The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1872-02-24

would accept the omen. L carried with
me-a practice | had acquired in the
east-a small American revolver, which
fitted into my waistcoat pocket. 1t
would kin at twenty PAGES, and would
give me my mitt1mus easily enough. /
drew it out, and placed it against my
forehead; then it struck me that the
ball, after passing through my head,
might pass also through the partition
dividing the compartment, and strike
some one in the back carriage. turn
ed therefore, my back to the window,
and again placed the muzzle of the
pistol to my forehead. Again l with
drew it. There was no hurry. The
train did not stop till it reached Wok-
ing. l could not possibly be disturb
ed. WANTED signal: the whistle of
the engine, as the driver sighted the
red lamps of Working, 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
l have said that the rising moon was
shining brightly into the carriage, full
upon the coffin, and upon it's mysteri-
Gus inscription. [ don't think [ really
believe that this coffin had any tangi-
BILE existance. 1t might be but the
product my own fevered brain, but to
none the less on that account, was it a
veritable warming of my doom. Look
ing up, however, to see if 1T had indeed
disappeared, [ saw no longer the coffin
! lid, but a white shrouded figure, a
pallid, corpse-hke face, the eyes of
which in the moonbeams, shone upon
me with a sepulchral CLEAN.
For the moment thought that 1 had
indeed passed into the land of shad-
ows that was disem bodied spirit,
looking upon my own mortal remains :;
and the thought that [ had ceased to
be an individuality and had become
such chill of terror and horror to nay
soul, that every other impulse of it was
lost in an eager effort to resume my in
| dlvldual eMstance.
1 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, be-
low the utmost wretchedness of being,
was the drea,. abyss of non eXistance
Shadows. | defed them
Come forth, old mole - 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 fin
ger 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.
q See - cried the figure. slipping pa
per into my hands keep it, keep it;
only don't betray me.
Whew-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 a
cloud the figure had vanished the
coffin still stood in the corner, dark
and grim. The train slackened, stop
ped.
Jem," said voice-that of the
guard there's body in that middle
tirst-class coach there's some parties
coming to meet it with an 'earse"
''All right, jack said another
voice q" they've come to fetch him.
Bear hand here, will you? Oh, Lord
shouted the man, as he saw me sitting
in the corner. Oh, [ beg your par
don, sir. I hope you arn't been annoy.
ed, sir ? Jack, what did you mean by
putting the gent into this compart-
ment ?"
q didn't" growled Jack; she must
a got in by hisself."
'sAD right, said, getting out and
stretching myself on the platform. I'll
get into the next carriage. No bodies
there, are there
"D'ye call me nobody " said Pat
Reilly, looking out of the window
g Jump in, Billy, me boy! I've clear
ed out the rest Of the company yell
introduce little fresh capital into the
concern
What contrast to the scene / had
quilted was the cheerful lighted car
riage, with it's occupants, all brother
officers of mine, smoking, chatting,
and playing loo on the rug stretched
over their knees Surely the whole of
the previous scene had been dream, or
|
of ID. T.? not brought on by drink.
indeed, for / was not given to that, but
by irregular habits and stress of
mind
1t wasn't till [ had reached my own
hut at Aldershott that ] thought of the
paper which the ghost had given me,
an which in my dellrium, / had imagin-
ed | had thrust into my waistcoat
pocket. Here was a test at all events !;
If there was real paper, bearing
signs of it's ghostly origin, then [ was
still sane, and the appsrjtion I had
witnessed was not delusion of the
| brain.
in the corner of my waistcoat pocket
was a crumbled piece of fimsy paper
[ unfolded it, and found it to be a Bank
of England note for hundred pounds
From that hour [ was an altered
man. [ paid my gambling debts con-
| tessed all my embarrassments to my
| friends, who lifted me out of the mire
never touched card or dice; studied
| for the staff college; passed Il good ex-
animation; went to SandhUst, came
out with high honors, and, having a
little influence at headquarters, got an
appointment as commissioner, to watch
the operations of the American war of
secession, on Gen staff
1t was at the close of bloody but
decisive battle, or series of battles,
which resulted in the retreat of the
army of the south. that | visited the
field hospitals at the rear of the federal
army, III search of a friend who had
been wounded 1urino the dav Tho