The Red Cloud chief., 1877-02-22

For the loss OF Peec0 ] nave ceased 70 core:
Like other vassals I've learsed. forsooth.
To love the wretch who forgot his hair
And hurried along without . tsoth.
And he rules me, too. with his tiny hand,
This bald. headed tyrant from No-mans-iand.
-tHarperS Magazine.
STORY OF A PHYSICIANS WIFE
II have heard of persons whose hair
was whitened through excessive fear,
but, as I never saw myself any one 50
affected. 1 am disposed to be incredu-
lous on the subject"
The above remark was ma de to DR.
Maynard as we sat on the piazza Of his
pretty villa, discussing the different
effects of terror on dissimilar temper
aments. Without replying to me, the
Doctor turned to his wife and said:
~Helen, will you please relate to my old
friend the incident within your own ex-
periencep 1t is the most convincing
argument I can advance"
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 a
young woman, and also q very pretty
one, l surmised that it was powdered
to heighten the brilliancy of her fine
dark eyes.
The Doctor and I had been fellow.
students, but, after leaving college, we
had drifted apart-I to commence prac-
tice in an Eastern city, he to pursue his
profession In q growing town In the
West. 1 was TO- on a visit to him for
the first time since his marriage.
Mrs. Maynard, no doubt reading my
superstition by ny look of incredulity,
smiled as she shook her snowy tresses
over her shoulders, and, seating herself
by her husbands side, related the fol-
lowing episode.
1T is nearly two years ago since my
husband was called one evening to visit
a patient several miles away. Our do
mestics had all gone to a wake in the
vicinity. the dead man being a relative
of one of our serving-women. Thus l
was left alone. But I felt no fear, for
we never had heard of burglars or any
sort of desperadoes in our quiet village,
then consisting of a few scattering
houses. The windows leading out on
the piazza were open as now, but I &C.
cured the blinds before my husbands
departure. and locked the outside doors.
all except the front one, which 1 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 footsteps
on the gravel, quickened by the urgent
tones Of the messenger who awaited
him: and, after a sharp rattle of car
riage.wheels had become but an echo, l |
seated myself by the parlor astral, and
soon became absorbed in the book 1 had
been reading before being disturbed by
the summons. But after q time nv in
terest succumbed to drowsiness, and I
thought of retiring. when the clock in
the Doctors study adjoining the parlor
struck II, 50 I determined to wait q few
moments more, feeling that he would
be home now very soon, I closed nv
book. d0nned q robe de chamber, let
down my hair, and then returned to
my seat to patiently wait and listen.
Not the faintest sound disturbed the
stiffness of the night Not q breath of
air stirred the leaf. The silence was 80
profound that it became oppressive. 1
longed for the sharp click of the gate
latch and the well-known step on the
gravel walk. I did not dare to breAk
the hush myself by moving or singing,
I was 50 oppressed with the deep still
ness. The human mind is q strange
torturer of itself. I began to conjure
up vivid fancies about ghostly visitanta
In the midst of which occurred to me
the stories I had heard from supersti- |
tious people about the troubled spirits
of those who had died suddenly, like |
the man whom my servants had gone |
to wake who had been killed by an |
accident ut the saw-mill. In the midst
Of these terrifying reflections I was
by q stealthy football on the
I listened between fear and
hope. It M" hit be the Doctor. But no
be would not tread like that; the step
was tn soft and cautions for ANYTHING
less willy than q cat. As I listened again
nv eyes were fixed on the window
blind. Isaw the Stats move slowly and
'oftly. and then the raw of the moon
disclosed a thin. cadaverous face, and
right. g~littering eyes. peering at me. o
lorror! who was ftp I felt the cold
start ct every pore. II,
to be frozen in my chair. I
puld not novel, could not cry out; |,
" tongue seemed glued to the roof of
mouth. while the deathly-white face
,essed closer, and the great sunken :
rs wandered in their gaze about the