Beaufort Republican. [volume] (Beaufort, S.C.) 1871-1873, 1872-05-23

parently from It's proper level. satlsned
myself, however, that the door was Sc
cured by my gimlet, and soon fell asleep.
How can l describe the strange and
horrible sensation which oppressed me as
awoke out of my first slumber2 | had
been sleeping soundly, and before | quite
recovered consciousness l had instructive
ly risen from my pillow, and was crouch
ing forward, my knees drawn up, my
hands clasped before my face, and my
whole frame quivering with horror. | saw
nothing; felt nothing; but sound was
ringing in my ears that seemed to make
nv blood run cold. | could not have
supposed it possible that any mere sound,
whatever might be its nature, could have
produced such q revu]sion of feeling or
inspired such intense horror as | then eX-
perienced. 1t was not cry of terror
that heard-that would have reused me
to action--nor the moaning of one in
pain-that would have distressed me, and
called forth sympathy rather than aver
sion. True, it was like the groaning of
one in anguish and despair, but not like any
mortal voice; it seemed too dreadful, too
intense for human utterance. The sound
had begun while / was fast asleep-close
to the head of my bed-close to my very
pillow; it continued after | was wide
awake-a long, loud, hollow, protracted
groan-making the midnight air reverbe-
rate, and then dying gradually away until
it ceased entirely. 1t was some minutes
before could at ell recover from the ter
rible impression which seemed to stop my
breath and parslyze my limbs. At length
| began to look about me, for the night
was not entirely dark. and could discern
the outlines of the room and the several
pieces of furniture in it. | then got out
of bed and called aloud, "Who is there?
What is the rhatter2 Is any one ill.," l
repeated these inquiries in Italian and in
French, but there was no answer. Fortu-
nately I had some matches in my pocket
and was able to light my candle. then
examined every part of the room carefully,
and especially the wall at the head of my
bed, sounding it with my knuckles; it was
firm and solid there, as in all other places.
unfastened my door and explored the
passage snd the two adjoining rooms,
which were unoccupied and almost desti-
tute of furniture; they had evidently not
been used for some time. Search as |
would could gain no clue to the mystery.
Returning to my room | sat down upon
the bed in great perplexity, and began to
turn over in my mind whether it wGs pos
sible could have been Observation-Disclosures
the sounds which caused ME such distress
might not be the offspring ofsome dream or
nightmare; but to that conclusion could
not bring myself at all, much as wished
it, for the groaning had continued ringing
in my ears long after I was wide awake
and conscious. While | was thus reflect
ing, having neglected to close the door
which was opposite the side of my bed
where was sitting, | heard soft foot
step at distance, and presently light
appeared at the further end of the pas
sage. Then | saw the shadow of a man
cast upon the opposite wall; it moved
very slowly, and presently stopped. |
saw the hand raised, as if making sign
to some one, and / knew from the fact of
the shadow being thrown in advance that
there must have teen a second person in
the rear by whom the light was carried.
After a short pause they seemed to have
retraced their steps, without my having
had a glimpse of either of them, but only
OF the shadow which had come before
and which followed them as they with
drew. 1t was then little after one
O'Clock, and | concluded they were re-
tiring late to rest, and anxious to avoid
disturbing me, though have since thought
that it was the light from my room which
caused them to retreat. felt half in
clined to call to them, but | shrank, with
out knowing why, from making known
what had disturbed me, and while hesi-
tated they were gone; so | fastened my
door again, and resolved to sit up and
watch little by myself. But now my
candle was beginning to burn low, and |
found myself in this dilemma: either |
must extinguish it at once, or should be
left without the means of procuring a
light in case l should again be disturbed.
regretted that had not called for an
other candle while there were people yet
moving in the house, but could not do
so now without making explanations; so
| grasped my box of matches, put out my
light, and lay down, not without shud-
der, in the bed.
For an hour or more lay awake think
ing over what had occurred, and by that
time had almost persuaded myself that
| had q morbid imagination to thank for
the alarm which had suffered. 1t is an
outer wall" said to myself; "they are
all outer walls, and the house is built of
stone; it is impossible that any sound
could be heard through such a thickness.
Besides, it seemed to be in my room, close
to my ear. What an idiot / must be to
get alarmed and excited about nothing2
III think no more about it," So turned
on my side, with smile (rather forced
one) at my own foolishness, and composed
myself to sleep.
At that instant heard, with more dis.
tinctness than | ever heard any other
sound in my life, gasp, voiceless gasp,
as if some one were in agony for breath,
biting at the air, or trying with desperate
efforts to cry ont or speak. 1t was re-
peated a second and third time; then there
was a pause; then again that horrible
gasping and then long-drawn breath,
an audible drawing up of the air into the
throat, such as one would make in heav-
ing a deep sigh. Such sounds as these
could not possibly have been heard unless
they had been close to my ear; they
seemed to come out of the wall at my
head, or to rise out Of my pillow. That
fearful gasping, and that drawing in of
fhe breath. IN the darkness and silence of