The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1874-12-17

entered. But was not alone IN ND
chamber; / felt sure of that. Some one
or something was there before me. A low
rustling sound ran stealthily round the
walls behind the arras, and then all was
suddenly still.
''Fritz had piled some logs upon the
hearth and thoughtfully prepared ire,
and having stirred up the red embers int
so bright a blaze that the quaint Ole
shepherdesses on the folding screen beside
me danced and capered quite wildly II
the fitful light, I drew forward huge
chair of faded damask, and taking IA
vorite volume from my blouse, underworld
to read. But l could not read for trying
to listen, and could not listen for the beat.
ing of my heart.
"Suddenly it struck me that l would
try to find refuge in sleep-sleep which
would fold me safely in its wings until the
coming of the blessed light of day ; and
in desperate moment made headloDg
plunge into the dismal bed, which yawned
to receive me, and-and-but why be
ashamed to confess this, while we openly
confess so many worse things?-and hid
my head under the bedclothes. Why
sheets and blankets should be deemed
impenetrable to the subtitle escence of SUI
pernatural beings | know not, but such is
the popular belief and practice.
'FWell, then, l did sleep at last, butd
dreamed as well. The old hollow voice of
Fritz sounded in my ear in spite of all tie
coverings drawn over me, and it said, Il
was child at the time it happened, sir,
and I'm an honest man. They never
troubled me-
81 awoke and sat up, and gazed with
awe around me but if ever the old guar
dian had been at my bedside, he was not
there then, | looked shudderingiy toward
the door it was closed just as [ had left it,
but an irresistible attraction riveted my
stony eyes on the spot.
cit was cold, dim, morning moon
light, struggling with a still colder dawn,
and the fire had long ceased to burn. The
floor of the chamber was uneven there
was a space between it and the bottom OF
the door; and while l kept looking
looking-always looking in that one
direction, something horrible came and
placed itself on the other side Of the open
chink
cit was a foot; but such foot! white,
belonging to no one human
not of this world. 1t stopped before
the chink. Then came its fellow
They passed, repassed, and stopped
again.
ooh, how I did long to shout out, to
shrek, to make the place ring out az in
Bnt could not. | would have held my
eyes fast closed against the horrible sight,
but could not keep them from staring
wide. The door seemed to heave on its
hinges, and sway backward and forward
as if the awful visitor were coming in. 1t
did come in, something or some one pur-
suing it. / knew not what or who. I
felt it at the foot of my bed, it climbed
and swung itself up by the curtain.
1t had such long, damp, tangled hair,
such miserable eyes, 1t sobbed and clung
to me. | swooned beneath the deadly
touch.
"When [ recovered my consciousness
l found myself in one of the sleeping
rooms of an inn at Aldernach. The even
ing was coming. 10 u -ggayly through tlsyresi
check curtains OF the window nv walk.
ing staff and knapsack were carefully de-
posted on the table by the bedside, and
the good woman of the house, who kindly
cordials to me, answered my
chances by stating that an old
peasant man, from a neighboring castle,
had driven me over that morning in his
covered cart, and had recommended me
to the care OF the people of the gasthaus
as a sick and overtired traveller whom
chance had thrown in his way the day be-
fore.
" 1T was Hans Scheffinan, in fact
added the old woman, though he didn't
choose to name himself, he is so shy and
solitary like; but | remember him of old,
when / myself was but child and he a
boy. There was a sad piece of work up
at the old castle place there where he
lives. A girl was found drowned in the
water of the Moat, and they said his mas
ter did 1.-THE old baron of all, father of
the present one. The poor thing had
dog who tried to save her, but he soon
made and end of him, too-leastway they
say twas he who did it all He was a bad
man, he was, at any rate, and only just
took himself off in time to save his trial
here below, that's to say, for he's sure
enough to have it elsewhere in the end
However, to this very day no one knows
how or whittier he went, and neither
Christian man or woman can live there
in peace ever since, saving Hans, the fos-
ter brother, who keeps it for the family.
You surely didn't sleep there last night,
did you, sr?'
g I did, said l, and may the saints
preserve me from ever again passing such
4 terrible night as the one | spent under
The roof of that accursed dwelling p
" Amen 2 said the old woman.
Here the artist paused, and more than
me incredulOus smile mingled with the
acknowledgements of his auditors for the
ready good nature with which he had
yratified their curiosity. Notwithstanding
his lack of faith, however, there was
visible and very general disposition among
he party to migrate in a body to the
sleeping chambers. No one seemed in
clined either to move on first or to remain
behind the others, and in an insane attempt
to scale the narrow staircase five abreast,
two of the party rolled down it, and so did
the lantern.
AS to myself, 1 will truthfully confess
to perfect panic, when, after mechani-
cally tossing my boots as usual from My
room into the passage, perceived them a
little while later looking in at me, as it
were, from under the chnk of the door.
The recent impression left by the artists
narrative, and aboveall, by his own sincere
conviction of its truth, made this sight so
t. me that instinctively drew
the bedclothes somewhat higher up than
usual; but had had weary days jour
ney, and soon forgetting it all in sleep,
was infinitely relieved in the morning to
find that I had escaped repetition of the
Terrible Night"