy nor an envabe frame OF
mind. There is nothing so irightful as where
the reasonable spirit seems to abandon mans
body and leave it to fend instead.
After an hour or more waiting patiently by
his bedside, not liking to leave the helpless old
woman alone with so dangerous companion
(for / could not answer for anything he might
do in his frenzy,) I thought that the remedies
by which hoped in some measure to subdue
the fever seemed beginning to take effect and
that might leave him, promising to send all
that was necessary, though fearing much that
he had gone beyond all my power to restore
him and desiring that might Immediately be
called back again should he get worse instead
OF better, which felt almost certain would be
the case, FASTENED homew ard glad enough to
be leaving wretched huts and raving men,
driving rain and windy hills, for a comfortable
house, dry clothes, warm fire, and a good din.
ner. think never saw such a fire in my life
as the one that blazed up my chimney it
looked SO wonderfully warm and bright, and
there seemed an undesirable air of comfort
about the room which L had never noticed be-
fore. One would have thought should have |
enjoyed 1T all intensely after my wet ride, but |
throughout the whole evening the scenes of the |
day would keep recurring to my mind with |
most uncomfortable distinctness. and it was in |
vain that endeavored to forget it all in book |
one OF my old favorites too so at last / fairly |
gave up the attempt, as the hideous face would |
come continually between my eyes and an es |
pecially good passage; and | went of to bed |
heartily tired, and expecting sleep very readily
10 visit me. Nor was / disappointed | was |
soon deep asleep, though my last thought was
IN the little valley had left. How long this
heavy and dreamless sleep continued, cannot
ell, but gradually felt consciousness return
ng in the shape Of the very thoughts with
which fell asleep, and at last L opened nv
yes, thoroughly reused by heavy blow at
ny window. L cannot describe my horror, when,
BY the light of the moon struggling among
he heavy surge-like clouds, l saw the very
ace, the face of that man, looking in at me
through the easement, the eyes distended and
he face pressed close to the glass. l started
p in bed to convince myself that / really was
wake and not suffering from some frightful
ream there it staid, perfectly moveless, its
ride CHASTITY eyes fixed unwayeringly on mine,
vhich, by kind Of fascination. became equally
xed and rigid, gazing upon the dreadful face,
which alone, without body, was visible at the
'indow, unless an indeiinable black shadow,
hat seemed to float beyond il, might be fancied
nto one. i can scarcely tell how long so sat
boxing at ii, but L remember something of
ushing sound, feeling of relief, of falling ex-
austed back upon my pillow, and then awoke
, the morning i'll and un-efreshed / was i'll |
ease, and the first question / asked, on cor- ,
~ down stairs, was whether any messenger ,
ad come to summon me TO Wenttord. A mes I
snger had come, they told me, but il was to
~ / need trouble myself no further, as the !
ian was already beyond all aid, having died
bout the middle of the night. 1 never felt so J
1rangely in my life as when they told me this. r
nd my brain almost reeled as the events OF the
resious day and night passed through my 8
lind IN rapid succession. That L had seen i
omething supernatural in the darkness of the r
lght had never doubted but when the sun $
hone brightly into my room in the morning, '
arough the same window where had seen SO a
1ghffui and strange sight by the spectral a
GIT oil the moon, began to believe more that n
was dream, and endeayored to ridieule nv =
If out of all uncomfortable feelings. which. =
eyertheless, could not quite shake off. i
aunted BY what l considered painful dream. :.
left my room, and the first thing heard was !,
confirmation of what i had been for the last :,
,ur endeavoriDg to reason and ridicIle myself
It of believing. liz was some hours before | :;