The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1876-12-29
VOLUME 4.

hold of me. The very demon Of fear
seemed 70 possess my senses, an icy
grasp Of terror laid hold Of my heart.
The air outside seemed to have be-
come suddenly clammy and cold, a chill |
ly serie wind crept in at the window
The very darkness seemed filled with
shapes, hideous and impalpable, at
which dared not look, lest they should
take form before my eyes.
"There it is again" shuddered Nellie.
And with unutterable dread we saw
the brilliant star-like light again float
ing toward US, this time from the right
hand.
Il came on swiftly, with the impalpa-
Bile fantastic shadow in the air above II,
and when exactly opposite, vanished.
We sat paralyzed with terror, not dar-
ing to move, q horrible benumbing ter
ror seizing our hearts.
This phenomenon happened several
simes, the light alternately appearing
from the right and left, and always van
ishing when exactly opposite to US, and
always accompanied by the moaning
voice. .
Again the low. wailing sounds from
the sands, profoundly melancholy, in
expressibly mournful, like nothing akin
to humanity. No words were uttered,
but the agony Of the tones was like q
voice from the grave.
"Jesn, Jean; here il is agsin!" cried
Nellie, covering in my arms.
And once more the brilliant phantom
light appeared. This time it came on
more slowly, glancing to and fro un-
steadily. while the shadowy form behind
il seemed more grotesque and misty
than ever.
"Ob, Jean, if 1t is true! II it comes
TO fortell some loss, some troubled" sob
bed Nellie, in tears. ..--.--..
Hush, hush. dearp ] tried to say re.
assuringly. II can not be. Sorrow may
come to us If God wills it, but no
through"
81 say, old fellow" shouted q voic'
down below in the darkness. "You1
frighten somebody into fits with tina
lantern dodge OF yours. You and you
confounded bicycle look like some horri
BILE ghostly spectre, fitting along in tn
: dark. You gave me precious start,
] can tell you." #t
Nellie and jumped to our feet, an
. gazed incredulously out Of the window
Down below, in the road, a yard o
two to the right, the phantom ligh
: stood stationery at last. In the glare be
= fore il young fellow was standing whil
: behind doomed the fantastic, mysteriou
:, shadow, robbed Of all its terrors in
u moment.
i "Isnt Il 9 stunning dodge?" said th
h shadow, in most unghostly slang. "Yo
10 see, Jack, this asphalt's first rate
a practice on; but fellow has no chan'
d in the daytime for these confounde
Il carriages; so rigged out this dark lal
q tern and fastened it TO my bicycle, and
h can spin along in peace now.
te "Take care you don't spin away Il
wits Of all the old maids on the prom
he nade," returned the other. "You lot
ID most horribly like some goblin from Il
lower regions. with your dark lante
A flashing in front, those noiseless whee
K, and your long legs and arms spread o
= like great wings behind"
re The other laughed.
", "The old maids,are all. fast asleep 10
he ago, bless their old eyear he return
y irreverently. "But say Jack, !
p match for the four oars will have to
Ss' put off tomorrow; we are going to ha
%, an awful storm. Listenl How the wi
ng sighs and means among the girders
OF the pierl Il sounds for all the wo
ne like some one calling ont in distrs
yea and it's cure sign Of rough weather
yes What a rage Gregory will be in if'-
er- The two old maids had heard gu
- enough. Nelly and l looked at es
lf' other rather sheepishly, it must be C
me fessed, and then burst into a hea
The ,.,ab .Tr-f .3 vraraaE r
nrl