Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1876-06-01

hoofs.
Had my mind been of less practica
turn, and had I been inclined to think this
awakening and rising but a dream, those
sounds would have convinced me to the con
trary. That warm, light touch was upon my
arm, that impression to 60 down still strong
in my brain, and lead where it would, did
not hesitate nor falter.
"Under that guidance, I descended, crossed
the hall, passed through the parlors and went
direct to the door of my fathers room yon'
der. Then an unaccountable hesitation-an
absolute terror-siezed me. Not fear of posi-
BILE or probable danger to myself. Not fal-
tering from any weakness attributable to my
self, but fear, a faltering, a hesitation, a
terror for the result that may ensue to my faith.
er's good name.
"Thrice, strove to lift the latch-to turn
the key-to enter. I could not do it. l,
whose natural and calm selfcontrol had been,
since childhood, equally condemned and com
mended by my friends and acquaintances-
1 shrank at last before the feeling, unknown
and incomprehensible around within me.
"That electric touch was still upon my arm
but now as powerful as ifit had been the living
feshly hand of my father, it seemed to drag
me backward, while the impulse to proceed
was succeeded by desire for flight.
81 obeyed that impulse.
GAS suddenly as it had come upon me, l
turned and fed-fed to my room, went to bed
and was soon in sound and dreamless slumber,
from which awakened a little past the usual
hour in the morning, somewhat unrefreshed,
like a person disturbed from any cause dur
ing sleep, but with very vivid impression of
what had transpired in the night.
"And was this the last of the adventure?
I asked, on finding that she paused
'sThe last for that time, Doctor" was her
response; but it was only an example of sew
eral.others recurring at regular intervals, all
of which were exact reproduction, in time, cir
cumstance and detail of the first; and l have
been thus particular in relating it-even at
the risk of wearying you-that you might all
the easier comprehend what 1 am about to pro-
pose 1t is this:
"Once in three months, promptly to the
hour, this phenomena has regularly taken
place as described. Tonight it will recur
again. I shall be brought to yonder door, 1
am confident, in the same manner as hereto
fore, and shall then be seized with the same
uncomfortable desire for flight. wish that
flight to be prevented. wish you, Doctor,
to prevent it. This phenomena has ceased to
be interesting merely as phenomena. What
ever results are to be reached through or by
it, I am anxious to discern forthwith. I be-
lieve there is some act of my fathers life for
which he wishes reparation made, yet breads
my making it. This is, perhaps, a singular
and certainly not pleasant one
TO me: The thought has taken proportion
since that first adventure, and has gone on un-
til it has become bearable no longer"
"You have never had the room examined,
I infer, Miss Girard?" I inquired, as she
paused.
"Never thoroughly; neither the bedroom
nor the library which it adjoins, have been
opened since his death, but once, and then
only his room, on the day succeeding the first
phenomenon. The library door was locked
and bolted, and the key, on inquiry and search,
could not be found.
"Iwould have sent for locksmith, and had
q full and complete examination of everything
in the rooms," said, decisively.
"You are man, Doctor, and can face des-
tiny in any form. I own I often thought of
doing what you suggest; but social considera.
tions, I confess, have weight with me. [
shrink from making known, in any degree, to
the unthinking, my interior life. The meta
phor Of casting pearls to swine arises in my
mind. What if some discovery, dishonorable
to my father, whose reputation is spotless,
should be made? How could I risk the pos
sibility 2-or take counsel with the ignorant
and unsympathizing, even though they were
of nv own kin or household? Z? No. This
though ught-suspicion, if you willis mine alone.
1t has been forced upon me by more than hu-
man agency. have sought neither sympa-
thy nor advice, in. the course of its develop.
meut, until now. 1 offer no apology for ask
ing both, Doctor Pangborne, from you"
I expressed very briefly, as was natural,
my sense of the honor conferred by the con.
fdence thus shown and asked her question
or two, which had arisen in my mind during
her narrative: Whether she had ever known
of a case of somnambulism in her family :?
If she herself had ever been a.. ';cted to
walking in her sleep?
Never, she responded, promptly. There
was not the faintest resemblance to somnam-
bulism in the regularly recurring phenomena
she had described. Of that she was satisfied.
said no more on this head, but stated my
readiness to adopt whatever course she might
suggest for the furtherance of the end she had
in view.
twas her conviction that if the door, to
which she was impelled, and then restrained
from opening, on these occasions, could once
be passed, she would be led on to whatever
discovery, or purpose, these strange influences
designed. And it was at that precise mo-
ment, when doubt and hesitation had hereto
fore seized her, that she wished me to come to
her aid and be governed by circumstances as
to what should follow.
Thus much understood, and the hour by
this time having grown late, Miss Girard re-
tired, leaving me to watch for her reappear-
ing in charge Of her invisible guide.