Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1878-11-21

save in lonely country paces,-not a
breath of wind TO stir the branches out
lib side, not the timid scratching OF a mouse
behind the wainscot. Nature, animate
and inanimste. might have been struck
with eternal death. and the last man left
alive In the land of shadows. shivered
u invoiuntarily and drew the bed-clothes
T more closely about me.
As l have already said. there was a
u vivid sense upon me at the moment oil
waking of not being alone in the room.
on had feeling as il some one had been
~ bending over me and breathing lightly on
my forehead. could feel the terror that
~. shone ont of my eyes in that first waking
stare round the ROOM while my glance
travelled from the clothes-cupboard on one
side, with the chair still in front of it that
] had put there, to the locked door on the
, other side.
But when nothing met my view save
I'D the commonplace furniture--as like hun
~ dred other inn rooms had slept in at va
rious times as one pea is like another
and when with a quick swish | had
o., dashed back the curtains at the head of
the bed and had satisfied myself that no
one was hidden behind them. the terror
that had gripped my heart but a moment
before began to loosen its hold.
with rebound into the world of work a
day realities, in which such things as
s ghostlv fancies and midnight tremors are
either unknown, or known only to be rid
iculed. With shrug and a yawn nestled
down among my pillows, and made a
mental memorandum never to eat potted
trout for supper again. A minute or two
laterthe death-like silence was broken by
the faint Ginning of some far-away clock.
I'D put forth a lazy hand. found my watch
under the pillow. and drew it out to ascer-
tain the time. 1t was exactly half past
1. q one. was putting my watch back,
20 when my wandering glance was caught
- and fixed by strange and sinister-look-
. ing shadow on the ceiling Of my room.
.' ... stared at II with wide-open eyes and,
-s as stared, SO vivid and realistic did it
look, my heart for a moment seemed to
stand still, and felt as if were about to
q ~ wftaess the onsummati0n OF some dire
. AZ tragedy which was powerless to hinder
or avert. But the shadow moved not for
all my staring, and as before had eered
nj myself for allowing the foolish fances.
that waylaid me at the moment of waking
to haveaany effect upon me, so now was
not long in perceiying that what at the
first glance had so startled me, was moth
ing more than the shadow of a portion of
the furniture of the bed, projected by the
light of the candle on to the ceiling, but
distorted in the act. as shadows often
o are, beyond ordinary recognition. But
although was perfectly satisfied in my
y . own mind as to the cause of the shadow,
,a.- was none the less impressed by the
a ~7singuiarity of the effect thus obtainedi
iastW What saw was the representation of a
Fln man, cloaked and wearing slouched hat
e of man with remarkably hooked and
! parrot-Ike nose-in the act OF stopping
asq over some one or something unseen, and
'ssos striking down mt the same moment with
knife or short dagger Although nothing
~ but shadow, it seemed instinct with
" sinister and murderous purpose. Life
% seemed to breathe from its every curve
bga You almost felt as if you could see the
victim. An instant more and that dagger
: would descend.
. sd' y stretched forth my hand and moved
The candlestick couple OF inches further
ltsr to the right. At once the effect was gone.
; The shadow was still there, but 1t was
o shadow without meaning or purpose.
q, The slouched hat was gone, the hooked
sol nose was gone, the dagger was gone.
e' Then i moved the candlestick few inches
to the left, the result being the production
Of another unmeaning shadow like moth
ing \ had ever seen before. Then |
replaced the candlestick as nearly as
could Judge on the spot where it had first
stood. / wanted to reproduce the first
&c shadow. but the result was something
siss altogether different Slightly piqued at
sbaamy iil-success, / moved the candlestick
:. here and there, constantly varying the
shape Of the shadow, but never for
sa moment obtaining more than the slightest
q resemblance to the one that had so
~ OQlv gfartlp1 II
4, (. coantable, Then, all at once, the candle
/. =. Jared out Tor moment--the next, dark
q ness swallowed me up.
AS rule the impressions which print
themselves on our mental tablets during
the dark honrs, however vivid they NAV
seem at the time, look but dim and faded
g. reproductions oil themselves ia the clear
light of morning. So it was in the pres.
ent case. The recollection of my mid
g latnight fancies served as food for q smile
over breakfast; then more serious matters
claimed me, and put them aside as so
~ many other trifes are put aside, to be
= remembered, perchance, at some odd
moment now and then, or, perchance,
~ forgotten forever.
ns. 81 Two days later found myself in Lon
III don, where some terrible news awaited
me. Ny dear friend, Osric Imray, had
been murdered-murdered and robbed
while travelling By railway. 1t appeared
that he had been from home, transacting
certain business connected with the bank,
and was on his return Journey, having in
his possession u large sum in notes and
-y-zdrafts, when he met his sad fate He
8 had bribed the guard to lock the door OF
e his compartment, and so keep other pas
sengers our, but at certain station he
was found stabbed to the heart The
bag that had contained his property was
lsv missing. and the carriage door was
unlocked. Purse, watch, iewelry-al
were gone.
II was evident that the murderer, who.
ever he might be, must have quilted his
'eW own compartment while the train was
: en- route, having obtained access to I'm
Z q rays compartment, probably while the
latter was asleep, and having accomplish
ed his dreadful purpose, had gone along
tha = Al. z