Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1874-10-16
Selected Selistellaup.
THE MYSTERY OF LIFE.

In the western part of the State Of
Maryland, among those rugged hills Of
the Allegany range, stood my unclc's
house. 1t was picturesque place, on a
cleft in the hillside, away back from the
turnpike, walled in by rocky slopes
fringed with rough hemlocks and naples,
and facing high over a steep descent the
north fork of the Potomac river. The
house of sqr ar ID logs, was one of those
good old relics of pioneer days which arc
now fast disappearing. Desolate and
untonantable it appeared, and the per-
vading quiet was only broken by tho shrill
cry of the blue jay, or the dismal boot Of
the owl at night. Ny uncle's life had
always been painful mystery. lie had
graduated at college with high honors,
and afterward was travelling and study
ing abroad, when he suddenly returned
home, and retired to the old place left tc
him by his father. There, in the old
homestead, without assigning any rea-
son, he kept bachelors hall in solitude
the remainder of his life, memorable to
the entreaties Of his friends, whom be
even refused to sec.
Last fall my uncle died, and to me,
his namesakc, willed the estate Upon
receiving news of his death | Immediate
ly visited the old place It looked gloomy
and dismal enough when | arrived there,
just at dusk. The only occupants of the
house were two negro servants, who had
been faithful to my uncle for many years.
They at once got my supper for me, and
afterwards ushered me into my unclc's
room, where ! spent the evening in look
ing over his papers Among others, |
found the following, which gives clue
to his strange life and conduct:
at was but dream, fancy of my
disordered brain. ] believe not in ghosts /;
for twenty years have lived il this soli-
tary place without fear. My nerves
are as steel, my constitution as iron. I
quail not alone in the darkest, stormiest
midnight. Was it my Imagination? No !!
1t was something more. it was real The
fiend was here. He sat in yonder chair.
| was not sleeping, but wide-awake, my
stuHcS 40 dtLiFt anu dc SOuuu 40 hb hb'h
day | saw him, aye, felt his piercing
glance enter my heart and read its Sc
crets his hot breath upon my check. as
he uttered low, Economical laugh. That
was last night. All day yesterday the
memories of student life REQUIRED to me /;
those happy days, gone forever, which
ended in -. Would to God they had
never ended, or that had never known
them, then would my tormented soul be
free.
And in the evening | drew out the old
checkerboard, arranged the men, and by
the Pickering glare of the burning hicko-
ry log on the hearth, unused upon the
corners and stratagems often repeated
by us, Frederick and /, and Of the corn
or which deprived my life of its value,
forever. At this last thought buried
my face in my hands, and uttered a low
moan, when suddenly something touched
me. | started up quickly. to see dim
ghostly form taking seat before me-
The log bad fallen from the andirons,
and the fire was low. He placed the
checker-board between us, and said,
Move" / stared vacantly, but moved
not. Again / heard the low demoniacal
muttering, saying "Move." | did so,
while be Missed horrid laugh. The