The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1876-05-11
APPEARANCES ARE DECEITFUL.

N
| had taken my chambers in Washing
ton Square, and was inclined to like
them. They were on the second floor,
and consisted of three rooms. The door
on the landing opened on to a narrow
passage, at the end of which, on the
right, was the door of the sitting-room,
the three windows of which looked on to
a green expanse, where stood tall,
eaunt tree. I'm one corner of the sitting
room was door leading into the bed
room, which communicated with dress
ing-rOOm. This dressing-room had
door leading into the end of the passage,
to the left of the main entrance from the
landing. Thus I could make the COM
plete circuit of my premises from the
ssitting-room, through the bed and dress
ing rooms into the passage, and through
the passage into the sitting again.
I am anxious to be understood on this
point as realization of the topography
of the place is necessary for the compre
hension of the incidents I have to relate.
I will premise by assuring my readers
chat at the time of which am speaking
[ was In thorough physical health. As
is the case with most sucking students,
I rather prided myself on cultivating
habit of mind that should not permit me
TO be unduly impressed by causes un-
warranted ny calm reflection. [ had
been accustomed to a sedentary, to some
extent solitary life, and in moving to
Washington Square had determined to
apply myself unremittngly to my legal
studies.
II Ill T.
pied for some months, and, after making
sure that they had been well cleaned and
scrubbed, I sent in my furniture and
took possession. It was on chill, dark
October evening that, after dining at my
accustomed eating house, wendell my
way to my new quarters. [ shall never
forget that evening there was heavy,
clammy feeling in the air of the streets
and as I turned into the dreary square
the air seemed heavier and clanimier.
On arriving at my chambers, found the
deaf, spirit-sodden old creature who had
attached herself to me as laundress and
char woman in the act of setting out the
tea things. The lamp was lighted, and
bright fire burned in the CRATE. On
my coming in the old woman mumbled
few words, the meaning of which did
not catch however, well pleased with
the air of comfort she had impaired to
the place, wished her q CHEEKY good
might as she went out.
Having closed and locked the outer
door, returned down the passage into
the aitting-room I can perfectly call
to mind its appearance on that night.
The polished furniture was cleaning
c.Isn 81 ~ scLA
were yelled by thick curtains, and the
door leading into the bedroom stood
aiaS. ] congratulated myself on my
possessions, and, having poured myself
out cup of tea and lighted my pipe,
settled myself with volume of Hallam
in an armchair by the fire. I had been
reading for some time; my attention
had somewhat wandered to a vague,
sleepy consideration of matters not
strictly relevant to constitutional his
tory, when became aware of strange,
all pervading sensation of cold. The
s-sensatiOn was SO sudden, so acute, that
rose from my chair shivering, in the
expectation of finding one of the win
dows open. But no; they were all
closed and fastened. Through the
panes could discern the gaunt branches
of the trees, unstirred by any gust of
wind. On glancing round the room
noticed the flame OF the lamp, which,
though somewhat dim, did not flicker
~or seem agitated by the icy stream of
air which chilled me to the bones. The
bedroom door, as have mentioned, was
ajar and thinking tho draft might pro-
coed from one of the inner rooms,
lighted candle, with the intention of
looking through them. But the instant
entered the bedroom the candle went
out not suddenly, as from current of
air, but quietly, simultaneously, as
though it had been introduced into an
atmosphere of carbonic-acid gas. At
the same moment the sensation of cold
again came over me with ten times
greater intensity than before. The gas
Light in the square shone feebly into
the rooms, and / Wass able to find my
way through them into the passage, and
iback into the sitting-room. My sensa-
lions appeared to me somewhat unac-
acountable; but attributing them to
some draft. Of which I could ascertain
the cause In the morning, / closed the
doors and resumed nv place by the fire.
After little while [ fell again into nv
interrupted train of dreamy thought.
and gradually fell asleep. Now, before
proceeding further, may state that
had never been a victim to nervous
fancies. Nothing had ever occurred to
me bearing in the remotest way on the
events / am about to relate-events so
utterly inexplicable by natural causes,
and yet so fantas ically real, that even
after lapse of many years L call them to
mind with a shudder of horror