Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1876-11-18
ALONE WITH A MADMAN.

hair was vhiteued through excessive fear,
but a. never SAW. myself any one 80 affec-
ted am disposed to be credulous on the
subject" ...r .:.s,n,.. ,t. ~ ..
The above remark was made to DR.. May
nard as we sat on the piazza of his pretty
villa discussing the different effects Of ter
ror on dssimilar temperaments. Without
replying to me, the doctor turned to his
wife and said: ... ..-...i '''' d
"Helen, will you please relate to my
old friend, the incident within your own ex-
perience. It is the most convincing argu-
ment can advance" -'--t
I looked at Mrs. Maynard in surprise.
had observed that her hair, which was lux.
uriant and dressed very becomingly, was
purely colorless, but as she was young
woman. and also a very pretty one. sur,
missed that it was powdered to heighten the
brilliancy Of her fine dark eyes, 20.
The doctor and had been friends and
fellow.students, but after leaving college we
had @ffted apart. to compaenos practice
In an eastern city. he to pursue his profess
sion in growing town in the West. Twas
now ON a visit to him for the first time
aince hissmarriage. '''-...
Ms. Maynard no doubt, reading my
sapposition by my look of incredulity,
.sniled d, she shook down her snowy tresses
over, ker shopldaA and seating herself by
her husbands side. related the following
episode:. .-... ..t ..
$" 1t tis-ncw nearly two years ago since my
husband was called on, one evening. to visit
a patient several miles away. Our domes-
tics had all gone to wake in the vicinity.
the dead man being relative Of one Of our
serving woman. Thus I was left alone. But
felt no fear, for we never had heard of
burglars or any sort of dcsperadoes in our
quiet village. then consisting Of few scat
teriug houses. The windows leading out on
the piazza were open as now, but secured
the blinds before my husbands departure.
and locked the outside doors, all except the
front one, which left for the doctor to lock
after going out, so that if should fall asleep
before his return. he could enter without
arousing me. L heard the doctors rapid
footstep on the gravel, quickened by
the urgent stSne3 O. the messenger, who
awaited him.an4 after the sharp rattle Of
carriage wheels had become but an echo. l
seated myself by the parlor astral and soon
became absorbed in his book I had been
reading before being disturbed by the sum-
mons But after time my interest suc.'
cumbed to drowsiness, and I Thought Of re.
tiring, when the clock in the DOCTOR study
adjoining the parlor struck twelve. SO dc.
ternined to wait few moments more,
feeling that he would be home now very
SOON I closed my book, donned robe de
chambre, let down my hair. and then, re-
turned to my seat to patiently wait and
listen. Not the faintest sound disturbed
the stiffness Of, the night. Not breath Of
air stirred the leaf. The silence was 80
profound that it became oppressive. 1
longed for the sharp click Of the gate-latch
and the we'll. known step on the gavel-wHlksi.
3. did not dare to break the hush myself BY
moving or singing, I was %, oppressed by
the, deep stiffness, The human mind is .
strange torturer Of itself. ! began to co.,
jure up vivid fancies about ghostly visi.
tauts, in the midst Of which occurred to me
the stories had heard from superstition,
people about the troubled spirits Of, thoss
who had died suddenly. like the man who.:
my servants, had gone to wake who had
. been killed by an accident at the saw mill
In the midst Of these terrifying reflections
Iwas startled by stealthy football on tho
piazza. listened between fear and hope.
It might be the DOCTOR But no. he would
not tread like that; the step was too soft and
I cautious for anything less willy than cat
An listened again. my eyes were fixed on
the window-blind. l. saw the Stats move
slowly and softly, and then the rays Of b
full moon disclosed thin, cadayerous face
and bright. glittering eyes peering at me-
O, horror! who was it ? what was ita I
felt the cold perspiration' start at every
pore. I seemed frozen in my chair. I
could not move, could not cry out, my
tongue seemed glued 10 the root OF my
mouth, while the deathly white face pressed
closer. and the great sl,nken eyes wandered
in their gaze about the room in few
moments the blind closed asnoiselessly AZ
It had been opened, and the cautious foot
step came toward. the door. :Merciful
heaven! cried. in horror stricken
whisper, as heard the key turn in the
lock, the doctor, in his haste. must have
torgottsn to withdraw the key"
Rood forgive me!'. calculated Docto,
Maynard. iuterupting his wife. and looking
far more excited than she. ~ can neyel
forgive myself for such . tAoughtless n at
Please proceed, my dear" .....
"I heard the front door open, the step in
the hath. and helpless as statue still SGT
riveted to my chair. The raslor door was
a,e open, and in it stood tail. thin man. whom
I had d'na,,a never beheld before. He was dressed
in long. loose robe. sort of absrdine. and
rs black Velvet scGil cap PARTIALLY concealed
. adforShead tiadetheath which CLEANED
f bia6t eyes, blhigght" aas living Goals, and
placed 20 near together that their gaze waz
| preternatural In its dnectness: heavy griz.
.led eyelids hung over them Ike the tang;
led name Of lion; the nose was sharp and
| prominent, and the chin 'was overgfowh
+ with white hair. which hung down. in locks
weird % the ancient mariners He politely
dolfed his CAP bowed. replaced il; and then
said, In q slightly foreign accents. ''"@
,"Madame, it ID not nscessaryI for me d
stand on any further, ceremony, a. your
husband. Doctor Maynard r(hsreupoh he
again bowed ppofoundly1 has already &C.
quainted you with, the nature Of my bosi'
ness here tonight 1peroeiys.'he added
gApeing 1t my neRlige robs, that you wsrc
expecting me- ,..r, :ana ,:,':5 iE..l
mo" found voice to stammer. "The
Doctor has said nothing to me about having
| visitor At this hour Of the night :
""sAh. he xished to spare you no doubt >