The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1876-01-20


I had occasion to go and visit one or two
patients in the little cluster of cottages
two miles beyond the top of the moor,
and consequently between ten and twelve
miles from the town. It was fine win
ter day, and the snow lay crisp and
bright in the sunshine. There was no
need for haste, and we were by no means
busy, SO / determined to walk. Twas
young and active then, and seldom lost
the opportunity of walking, for by doing
so I gained better knowledge of the
country, as well as an increment OF health
from the exercise.
The journey to the town was a long
one for poor people, SO we kept small
stock Of medical necessaries at the place
of which [ have spoken, under the
guardianship of one of the ccttagers,
and took several small articles remem-
bered we required there, among them
vial of strong solution of nitrate OF
silver, to be diluted afterward and used
for certain diseases OF the eye.
Bear in mind that little vial of nitrate
of silver, for, under Providence, it
brought murderer to the gallows.
/ set off briskly for my twelve-mile
walk about noon.> On my road over the
moor passed that cottage inn; the sign
was legible then, and it told how Gabriel
Sturm provided good entertainment for
man and beast-the house looking far
more suited to travellers of the latter
species than the former. 1t looked, IN
deed, nearly as woe-begone then as 1t
does now, ana as if few wayfarers cared
to accept Mr.. Gabriel Sturm's Offer
This was the case, I learned afterward;
for the house had a bad name, though
had been too short time in the neigh
borhood to hear of it. How that reputa-
ton was deserved you shall presently
Judge. In the meantime, picture me
striding bravely up the hill, now and
then having to make detour upon the
moor to avoid an unusually formidable
snowdrift. ] reached Hobtrush-for SO
the cluster of cottages which was my
destination was named, after a local
spirit supposed to haunt woods and on
arriving there J. found more work to do
than I had expected. There was, more
over, young woman, who, with a con-
sideration for her medical man not often
shown by her sex in such cases, took the
opportunity of presenting her husband
with another baby, and so saved me
special journey. All this made me very
late, and had there been any accomoda-
ton in Hobtrush, might have been
tempted to stay. AS it was, / made up
my mind for the walk, fervently trusting
it would be moonlight. But before |
went I looked carefully over our small
surgery, which was in an attic room In
the cottage, and regarded with supersti-
tious reverence by the inhabitants. These
may seem trivial details, but, as you will
see, they are essential to the story. At
the surgery, among others, / did three
things: 1. I found more of the nitrate
of silver than / expected. 2. had en-
tertained some suspicion of the good
ness of q certain acid supplied us, and
finding an old bottle of it on an obscure
shelf, [ put it in my pocket to take home
and test its strength. 3. [ found the
ring of the large brass syringe we kept
there was broken; the syringe worked
perfectly well but the ring should be
mended, and I pocketed it also for that
purpose. / need mention nothing else
the silver solution, the acid, and the
syringe are all the details with which I
need trouble you.
I started off at brisk pace, and even
as I did so I could feel the wind rising;
and had not gone above a hundred
yards or so when I felt flake of snow
fall on my face. That ought to have
warned me; but ! was somewhat stub
born and self willed, and I determined
at all hazards to persevere. Night fell,
but no moon nor friendly stars shone
out, and presently I found myself in the
midst of a heavy snowstorm. For some
time managed to keep to the track-at
least, SO I imagined; but at length I
became conscious that j had lost it,
though I fattered myself that I was
laundering on in the right direction.
For little time the snowstorm seemed
to slacken; at all events, was able to
make some progress. After short time
felt myself getting drowsy; but knew
it would be death to stop; and then again
the fakes came down heavier than ever,
and l could hardly make Roadway at all
against the driving wind and drifting
snow. [ was plodding feebly on, when
suddenly, above the noise of the storm,
/ heard a noise that, cold as was, seem
ed to chill me through and through. 1t
was wild, loud scream mans con-
cluded; for it was strangely strong and
hoarse. and it continued until suddenly
it was broken off sharply, and heard no
more. Something had stopped it, or, I
argued, turn of the wind might have
suddenly swept the sound away from me.
1t was sufficiently appalling, and on
first hearing it I started violently and
dropped my stick, which, in the thick
snow, was unable to find. What ter
rible scene was being enacted on that
wild moor on such a night9 What
criminal was trusting to the white snow
to hide his crime2 / nerved myself for
an effort, and struggled on wildly for
what seemed long time; and at last 1
came against door half covered with
the drifted snow, and almost at the same