The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1876-09-09
mankind. Once man has the pluck to
etand nm IN us we are poWerless."

saiQ. IL IL very CuTiOus onu hhseI q
Not, perhaps, quite so horrible az might
have expected, had l known you were
coming, but still-by the way, you hall
from the cemetery close byf
81 do. Ali villain and traitor who
ut me there2 do; and as l was taking
an evenings invisible stroll, l happened
to look in at your window, and saw the
man l had expected and most hoped to
see. Ha! ha! l shall make it hot for that
man. So | will, too" he added, weakly,
after a pause.
I made no reply, but went on smoking
| as if he had been an ordinary visitor.
4When was in that country, trading
between Rangoon and .Calcutta-there,
what's the use of raking up the old
story2"
"Nore," 1 replied. "None at all, un-
less you like" .
"No use talking. What's the good of
talk? Come TO that, might remind you
what went On, you know, at Yokohama.
Eh2 What do you say TO thatY"
81 have nothing to say to that?"
"Lord! Lordl Some men will brazen
out anything! And what about the Hong
Kong business? Who prsmised what
tell me that-it some one walked the
plank, and something was tbingumbob-
bod-eh?"
Here was a very serious question. l
only shook my head.
"Thingumbobbed," he repeated. "Scut-
tied, you vIllainl and the coolies sent to
Kingdomcomel And after that to round
upon man! Why did l take to drink?
Why did | go off at thirty six, with rum
and water enough to float King Solo
mons fleet? Why2 why2'
"Can't say, l am sure. Shall we say
good night?
"If you are going to bed l will go with
you. Man! now I've caught you, do you
think l shall leave your"
This was pleasant.
| shut the windows and went up stairs.
He followed me. l undressed and got
into bed. Once there / shut my eyes
resolutely and tried to go to sleep. This
was impossible. Every ten minutes or
so felt compelled to open them. He
was always standing by the bedside,
grave, stern, and resolute to do me MIS-
chief, if he could-if grew afraid.
"You are still here?" l asked, when
| the clock struck two.
81 shall stay here" he added, $50 long
as you stay here. | shall be with you
day and night. You shall never cease
to feel me with you. | will make sleep
impossible, and l will trouble your bust
nI; hours"
There was little sleep for me that night.
When the day broke l dropped for half
an hour into heavy Inconsistencies,
awaking suddenly and with terror upon
me that at first did not understand.
rose and dressed. 1t followed my
movements. | SAW the spectre now only
when it came into the sunlight. Then 1t
was dimly visible, but only, | think, to
myself. | breakfasted and went into the
city. 1t came with me. 1t sat beside
| me in the train; it followed mo through
the streets; 1t was with me in my Office
it came after me up the steps OF my club.
"The thing grew maddening. If for
got it for moment, heard whisper
m nv earl nm here" Ii l managed
to fix attention on the subject in hand,
that accursed voice began to remind me
that ! was neither to sleep nor 10 work,
nor to have any peace for the rest OF lay
natural life.
"Wha you have done, | shall do-and
worse. shall dog Sou-l shall haunt
You'll shall make remorse and despair
do for you what you did to her and to
me. | will revenge myselt-and her"
t,,h Ia I.Nt1y |
to get rid of this accused lunatic ghost2
BY what spell and charm could ! lay him
forever in the Red Scar
The full misery OF the thing was yet
to come.
The spectre, in the afternoon seemed TO
have left me. ] even forgot its existence
and denied comfortably. AT eight, |
met my Eleanor, and persuaded her, not
thinking of what might happen, to look
at some new furniture in what was going
To be our Joint house. She came. Noth-
ing happened until we went INTO the gar
den. As ! led her up and down he
walk, her hand IN mine, she suddenly
stopped with n little cry.
Alfred, who has been walking along
the sand"-there was M edgIng of red
sand to the gravel "with bare ieet2
| looked There were footprints
great gaunt footprints-parallel with my
own. ! knew at once what was going to
happen, and trembled.
"NothIng, Nelly; nobody. Who
should walk in bare feet except carpen-
teri Let us go in"
"Alfrcdr she cried "see, they are fall.
ing still, the Footprints we walk.
Take me intake me away"
1t was pleasant The accursed ghost
was sitting his long feet beside mine,
keeping step; So that at every football OF
mine there was new footprint of his. |
bore my girl half fainting into the
house.
"What was it, Alfredo What was t2
| am afraid. And see--seel OH Alfred
Alfredo
With spcry of fright she Tell taintins
into my arms. Between us and the WIN
dow stood revealed that awful figure in
it's long white grave-Clothes, pointing It's
long bony fingers at Inc, but saying no
word.
| took Eleanor home. | implored her
| To Keep silence Us W WIlhI SUI lihh '''h'
soothed and pacilied her. assured her
that It WAS fancy-that il WAS trick OF
the magInatinn--thati 1t was some school
boy deviltry-anything 10 keep her
quiet. And thus | felt her, and returned,
miserable and maddcncd, to battle with
this demon who had fastened upon me.
lie was sitting in my chair, with his
| abominable head in his hand.
81 allowed YOU to go away with the
girl" he said, because | do not wish to
do her any harm. But she shall never
marry you-rememberthat. wretch!
he rose from the chair and approached
me with threatening gestures-''wretch'
Was it rot enough to interfere between
me and her? You try 10 murder the
happiness of another innocent grill
Can you ruthlessly--"
Good heaveusr / cried. almost be-
side myself with rage. What have |
done to you, devil or lunstic, that you
| should persecute me in this way