Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1874-06-06

u nap, Adlu OSlllull CJlpuultU
Well, till some one awakes, we hat
best change our dress, and make our
selves comfortable, for the meantime
in the bathing room.
Osman agreed, and the two exchanged
their out-of.doors dress for the costume
ordinary in an Eastern bath, consisting
of very toga-like wrappers, and went
into the large vaulted inner room
which was also lighted up and ready
warmed. Here they lay down on tho
raised stone dias against the wall, with
dome-like roof some twenty or twenty.
five feet overhead, aud the lamp hang,
ling down ftom it if the centre.
While they thus r6clined at ease
waiting till either a servant or some
other batber like themselves should
enter, Osman, who had now no doubt,
left in his mind as to the real and bodi.
ly identity OF his companion, could not
resist the temptation of rccounting to
him the previous adventure of the
night. 50 he told how he had been
awakened and beguiled out of doors by
a phantom exactly resembling in shape
and voice the friend now beside him,
and how they had. amoA .aEi~ed at the
bath, when the spectre betrayed itself
for what it really was by the portentous
feat already described. The other lis
tened without interrupting the story in
apparent astonishment, till as the nara
tor concluded $50" he subioined,
"it hung the lantern it was carrying on
the top Of the big minaret, did it? Do
You think he could have managed this 2"
and with these words, he liftel a leg
and foot, which suddenly lengtheued
ont just as the arm had done before,
and with kick struck the very highest
point of the central vault above them,
shattering to pieces the lamp where it
hung.
Osman leapt up terrified, as well he
might be, and found himself alone in
pitch darkness, for every light in the
bath had been instantaneously extin-
Ruished. However, as he had often
been in the building before, and was
thoroughly well acquainted with it, he
managed, in spite Of his trepidation, to
find his way to the door, and rushed
out, in bathing costume as he was, into
the open air, leaving his own clothes,
which he did not venture to search af-
ter, behind him in the entrancs.room.
But as he crossed the open space be.
tween the coffee-hCuse and the bath, he
looked back, and to his horror, saw the
dim and distant top of the minaret
within the fortress once more lighted
mp by the spectral lanterns hanging
there. Chill and trembling, he at last
got back to his own house. There he
found his wife fast asleep; and much
was she surprised when he woke her to
see him so quickly returned, and in such
strange attire. He now made a clean
breast Of it, telling her of all that had
to him that night from first
to last, and adding, that when the day
was mp he would return to the bath and
fetch his clothes from where he had
left them.
But hardly had he finished his nara
ton when, to the alarm Of both, the same
rap that had twice been heard before
was repeated outside. Osman's wife,
naturally enough, entreated her hus-
band to pay no attention to it. But, |
like Tam-o.Shanter in a similar case, he |
would not take advice
Alb. gentle danes it gaes me greet,
TO think how monte cOunsels sweet.
lIowmonie heightened, sage adyice-,
The husband frae the wife despises
"But to our tale" Osman, who was
by no means a coward, and whose met.
n was now fairly mp, swore that he |
would see the matter ont to the end {; |
besides, added he, the dawn must now
be near, aud it could hardly be a phan
tom again this time. So he got mp,
went, in bathing apparel as he still wa,
to the house-door and opened it. Sure
enough, there stood his friend, or what
seemed his friend, waiting. "What is
The matter with you" asked the feure.
/" that you stare so wildly at me and
how came vou in such dress?' "My
own wearing clothes are at the
BATH" replied Osman and forthwith
to give an account of all that
he had seen that night, and how he had
been twice spectre-tricked, THU king to
himself, eff thistimeitb be aphantom, /, too,
ike the others, may as we'll provoke
t to show its true character at once. be-
lore we 60 further" But his friend, on
hearing all this, expressed the utmost
"Me !" he said; "whv
have only this minute left my house,
md was going quietly by myself to
he bath, when it occurred to me that I
night as well pass by your door and
AXE the chance OF calling You up, in
'ase you might not he awake already
You must have been dreaming somehow.
anyway, let us now go at once, and look
or vour clothes, where Won have left
hem, lest ANYBODY else may come in
he meanwhile and take fancy to
hem" Once more Osman felt sure
hat the speaker was his own neighbor,
md no other So, after a little more
barley. they went together, and soon
stood before the bath. As before, the
outer door was wide open, and the iute
'ior of the building brightly lighted
IN, but neither bath-keeper at the en-
rance, nor any other living creature.
)sman went to the corner where he had
irst undtessed, and there found his
,lothes lying, untouched and folded,
,xactly as he had left them. His first
impulse was to put them on without de-
ny but his friend suggested that as
he bath was heated. they might as we'll
make use of it ; so the two entered the
nner room. there to wait till the ordi-
larv attendants should enter on service.
They sat awhile and talked no one
anne. But suddenly a confused noise,
ike that of a crowd, was heard proceed
ng from one of the deep corner recesses
# the hall. Osman looked that way,
,ut saw nothing then turning his head
,ack moment towar's his seeming
riend, perceived that his face was
hanged and horrible, and his stature
,igantic.
And no from the dark niche whence
he sound had been heard, issued long
procession of countless figures-men,
women, children, on foot, on horseback,
rmed, unarmed, soldiers, peasants,
ownsfolk, spears, lances, swords, drums
nd flies; mixed multitude, large,
mall grotesque, fearful, hideous. They