The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1872-07-20


Eyre; aud although, since tlnt time
/ have read, with tears and laugh.
ter, it and the other works which came
from the same true aud loving peu. yet
on that night the spell of her who is so
powerful to awaken our interest aud
enlist our sympathy-wha has given US
Black Rochester and the uoble Shirley
aud gcnt!e Mary Home who chroncled
with 40 uukisdly hand the yogares Of
q o three eccentric curates, AID wen
our hearts for Professor Emmanuel Carl
Paul-had no power to QUOT my wild
wandering thoughts. Whilo | was
turning listlessly over the leaves, the
Stiffness was startled by tho sharp quick
changing Of the electric bell, the usual
signal to prepare TO read oil message,
With shiyer Of alarm, | turned quick
ly to the instrument, but soon perceived
that that bell had been RUG by no
earthly power, for the vibrating noodles
made no Ineligible sign aud knew
that the SQUAD had been produced by
current oil atmospheric electricity acting
upon The wires.
Smiling at the nervousness which
caused me to start ut so ordinary an
occurrence, | turned from my desk aud
again sat down by the lire. But smile
as | would, and reason as | might,
lelt that ! was fast suceumbing to vague
fOuudatiouless fous. Thinking that
the atmosphere OF the room, which
felt close unl hot, might have some
thing to do with my peculiar condition
Of mind, | tiung open the door, aud
stepped outside, 10 tho hope that the
cool mir might scare away the phautouis
Of my brain. As | crossed the Tires.
hold, tie midnight express crashed past
with speed aud force which shook
every timber OF the bailding and utter.
Ing loud shrek, disappeared Into tho q
tunacl at tho end Of the steep gradient,
on the summit Of which my station was
pl.ced. When i; had gme, there was
stiffness, stiffness brokgn-if | can call
it broAen--oDly BY the peculiar sisling
Of the air passing alOas the wires, which
is heard even in tho calme.t of ui,hts
! stood aud listened 10 the strange,
melancholy, .EIiian harp.lkc sounds
uuw so t4mt o. TO be almost inaudible.
aud auou swelling into q Wild low Saii.
iug. | looked up, aud saw Orion aud
the Pie.,ie., ald thlu1ht how often on
nights not long ago, when | had watch.
ed for M1ggie 10 The wood. had "a zed
up through the t,l. sombrc pines aud
watched their trembling Grcs. From
that my mind reverted to The earnest.
ness with which my wi.e had asked me
10 rcm4u at hJm6 that night. AMI the
unusual pcusiyruess ol her manner When
she blds me good bye Wha. could be
the meaning ur it all! Asa general
rulo, / had a most p,oloand disLyHefin
omlus. uruseEtimpn's. pnl an sorts of
superstition; but IN spite Of it, | lolt
tha, 1 would hlyo givrn a GOOD deal. al
that time, to be transported ja,t for one
minute 10 my homo. 10 sse whether an
was well there. mieh, have called
up my assistant, who LODGED ia firm.
house not lar distant. aud zone horne
but, as could give no cool reason for
going away. | resolved 10 stay where
| was, and get through the nisht as
best | could. "ffthjs gaps on" said
to myself as turnal inside again. and
poked up the coal with rather more
noise aud yisor than was ab.o,ptely
neeesaafy-"if this goes on much lon
Ger, | shall have TO consult n Jnstor
that's plain" For | knew that the
causeless appfehensions which eype.
riencud were often only the symutom of
an unsound state Of CLalily health. I
filled INV nipe aud liz IL. hat the wceJ
had lost iis usual tranuniliyiug nowor
As the wreaihs curlcd slowly apw,rls
| saw my wiirs face looking at me- tear.
fully as when had left her Amin
the bell rang sharply; but. as before no
Ineligible sisn was mad, by the nee.
dies. leaned my elbows on the desk
aud, with ms lead between nv baols
watched thsir uucnlinr motions An
hour might have passed thus, when
once more | was startled by the clang
OF The bell. lhis time II was louder
ana more urgent aud, 1t seemed TO me,
though perhaps ! may err here, with Il
peculiar unearthly sound, such US | had
never heard before. | am utterly ana.
bio to tell ~ what manner the impress.
sion was produced, bat it seemed as ii
there lninsled with the metallic ring the
tone OF human yoice--and it was the
voice OF one | knew. The needles, |
now observed, began TO make sgus
which | understood; and slowly, as il
some novice were working the instru
mcut, the letters Come wero sig