American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1873-01-18
A VISION.

| tnat night there was not a creature more
absolutely friendless than |. Between
me and starvation there rested a very lit
tie money, crude idea of color. some
talent in drawing, and resolute will to
become a painter. l was i'm search of a
studio in the great metropolis. All that
L needed was garnet with an upper light,
and this stumbled upon in an old house
in West Broadway. l offered the land
lord months rent in advance for his
garnet, and the sight of the money finished
the bargain. He signed the receipt with
his shaky skeleton claws. His name was
Baptiste Perret.
Having procured possession of my room,
proceeded to explore it. A matter of
five minutes finished the research. 1t
was large and square, and gloomy to des-
olation. | looked about me deiectedly.
What horrible future doomed up before
me! To pass day after day in that dingy
den, perhaps in the end to die here of star
walton! l, who loved light and warmth
and luxury, to be condemned to the DESC
latiOn of this abominab'e garnet! l stat
ell up and fled from the house. l went
out in the cold December night. and walk
ed restlessly up and down, arguing with
myself manfully. At the end of an hour
went back to my garnet with few can
dies and some crackers. resolved firm
Is that, come what might, that garnet for
the time should be my home. 1t was at
ter ten when l lay down upon the bed in
the corner and streve to sleep. | found it
impossible. 1t was too cold. There was
but one blanket, and that of the thinnest
and most miserable quality. A fierce
wind ratified at the windows and swept
through the room. My very bones ached,
and shaking as if with an ague l strove
in vain to chafe a little warmth into my
limbs. lay thus wide awake for a couple
of hours.
Suddenly felt singular numb sensa-
ton creeping over me. A delicious
warmth spread itself about me, crept into
my lungs, and lifted the oppression from
my chest. The thought struck me that
had gone through with the preliminary
torture OF freezing, and had reached that
fatal stage OF numbness which had been
described to me as a blissful reaction. l
resolved not to struggle against it in the
least. If death had come to me in this
shape, il was too comfortable to resist.
l became, however, gradually conscious
of feeling that startled me. ,cas certain
there something or somebody IN that
room Nth me!
This fancy was a troublesome one, for
to prove the truth of my conviction l was
compelled to get out of bed and search
the room. 1 aroused myself from my
trance reluctantly, and strOve to reach the
mantel, where l had left my candle and
matches. As CROPPED along the floor
my hand suddenly came in contact with
something like drapery. l started back
ter baroness of the room when | went to
bed. Then l again stretched forth my
hand. distinctly felt hard substance
"a square beam of wood, with folds of
cloth hanging about it. Resolving to see
this strange article of furniture, | got
upon my feet and walked directly to the
wall. feeling my way around the room
I nIx.sJ fol inrhf
candle, L looked eagerly about me. Not
a trace of any thing could be seen. The
room was as bare and desOlate as ever.
More bare and desolata. for it was colder
than before. / went back to bed again,
and shivered there till morning. The
next day l passed in futile effort to
paint. The effort was wretched one,
and went out for walk.
Passing my landlord on the rickety stairs,
it occurred to me o ask of him the mean
ing o, the singular piece of furniture l
had found in ny room the night before.
Tell me, Mr.. Perret. said, do you
keep ghost up in my garrett"
He started back, an ashy pallor in his
face.
Don't get frightened" 1 fastened to
add; ''it's only the ghost of a table or
couch, or something in the furniture line;
can swear felt two posts of wood in the
middle of the floor, with some sort of dra-
perry about them.''
MIR. Perret did not reply, and went
through the store into the street. q.
Getting back about nightfall, lighted
my candle, with a bustling attempt at
cheer that was pitiably abOrtive. The
fact vas, was never made to rough it in
solitude of this miserable kind. Then it
was impossible to fight against the cold
that reigned in my garnet. was glad
when the time came for me to creep I'M
der my wretched blanket. My delight
may be imagined when, after suffering an
agony of cold, felt suddenly again the
delicious warmth of the night before-the
soft air, the impalpable, vague luxury of
nav former trance. 1 remained perfectly
quiet, resolving this time not to move.
But against my will, although reso-
lutely strove against il, became conscious
that the something of the night before
was in the room with me again and al
though would much rather not have in
vestigated the mystery, l was in a manner
compelled to again get out of bed and
grope about the floor.
Suddenly my hand touched the drapery
of cloth, and in Withdrawing it l felt again
the beam of wood.
1 confess 1 was startled. l resolved to
grasp it, whatever it was, Snd drag it with
me to the light. But upon endeavoring
to move it, l found it was impossible
either it was too heavy, or it was fastened
to the floor. passed my hand along the
folds of cloth. and found they extended
for several feet. The beams Of wood
seemed to support a few boards at the
top, over which this cloth was thrown.
got upon my feet, and placed my hand
upon the top of the boards. drew back
suddenly. An icy chill struck to the very
marrow of my bones. l retreated to the
wall again, and, reaching the mantel,
lighted my candle and looked about me.
Nothing, absolutely nothing, was to be
seen!
1 remained in the chair all night.
The next night left my candle burn
ing, and saw nothing but the bare room,
felt nothing but the cold.
1 suffered SO much with cold, disap-
pointment, and batiled curiosity that when
night came again l resolved TO put away
my candle. If darkness was necessary
for the investigation of this mystery,
there should be the most Stygiah obscu-
rity.
Nevertheless, when, upon shivering tor
a time, l felt suddenly the familiar
warmth envelop me, the luxurious atmos-
phere creep in at my mouth and nostrils.
l trembled. l confess it, l was seized
with a nameless terror. Chill after chill
crept down my back, a peculiar sensation
went through my scalp. l felt, so to say,
my hair ri ing upon my head.
got out of my bed and crept softly
over the floor. Some intllitive instinct
impelled me to make no haste, make no
noise. Preached the drapery, and extend
ed my hand along tic substance which it
covered. Suddenly the drapery stopped.
My hand fell an inch or two, and touched
a face colder than marble.
1t was a dead body which that drapery
covered, and. which lay upon those boards
in my room.
tl,n inbt