The Beaufort tribune and Port Royal commercial. [volume] (Beaufort, S.C.) 1877-1879, 1877-04-19
A PHYSICIANS WIFE'S STORY.

a fH1SlClAN WIFE > SIUhI.
"I have heard of persons whose hair
was whitened through excessive fear, but,
as I never saw, myself, any one so af
fected, am disposed to be incredulous
on the subject"
The above remark was made to DR..
Maynard, as We sat on the piazza of his
pretty villa discussing the different ef-
fects of terror On dissimilar tempera-
ments. Without replying to me the
doctor turned to his wife and said:
"Helen, viii you please relate to my
old friend the incident within your own
experience. 1t is the most convincing
argument can advance.
I looked at Mrs. Maynard in surprise
/ had observed that her hair, which was
luxuriant and dressed very becomingly,
was purely colorless but, as she was
young woman, and also very pretty
one, surmised that it was powdered to
heighten the brilliancy of her fine dark
eyes.
The doctor and / had been fellow stu
dents, but, after leaving college. we had
drifted-I to commence practice In an
eastern city, he to pursue his profession
in growing town in the west. was
now on q visit to him for the first time
since his marriage.
Mrs Maynard, no doubt, reading my
supposition by my look of incredulity.
smiled as she shook her snowy tresses
over. her shoulders, and, seating herself
by her husbands side, related the fol-
lowing interesting episode
cit is nearly two years ago since my
husband was called on one evening to
visit patient several miles away. Our
Gomestics bad all gone TO wake In the
vicinity, the dead man being a relative
OF one of our serving women. Thus /
was left alone But | felt no fear, for
we never had heard of burglars or any
sort of desperadoes In our quiet village,
then consisting of q few scattering
houses. The windows leading out OF
the piazza were open as now. but / Sc
cured 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 I should fall asleep before his
return, he could enter without arousing
me. I heard the doctors rapid foot
steps on the gravel, quickened by the
urgent tones of the messenger who
awaited him and, after the sharp rattle
of the carriage wheels had become an
echo, / seated myself by the parlor as
trail, and very soon became absorbed in
the book / had been reading before
being disturbed by the summons.
"But after time my interest succumb
ed to drowsiness, and thought of re-
firing, when the clock in the doctors
. study adjoining the parlor struck twelve,
SO determined 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 returned to my seat to
patiently await and listen. Not the
faintest sound disturbed the stiffness of
the night. Not breath of air stirred
the leaf. The silence was so profound
that it became oppressive. longed for
the sharp click of the gate latch and the
we'll known step on the gravel walk. [
did not dare to break the hush myself by
moving or singing, I was 80 oppressed
with the deep stiffness. The human
mind is strange torturer of itself. 1
began to conjure up vivid fancies about
ghostly visitants, in the midst of which
occurred to me the stories had heard
from superstitious people about the
troubled spirits of those who had died
suddenly, like the man whom my SER
wants had gone to "wake," who had
been killed by an accident at the saw
mill. in the midst of these terrifying
reflections, I was startled by stealthy
football on the piazza I listened be-
tween fear and hope. 1t might be the
DOCTOR But no, he would not tread like
that the step was too soft and
cautious for anything less willy than
cat. AS 1 listened again, my eyes
were fixed on the window blind.
I saw the Stats move slowly and cautious
", and then the rays OF the moon dis
closed thin, cadaverous face, and
bright, glittering eyes, peering at me.
Oh, horror who was it or what was it
felt the cold perspiration start at every
pore. l seemed to be frozen in my chair
I could not move 1 could not cry out
nv tongue seemed glued to the roof of
my mouth, while the deathly white face
pressed closer, and the great sunken
eyes wandered in their gaze about the
room. In few moments the blind
closed noiselessly as it had been opened,
and the cautious footsteps came toward
the door. 'Merciful heavenn l cried,
in horror stricken whisper, as / heard
the key turn in the lock, 'the doctor,
in his haste, must have forgotten to
withdraw the key"
"God forgive me p calculated DR..
Maynard, interrupting his wife, and look
ing far more excited than she. 81 can
never forgive myself for such thought
less act. Please proceed, my dear"
"Iheard the front door open, the step
in the hall, and helpless as statue, 1
sat riveted to my chair. The parlor
door was open, and in it stood tail,
thin man, whom [ never beheld before.
He was dressed in long, loose robe, a
sort of gaberdine, and black velvet
skull cap partially concealed a broad
forehead, under which cleaned black
eyes, bright as living Goals, and placed SO