, 1876-07-01

u tHuulGE- DUlG-lG S66lu6u u ltlp-idtuuISl NOAF
cred between my shoulders. His face was
familiar to me as my own, but [ looked into it
with a frightened expression which prompted the
inquiry, " What the devil ails you 7"
A little under the weather. I replied.
"a drink will set you all right he returned,
and then l explained to him that I was forbid
den stimulants.
"Develish dangerous" he said, " quitting 50 j
suddenly you can't stop a horse at full speed
without finging him fat on his launches. |
wouldn't dare 60 back on my whisky in that
style nohow. It would bring on a spell of the
jim. Jjms sure !"
But [ was true to my pledge and my physi-
clan, and my friend left me with q plying
look. " Rats in your boots tomorrow morn
ing" he said, and no mistake. I'm betting
on it,"
Feeling it useless to make any attempt at
dinner, and fully assured that / would cut but
asory figure ia the after.talk, | made my way
to my rooms, remarking to myself in a p%atroniz-
ing way that good nights sleep would restore
mo to my normal self.
was ute y prostrated, mentally and physl
cally. In tho course of the evening q number
Of friends dropped in [ was reclining on the
sofa, Requesting them to excuse me from rIs-
ing, on the ploa that | was thoroughly tired out
by tue duties of the day, l retained nay position,
but it vas useless to eud9av0r to take part in
the conversation. And very soon, in spite of
my endeavour8, / dropped off to sleep, IT sleep
it could be called, for at intervals of every few
minutes | awoke with a sudden start and clutch,
the impression upon my mind being that l was
falling from some place. So buslly engaged
were my friends in discussing an absorbing topic
. of the day that they did not notice my nervous
ness, but seeing that | was indeed tatlgued they
each and all took early leave.
mont IN bod 81 thprOuphIV axhauStod was
I, for had slept very ftfully the two preceding
nights, that | dropped into a heavy slumber as
soon as nv head touched the pillow. Ia the
dream which came to mo I found myself on a
vorv steep roof. It was impossible to stand up, so
sharp was the incline, and | threw myself hat
on nv face, c~lutching at the shingles. But all
was useless; slowly but surely slipped toward
the caves. dug my nails into the wood in a
fierce endeavourt to avert the fate which threaten
ed me; but all effort was in vain. OCCASIONALLY
q protrudinr nai-head afforded me a momentary
respite, but the hold was insufficient, and soon L
was again slipping down, down toward the caves
It seemed hours-hours of agony and apprehen-
sion. At last the caves were reached and the
end seemed Immediate. My legs dangled IN
air; nv hands clutohed the tin water-spout
which ran along the edge of the roof in one last,
wild effort at self-preservation it gave way Iun'
d,rm v weioht and with all the breath gone out
from my body awoke. AT least ten hours
seemed to have been consumed.
Looking at my watch [ found it was precisely
seven minutes since l had got into bed.
Thankful, most thankful, that it was all q
dream. and that had not indeed fallen from the
roof of a four-story frame house, with a tin water
spout catering about my ears, L closed my eyes
and eadeavored to again compose my self to
slumbsr. To nv surprise my eyelids seemed
lined with blue, and they were as transparent as
fame. This scarcely seemed in accordance with
the eternal fitness of Things, and popped my
head under the bed. clothes to secure opaqueness;
but still my eyelids, lined with blue flames, flick.
cred and gIowed as queerly as ever. And
thought of what my friend had said about the
Jim-Jims.
Very soon again, however, l was asleep. How
long I slept / do not know. But / was awaken
ed with a boom 10 my ear like the tolling OF
mighty bell. Boom-boom.boom-every stroke
smote on my aural sense, echoing and vibrating
through my brain until [ was nearly deafened.
Isprang up instinctively and the sound ceased;
laid my head down again aud it recommended.
Wishing to- time the hour of the unusual distur-
banoe / touched the stop of the watch, which lay
under my pillow. AL was quiet at once. Here
was a elew TO the mystery. | released the
stop and again Che bell Numbered 10 my
ears. Each nerve strained to a tension hke
that of a harp-string, the ticking OF the wA'oA
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