Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1872-02-29
lEONARDTOWN. Nd THURSDAY MORN sEEBRUARY % s72

The hotel serran. .who ushered me to
the cab got handsome gratuiiy for bis
pains. II was my devastating OF the
world of pleasure, and I was too insolveut
70 be careful ,abont little matters, The
cab sped me quickly 10 the station but
the CLOCK at the hotel bad been slow q rs
We passed under the railway arch. pre-
monitory shrek from the engine overhead
warned me that the train was on the point
Of starting | stopped the cap At the
bridge. and ran quickly up narrow fight
'of fsssp~ whicis aesf directly zou 20 the-end
Of the platform known only 10 the initia-
ted /; the train was moving on, but had
just time. despite warming shouts Of guard
and porters. to open the door Of the last
cariase and jua,p In. The other COM
partments Of the carriage | noticed were
lighted, but this one was dark; that didn' I
affect me- didn't want to read. I took
out box Of wax matches and proceeded
to light cigar. As the glow Of the match
lit up the interior cf the carriage. | saw
in the corner long dark object. quite
black. and vet with some little metallic
gleam about it; i, was coffin. reared up
at the farther side of the carriage. board
being placed behind it. against which it
leaned As looked steadfastly at the
coffss. Il appeared suddenly to glow with
a faint radiance. Every nail aud every
plate upon it began to CLEAN with strange
mysterious light Bah it was the moon.
We had just left the clouds of London be-
hind us. and the great round moon. rising
ont of the river-mists. cast her glorious
beams rig ght a,hwart Us. But l turned
away from her IN disgust. What was the
beauty Of the night to me-a ruined spend
thrift-thc scnrn and laughing stock Of
the world. The black coffin on the other
side was more congenial companion to
me- liz another match. and read the in
scription on the plate: "WrLLraM H&ArH-
corE, died 18th May. 1S-, aged twenty
five years"
The hair on my head rose in a mass
my heart ceased to beat. Nv own name:
my own age. and the very date of the day
that was now just born!
II chimed in, too. did this inscription,
so mysteriously with that impulse had
felt the whole day-a turning to self-de-
struction as n means Of escape from all the
degradation of life | would accept the
omen. carried with me-, n practice ]
had acquired i. :ne East. small Ameri-
can revolver which fitted in 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
ball. after passing through nv head. might
pass also through the partition dividing
the compartments and strike some one in
the next carriage. turned, therefore,
my back to the window. and again placed
the muzzle Of the pistol to my forehead.
Again | withdrew it There was no hur-
~. The train did not stop till it reached
Woking. | could not possibly be disturb
ed. wanted n signal; the whistle Of
the engine. as the driver sighted the red
lamps at Woking. should be the signal
for my departure from the world.
Yes" | said. aloud. turning upon my
sllf. as il were, in sort Of frenzy-"yes,
the momen. the whistle sounds. William
fteatncote. yOu snail ole.
| have said that the rising moon was
shining brightly into the carriage, full
upon the cofin. and upon the mysterious
inscription. don't think really believ-
ed that this coffin had any tangible exis-
tcnce. Ii might be but the production Of
my own fevercd brain. but none the less.
on that account. vas it n veritable warn
ing Of my doom. Looking up. however.
to see il it had indeed disappeared. saw
no longer the cnffin-lid. hut a white
shrouded figure. palid, corpse-life face.
the eyes Of which. in the moonbcams.
shone upon me with sepulchral gIcam
For a momeut. thought that I hal
indeed passed into the land of shadows
that was disembodicd spirit. looking
upon my own mortal remains and the
thought that had ceased to be an indi-
vidual;,v. aud had become the mere shad-
ow of thought. struck such a chill Of
terror aud horror TO my soul. that every
other impulse Of it was los, in an eager
effort TO resume my inliviiurl existence.
I came TO myself ~i,h deep gasp, dig
ging my 6nger-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 unfath-
omably deep, below the utmos, wre,ched-
ness of being. was the dread abyss of nom
existence! Shadows. I aefed them.
"Come forth. old mole ~ I shouted to
my double in the coffin. He came forth
As i've, he stepped out Of the coffin,
seated himself opposite to me. and laid
finger on nv arm-laid finger on my
arm. and leaned forward to speak in my
ear.
Mercy. mercy" shrickcd the figure.
in voice that pierced tho roar Of the
train. then laundering over bridge
See !" cried the figure. slipping paper
in my hands; keep it; keep it; only dom,
bsiyay me.---.-.----------------------------
Whew-w wen. the whistle ofihe engine.
shrieking. IS it seemed. close into my cars.
| tnrned my head for moment; the moon
mad just passed into cloud the figure
had vanished; the coffin still stood in the