Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1872-06-19
produced by a current of atmospher-

Smiling at the nervousness which
caused me to start at so ordinary all
occurrence, I turned from my desk,
and again sat down by the fire. But
smile as would, and reason as 1
might, felt that was fast succumb-
ing to vague foundationless fears.
Thinking that the atmosphere of the
room, which l felt close and hot,
might have something to do NTH my
peculiar. condition of mind, l flung
open the door, and stepped outside,
in the hope that the cool air might
scare away the phautoms of my brain.
AS l crossed the threshold, the mid
night express crashed by with speed
and force which shook every timber
OF the building and uttering loud
shrek, disappearc in the the tunnel
at the end OF the ,teep gradient, OH
the summit of wh,cli my station was
placed. When it had gone there WAS
Stiffness, stiffness brokcn-if | can
call it brokcn-only by the peculiar
signing of the air passing along the
wires, which is heard cveh i'll the
| calmcst nights. | stood and listened
TO the strange, melancholy. -Eolian
| harp-like sound. now 80 faint as to lie
| almost imaudiblc. and anon swelling
into Il wild low wailing. looked up
aud saw Orion and the Pleiatlcs and
thought how often on nights not
long ago, when had watched for
| Maggie in the wood. had gaZed up
! throttle tall sombrc pines and watch
ell their trembling fires. From
that my mind reverted to the ear
nc>tncss with which my wife had
asked me to remain ut home that
night, and the unusual pensiveness of
her manner when she pade me good
bye. What could be the meaning of
it all? AS a general rule, | had a
most profound disbelief in omcns,
presemtiments, and all sorts of super-
stition; but in spite of it, felt that
would have given a good deal, at
that time, to be transported just for
one minute to my home, to see
whether all was well there. might
have called my assistant. who lodged
in Il farm house not far distant. and
| gone home: but rs could give no
good reason for going away, | re-
solved to stay where was, and get
thro' the night Is best could. "lf
this goes on said To myself as |
turned inside again, aud pokrd up
/ the coal with rather more noise and
viY"r than was absolutely necessary
I'll this GOES on much longer.
/ shall lIavrto consult Il doctor that >
plaih.' For knew that the cause
! less apprchru>ion- which | expert
rmcrh were often onlv the symptom
! of an unsouid stale of bodily hralth.
! ! filled my pipe and lit il. bur the
weed had LOST lis usual ;ranIuiliZin"
power A. the WrraihrS curlrd
slowly upwards, ! saav my wife's face
lookin. ut me lcariully a> when had
/ left her. Again the bell rang sharply:
! but as before, no ineligible sign was
made bv the needles. leaned NV
elbows on the desk. and with NV
head between my hands, watched
their unrnding motions. An hour
might have passed thus. when once
more was startled by the clang of
the bell. This time il was louder and
more urgent, and it seemed to me,
though perhaps | may err here, with
a peculiar uncarthlv sound. such as
had never heard before. am utter
" unable to tell in w hat manner the
impression was produced. but 1t
seemed rs if there mingled with the
metallic ring the tone of Il human
voice-and it was the voice of one !
knew. The needles. i now ob>crv-
ed. began to make simn> which ! un-
d"rStooh: and slowly. Us if some
novice were working the instrument,
y" sooner had read of the final 'e,
than to my alnazcmCn' and terror. I
distinctly saw the handle of my i'll
Struncnt. although | was not touch
in" it al the time. as if "riSpcd by
som" invisible hand. move rapIdly
and make the signal ndrrStood,'
which Il receiver of Il message trans
nIitS ut the end of every word.
A cold thrill ran through me. and
felt as if every drop of blood We're
leaving INV heart. Could have been
the subject of an optical delu>ion? |
knew that such Was moi the case, for
| had plainly heard the click of the
handle rs it turned: and now could
perceive another word being plainly
spclt ont. But so bcwildcred and
terrified was I, that failed to catch
the signs. Again my handle moved,
and this time made the signal Not
understood With an overwhelming
feeling of awe, | watched the dials
intcntly while the letters were again
signallcd. and this time read
TI-o-m-e.' Then there was a
cessation of all motion for a second
ortwo. and once more the needles
resumed their incohcrrnt vibrations.
l stood pctritiod with fear and amaze
ment. half-bclicvin@ that | was in n
dream, for reason refused to accept
the evidence Of scusn. Could that be
n message for mr? If so. whence
came it? What hand had sent it?
Could it be that somt power
higher than nature thus warned
me of my impending danger? Should
| obey the mysterious summons?
While thus drlihcratcd. the bell
again sounded with clangor still
more loud, impcrious and uncarthiv,
aud alters few uncertain movements
the magnets repeated the words,
"come home, come home!" the ham
dies moving as before. l could re-
main at my post no longer. Come
what might, felt that had no al
native but to obey. I ran to the
house where the clerk lived, and on
rousing the inmates, and gaining ad-
mission, I told him that he ,prst toll.