Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1872-03-23

to read. | took out box of way
matches and proceeded to light a cigar
As the glow of the match lit up tn,
interior of the carriage | saw in the cor
ner a long, dark object, quite black
about it. 1t was coffin, reared up a
the farther side of the carriage, board
being placed behind it, against which i
leaned. As | looked steadfastly at the
coffin it appeared suddenly to glow witt
fair radiance. Every nail and every
plate upon it began to CLEAN with {
strange, mysterious light. Bah j.! it wa.
the moon. We had just left the clouds
of London behind us, and the grea
round moon, rising out of river msts
cast her glorious beams right athwart
US, but turned away from her in dis
gust. What was the beauty ofthe nigh
to me,-a ruined spendthrift,-th
scorn and laughing stock of the world
The black coffin on the other side was
a more congcniai companion to me.
lit another match, and read the in
scription on the plate: William
Heathcote, died 25th May, IS, ageC
25 years"
The hair on my head rose in a mass
my heart ceased to beat. My own name
my own age, and the very date Of the
day that was now Just born
1t chimed in, too, did this inscription
so mysteriously with that impulse |
had felt the whole day--a turning tc
self destruction, as means OF escape
from all the degradatons Of life.
would accept the omen. | carried with
me-a practice | had acquired in the
east--a small American revolver, which
fitted into my waistcoat pocket. 1t
would kill at twenty PAGES, and would
give me my mittimus easily enough.
drew it out and placed it against my
forehead; then it struck me that the
bali, after passing through my head,
might pass also through the partition
dividing the compartment, and
strike some one in the next carriage. |
turned, therefore, my back to the win
dow, and again placed the muzzle OF
the pistol to my forehead. Again
withdrew it. There was no hurry. The
train did not stop till it reached Wok-
ing. | could not possibly be disturbed.
wanted = signal: the whistle of the
engine, as the driver sighted the red
lamps of Woking should be the signal
of my departure from the world.
" Yes" | said aloud, turning upon
myself, as it were, in sort of frenzy
"yes the moment the whistle sounds,
William Heathcote, you shall die
have said that the rising moon was
shining brightly into the carriage, full
upon the coffin, and upon the mysteri
Gus inscription. | don't think | really
believed that this coffin had any tangl'
ble existence. 1t might be out the
production of my own fevered brain
but to none the less on my own &C
count, was it veritable warning of my
doom. Looking up, however. to see ii
it had indeed disappeared, | saw nc
longer the cotiin-lid, but a white shroud
ed figure, pallid, corpse-like face, the
eyes OF which, in the moonbeams
shone upon me with a sepulchra,
gloom.
For the moment thought that had
indeed passed into the land of shad
ows that | was disemboded spirit
locking at my own mortal remains; anG
the thought that | had ceased to be ar
individuality, and had become the mere
shadow of thought, struck such chill
terror and horror to my soul, that every
other impulse of it was lost in an eager
effort to resume my individual exist
ence.
came to myself with deep gasp
digging my finger nails into my palms
All the joy of that moment, after the
torture of the struggle back to life
Life, ragged, miserable it might be, but
still dear life, how precious it seemed
how unfathomably deep, below the ut
most wretchedness of being, was the
dread abyss of non. existence! Shad
ows! defy them r e.
'Come forth, old moleW | shouted
to my double in the coffin. He came
forth. AS live, he stepped out of the
coffin, seated himself opposite to me
and laid finger on my arm-laid 8
finger on my arm, and leaned forward
to speak into my ear.
mercy, mercy;" shrieked the figure
in a voice that pierced the roar of the
train. then laundering over bridge
"Seen cried the tioure, slipping q pa
per into my hands keep it, keep it
only don't betray me-"
WAew.w went the whistle of the en-
CINE, shrieking, as it seemed, close into
my ear. | turned my head for mo
ment the moon had just passed into {
cloud; the figure had vanished; the
coffin still stood in the corner, darl
and grim. The train slackened, stop
ped.
" Jem," said a voice-that of th'
guard" there's body in the middle
tirst-class coach; there's some partie
coming to meet it with an 'earse."
"All right, jack" said anothe
voice they've come to fetch him
Bear a hand here, will you? Oh
Lord - shouted the man, as he saw MI
sitting in the corner. "Oh, beg you
pardon, sir. l hope you arn't beer
| annoyed, sir? Jack. what did yol
mean by putting the gent into this com
| partment?'
~ didn't" growled Jack " he mus
a got in by hisself."
"Alt right l said, getting out anc
stretching myself on the platform III
get into the next carriage. No bodie
there, are there?"
;" Dye call me nobody p said Pa
Reilly, looking out of the window
Jump in, Billy, me bhoy I've cleared
out the rest of the company; yell in
uoducc little fresh capital into th'
concern"
What a contrast to the scene hat
quilted was the cheerful lighted car
riage, with its occupants, all brothe
officers of mine, smoking, chatting, ant