Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1872-10-09

| F1So' OOOiA9 tllIt LII OluG6 w do llhOl)
to be slnecure, drew my chair to The
stove, and taking down book which
saw upon shelf [ tried to interest my
self in the story. The volume which
had discovered was "Jane Eyre - anc
although, since that time, have read, with
tears and laughter, it and other works
which came from The same true and loving
pen, yet, on that night, the spell of her who
is so powerful to awaken our interest anG
enlist our sympathy,-who has given u;
Block Rochester, and clironicled with nc
unklndly hand the yagaries of the three
eccentric curates, and won hearts for Prof
Emmanuel Carl Pau, had no power tc
quiet my wild, wandering thoughts
While L was turning listlessly over the
leaves, the stiffness was startled by the
sharp, quick changing of the electric bell
the usual signal to prepare to read off d
message. With shiyer of alarm, |
turned quickley to the instrument, but
soon perceived that the bell had been rung
by no earthly power, for the vibratin 9
needles made no Ineligible sign, and |
knew that the sound had been produced
by current of atmospheric electricity
acting upon the wires.
Smiling at the nervousness which caused
me to start at 50 ordinary an occurrence
| turned from my desk and sat down by
the fire. But smile as would, and reason
as | might, [ felt that was fast suecum-
bing to the vague, foundationless fears
Thinking that the atmosphere of the room,
which l felt close and hot, might have
something to do with my peculiar condi
tion of mind, | flung open the door, and
stepped outside, in hope that the cool air
might scare away the phantoms of my
brain. AS [ crossed the threshold, the
midnight express crashed past with IL speed
and force wich shook every timber in the
building, and uttering loud shrek disap-
peared In the tunnel at the end of the steep
gradient, on the sumit of which nv station
Was placed. When it was gone there was
stiffness, stiffness broken-if | can call it
broken-only by the peculiar sighing of
the air passing across the wires which is
heard even ILL the calmest night. | stood
and listened to the strange, melancholy
Eolian harp-like sound, now so faint as to
| be almost inaudible, and anon swelling
into wild, low wailing. l looked up
and saw Orion and the Pleiades, and
/ boh olICl CIl lIlSllIS, HDL lung dgO,
when | had watched for Maggie in the
wood, | had gazed up through the tall
sombre pines and watched their trembling
fires. From that my mind reverted to the
earnestness with which my wife had asked
me to remain at home that night, and the
unusual pensiYeness eff her manner when
she bade ma good bye. What could be
the meaning of it all /? AS general rule,
l had IA most profound disbelief i'll omens,
presentiments,an and all sorts of superstitions
but, In spite of it, | felt that would have
given a good deal, at that time, to be
transported ust for one moment to my
home, to see wether all was there. |
might have called upon my assistant, who
lodged In a farmhouse not far distant, and
gone home but, as could give no good
reason for going away, resolved to stay
where | was, and get through the night as
best | could. " If this goes on much
longer" said TO myself, as | turned In
side again, and poked up the Goals with
rather more noise and yigor than was alb
solutely necessary" If this goes on much
longer, shall have to consult doctor,
that's plain" For knew that the cause
less apprehensions which had experien-
ced were often only the symptoms of an
unsound state OF bodily health | filled
my pipe and Lit it, but the weed had lost
its usual tranquilizing power. AS the
wreaths curled slowly upward, saw my
wife's face looking at me tealfully as when
| had left her. Again the bell rang
sharply, but, as before no intelligence was
made by the needles. [ leaned my elbows
on the desk, and, with my head between
my hands, watched their unending motions
An hour might have passed thus, when
once more was startled by the clang of
the bell. This time it was louder and
more urgent, and it seemed to me, though
perhaps | may err here, with peculiar
und unearthly sound, such as | had never
heard before. | ain utterly unable to tell
in what manner the impression was pro-
duced, but 1t seemed as if there mingled
with the metallic ring the tone of human
volce-ard it was the voice of one | knew
The needles, | now observed, began to
make signs which understood, and slowly,
as if some novice were working the in
strument, the letters "C-o,m-e,o were
sgnaled. No sooner had | read off the
final "e," than to my amazement and ter
to15 ulotlhOLIy ctiN Iuo Hdnulo Oh nv
instrument, although | was not touching
it at the time, as if grasped by some in
visible hand, move rapidly and make the
signal understood which the receiver
of a message transmits at the end of every
word. ....
A cold thrill ran through me, and felt
as if every droop of blood were leaving
my heart. Could | have been the subject
of an optical delusion ? | knew that such
was not the case, for | had plainly heard
the quick click of the handle as it turned,
word was slowly being spelt out: but so
bewildered and terrified was I, that fail
ed to catch the signs. Again my handle
moved, and this time made the signal " Not
understood" with an overwhelming feel
ing of awe, L watched the dials intently,
when the letters were again signaled, and
this time l read the word "H.o-m-e.n
Then there was cessation of all motion
foT second or two, and once more the
needles resumed their inchoherent vibra-
tons. | stood petrifed with fear aud
amazement, half believing that was in a
dream, for reason refused to accept the
evidence of sense. Gould that be mes
sage for me? And if SO, whence came
it? What hand had sent it Could it be
that some power higher than that of
nature thus warned me OF impending
danger? Should | obey the mysterious
summons .s5
While [ thus deliberated, the bell again
sounded. with a clangor still more loud,
imperative, and uaearthly, and, after few
uncertain movements, the magnets repeat
ed the words, "Come home come home'
tie handles moving as before. 1 could
remain at my post no longer. Come
what might I felt that had no alterna-
tive but to obey. I ran to the house
where the clerk lived and on rousing the
inmates and gaining admission, told him
that he must take my place Immediately,
as had been suddenly called away. The
man seemed omewhat surprised at my
excited and startled manner, but what he
said or did | cannot recollect. On enter
ing the stable where my horse was stalled
[ perceived a saddle hanging on the wall.
Il. I 4