New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-02-06
THE SPIRIT HAND.
A MYSTERY.

For what am ABOUT to relate, ca
offer no explanation. l merely state th
facts, and leave the reader to draw b
own conclusions.
On the night of March 20, 1868, m
friend, Dornton Leroy, and myself wer
seated together in my room in the -
Hotel. The night was very bitter on
outside, but we cared little for it as we sa
there talking of the past and the present
in which there was little that was disa
greeable to discuss, and of the future, tn
knowledge Of which was mercifully with
held from us.
"Do you remember old Doctor Trent /?
Leroy asked with laugh.
! Indeed do, l replied but did no
smile, for l could never think of the maj
without q strange feeling of horror
! He had been at one time member o.
the faculty Of the college which Leroy and
/ had attended. He was deeply learned
in metaphysics, and was in many respects
remarkably agreeable man, but he was
not generally liked. One morning there
had been terrible interview in his room
between him and the president of the COL
iege, aud the next day he was dismissed
from his position ana left the inst;;:.u
since which time he had not net him. It
was never known why Re bad been dis
charged; there we're many vague rumors
anoat, but nothing definite was known.
Ore OF the students had heard him say
20 the president as the latter left his room
Remember, DR.. D., this secret is
mine and yours alone, and, by the Eternal
Powers, if it becomes known through YOU
the vengence of one Of whose might you
have never, until this day, dreamed, will
follow you through wrstched life and
into a restless grave"
The student said that President D.
tottered through the hallway as if he had
been face to face with death.
What occurred in DR.. Trents room that
morning, do not to this day know.
''Do you remember" Leroy continued,
what singular ideas the old doctor had
regarding future existence?'
Leroy, though a splendid fellow, bril-
liant scholar, possessing wonderful in
tellectual power, was an intidel.
81 wish you would not mention the
man. l said, impelled to the utterance
by the unaccountable feeling of horror of
which l have spoken. II can not bear
even to think of him. do not know what
his ideas of futurity were; do not think
l ever heard him express them"
1T seemed to me, - Leroy said, chat
the old man used to take strange delight
in drawing me aside and reiterating to me
his belief of what occurred after death;
and now that think OF it, do not re-
member that l ever heard him ventilate
his ideas in public. Why, he believed"
Excuse me, Dornton," / interposed.
Il don't want to hear what he believed, or
anything about him. l can not bear to
hear the man mentioned"
"Well, he was a disagreeable old fell
low" Leroy said, land we'll let him rest;
though l can't understand why you have
SO great horror Of him. Take another
glass of sherry, my boy, it will steady your
nerves"
CAS- we are on the subject, Dornton," I
said edo you still maintvin the same
opini ms regarding future existence as of
oIdr Have you not been forced to change
your views?'
He replied that he had not. We then
entered into an argument. l endeavored
to make him understand the subject as l
understood it; but all my efforts were in
vain. At last, jumping up from his seat,
he exclaimed:
Crank, listen to me and remember
what say. If die before you will, if
l still exist as spirit, return to you and
tell you of the existence after death"
"Dornton,' l interposed, but he went
on.
81 will do this; and if in this future
state am forbidden to fulfill my purpose,
/ swear to resign my right to existence in
the spirit land and remain on earth a
wanderer forever"
"Dornton, Dornton," cried in horror,
'you know not what you say. You can
not comprehend the terrible significance
OF the words you utter"
''And yet" voice said, 81 question
not that the VOW he has made is registered
in the spirit land"
Whose voice was this? Not Dornton's;
not mine. The door which separated my
room from the adjoining apartment was
open, and on the threshold stood DIR.
Trent.
Dornton Leroy and myself each uttered
his name.
cat your service. gentlemen" he said,
bowling, and continued, "Mr. Leroy has
not told you what my ideas of futurity
are; but they ale not very different, Mr..
from your own. One thing I
uttered are registered by the unseen
hands, and strict fulfillment of their
conditions demanded-always, always"
His last words died away to an almost |
nartic ulate moan, and he closed the door |
md left MS together-Dornton Leroy and |