The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1875-03-19
i TERRKBLE STORY.

which morning revealed under the most
painful, distressing circumstances, and the
rnournful result of which could have been
so easily prevented had it not been for
negligence on my own part, that | have
never ceased 10 blame myself for the hor-
rible death that occurred.
A rich trader from the interior called at
the consulate to transact some business in
regard to the shipment of hides and tallow,
and, as he came bringing letter of intro
ducton from an old friend of mine, | ex-
tended TO him the hospitality of my resi-
denee.
He was a sociable, well informed man,
had been engaged in the cattle trade, both
in California and Australia, and could re-
late thrilling incidents by The hour, and so
interested me by his conversation that /
forgot an important business transaction,
sand found myself compelled to make my
excuse after tea, for the purpose of attend
ing to it, leaving the trader on the verandah
to enjoy his smoke. | was absent longer
than l had intended to be, and returned to
find my guest had retired for the night.
| also found upon my table bottle, ac-
companed by a note, but, surprising it to
be some present of wine or other drink
which was the daily recipient of, left it
to be examined, and, perhaps, tested by
my guest and myself at the breakfast table
the next morning. and retired.
The weather being very warm, it was my
custom TO leave the inner doors of my res
idence all oren for The free circulation of
\ -. I &.
unusual oppression from the heat, and there
seemed to be some strange influence acting
upon me. some foreboding sf fear that held
me in wakefulness until far into the night
and then when sleep came to nae it was in
fitful starts, filed with hideous dreams,
from which | would awake with cold
perspiration on my brow.
l. was. perhaps. two o'clock when was
aroused by an unearthly grean, and spring
ing uD in bed, saw the most fearful sight
ever behe.d, almost freezing the blood in
my vcins-a hideous form Iobed in white,
with its mouth aud clothes all fleckered
with blood and foam, each haii seeming to
stand seperate from The other upon its head
and its eyes deathly glaring as it came to-
The most unearshly groans. In horror. |
sgrang out Of bed ald ran, pnrsued by the
awful form, rs | c-ouched here and there
to ESCAPE Il, but oU it came, growing more
fearful sit approached. At last Thought
Of The la,ticed closet in the adj jJining room,
and fed for it, my very knees knocking
with fear; reaching it and closing the doc =
as my ehastly pursuer put his hands
through the broad lattice work, reaching
far in after me but was safe from pur-
suit at last. and in the feeling of security
my strength all gave way, and there | lay
in elplessness upon the floor, as I stared
oct at the fearful form that was clinging to
,he lattice work trying to reach me, while
it uttered the most pitiful means.
The excitement had been too great fer
my frame, as l had only recovered from an
eEhausting illness, and swooned away
under it. How long lay in an insensible
condition know not but, when | revived.
the horrible form was still there, but it had
fallen by the door and was laying still, with
its face upturned, and its eyes fixed in a
deadly glare.
Oh, Heavens, what could it be 1t was
no phantom of air, aud yet l could not
believe it to be a human form was it
some victim of premature burial from the
plague that had torn away from the iupris-
onment Of the coffin, aud come to pursue
me with its deadly contagion shuddered
to think it and then ! was forced to re-
main in my fright and weakness within
reach of the fearful and ghastly foim,
visible from the dim lights which | always
kept burning in my rooms at night. The
moments dragged by like hours, and hours
seemed like ages, and yet daylight would
not come.
Again | swooned away, and when next
l revived, the broad daylight was sueam-
ing in on the stark, stiff form lying at the
door.
On, Heavens, it was the trader And
vet it was difficult in those fearfully dis
torted and foam-covered features to rec
ognize him but yet it was my guest-such
a guest, and such host What an un-
intentional turn my hospiia iality had taken,
and what pitiful appeal my guest was
making to me, bad but known i; 4,
| rang for the inmates of the house and
they came and gazed on the fearful, yet
pitiful sight.
My servant came, and threw more light
upon the subject by telling me that the
trader had given him the bottle and note,
and particularly insisted upon his giving it
to me and calling my attention to it on my
return. The note was brought, | read il,
and all was explained, alas too late.
! The trader was subject to fearful fits,
and the bottle contained the only medical
preparation that would restore him ; and
his note explained all this, and requested
me, in the event of his being taken, to
give him winegiassful and battle his face
/ and hands till he recovered.
Poor fellow genial, but, unfortunate