Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1878-11-21

upon tQlS pOluI, VIC COVO1CO tuO COIPo0 Nv
Gently and sat down to wait for morning.
Though in no mood for conversation, the
startling experience of the evening kept US
both awake for several hours. But at length,
completely overcome with weariness and ex-
citement, l fell into light slumber."
Almost Immediately, it seemed, was
awakened with shock. The Doctor was
bending over me with an expression of won
der and alarm upon his face.
".Wake up,' be said in a troubled whisper,
something very strange has been going on in
this room for many minutes past
''What is it?' l asked. L thought
heard some one speaking.
"'You did, he replied. I have distinctly
heard voice close beside US, yet there is no
one in the room except ourselves and these
two poor people.
A:Perhaps the woman has been talking in
her sleep,' suggested, or it may be that the
man is not dead after all. ,"
"'No. I have looked to both, he returned
sOne sleeps soundly, and the other will never
speak again in this world so satisfy your
self
II arose, and trimming the lamp, pro-
ceeded first to the couch where the CIR! lay:
She at least could not have spoken, Tor all
her senses were locked in profound stupor'
| then examined the corpse and tound IL as
we had left it, except that the features were
more shrunken and sallow than before. No
voice could have proceeded from those rigid
Inns. Concluding that we had both dreamed
or had mistaken some nocturnal cry for the
human voice, replaced the light and was
about to resume my seat, when my move
ments were arrested by very singular voice.
''There it is again!" muttered the Doctor
agitatedly.
"A low, confused murmur, resembling
nothing that had ever heard before, arose IN
the room. and seemed to circulate in the air
for an instant, and died away. Again it arose.
coming from q point over our heads, and
gradually descending until it appeared to
emanate from some invisible source lmmedl-
ately beside US. : l know of nothing with
which to compare the intonation, except it
may be the articulation of the telephone, or
that of ventriloquist.
''Ihe first words we caught were "Oh, my
poor wife!"
..It would be impossible to describe the
effect that these words produced upon US. 1t
was not 80 much the tone, weird and uncanny
as it was, as the startling significance OF the
words that amazed US.
s'Who could have spoken them but the hus-
band of the woman lying stupefed upon the
hours. Full of repugnance OF the horror of
the idea, we started up and again examined,
not only every nook and Granny of the hut it.
self. but even the space outside for many
wards around. There was no human being
besides ourselves in the vicinity.
1--WE again scrutinized the corpse. It had
neither changed its position nor its appear
ance The flesh had grown perfectly cold
and the muscles rigid; there was no trace of
vitality in it. Now, continued the Professor,
wiping his head nervously, "Ihave arrived at
what imagine will be the limit of your Gre
dulity. do not expect you to credit what
followed; but swear to you, on the word of
an honest man, that do not deYiate from
the truth as much as q syllable when say
while we bent over the body we again heard
the voice proceeding from the distant part of
the room, saying audibly:
'sIn the name of God, assist me back to
life!"
"With hearts beating thick and fast, we
stood gazing at each other absolutely thunder
struck. An experience SO terrifying, so ut
terly without precedent, completely unnerved
US. While we remained stupefed with hor-
ror, the voice was again audible:
''Oh, have pity!" it said; laid me to re-
turn to life!"
ut was some minutes before either of US
could recover from our amazement sufficient
" to make any reply"
"Who is it that speaks to US ?" asked the
Doctor, in a low tone.
1.-THE soul of the man who lies dead before
you!" it replied.
s'It is impossible that the dead can speak, :"
answered the Doctor.
mo. for the intelligence never dies, re-
piled the voice. My body is indeed dead,
but that with which l lived and thought and
loved is still in this room
.:What is it that you desire ?" asked the
Doctor, carrying on this strange colloquy
with increasing wonder.
ITO be aided to resume my former exist
ence,' was the rejoinder. dare not leave
INV poor wife unprotected in this wilderness.
I cannot see her suffer. love her beyond
all NV hopes of future life, and by the pow
er of nv love have remained near her, and
have been able to communicate with you. l
cannot. will not, be separated from her. l
must return to her in my human shape.
s'Whether the Doctors courage deserted
him at this point or not cannot say; but ne
spoke no more; and, as the voice was no
longer audible, we remained silent in state
of mind that battles all description. -.
81 am morally certain that both OF US would
have fled instantly from the place, had it not
been for the poor creature sleeping upon the
bed. We could not leave her to face alone q
mystery that shook even nerves as tougnened
as ours. After hasty consultation as to what
course we ought to follow. we resumed our
former seats, ard waited in breathless expec-
tation for what was next to occur.
''Some hours had passed in this way, and
the first dim traces of dawn were shining up
on the eastern horizon when with simulta-
neous start we sprang to our feet. The voice
had again spoken. This time it lad proceeded,
not from some indefinite point in the atmos-