The Osceola times., 1878-11-23
FROM DEATH TO LIFE.
New York Times

There were six of us seated before a
blazing fire, which cast generous glare
into the otherwise unlighted room. Out
side winter STERN beloved over the
chimneys, and beat eriously at the win.
dow.panes. Afar off we could hear the
gust roaring among the naked hills, now
plunging shrilly through the skeleton
branches of the trees, and again whirling
overhead with weird shouting sound
that might well have proceeded from the
throats of evil things riding upon the
wind. The ghostly spirit of the storm
| seemed to have penetrated even int D cur
comfortable circle, for we got, L fnow
not how, upon the most dismal OF all
subjects--desth.
We had csnvassed the theme pretty
thoroughly before we discovered that
two of our number, The Proiei sor aud
the Doctor, bad taken ro part in the con
verr ltion. They weie sitting little re-
moved from the rest Of us, gazing gloom
| lily into the fire. Their ordinary cheer.
ful expression of Countenance had given
place to a sober, troubled look. and more
than once we had detected the exchange
OF strangely signi6can, glance between
them.
As may be readily supposed, we were
not slow to press them for an explanation
OF their conduct. But for a considerable
time our efforts were fruitless At length,
after much persuasion, 1t was the Pro-
fessor who spoke:
Gentlemen" said he gravely, no man
cares to gain for himself the reputation
| of liar or a maniac. Yet that is ex-
actly what you are pressing both of US
to do. have no doubt that the expert.
ence which am about To relate and in
which my friend the Doctor bore no
unimportant part, will appear absolutely
incredible to persons OF your advanced
views"
There was touch of sarcasm in the
worthy Professors tone, but in our eager
ness to hear his story we found it con-
venient to disregard it.
However" he continued, "I shall
risk it. II you choose to disbelieve it,
why shall endeavor 10 have charity for
your ignorance and conceit. Now, Doc.
tor, il you will hand me the tobacco and
one OF the pipes--the rsnker and blacker
the better--I will proceed"
Having filed his pipe, and settled
himself comfortably in his chair, he be.
gan thus:
sit must be fully ten years ago that
the Doctor and myself were engaged
upon geological survey Of the northern
part of this State. We had labored dill
ieently during the summer and fall,
when toward the close of a cold Novem-
her day we shouldered our knapsacks
and turned our faces homeward.
Our way led through chain OF
black and rugged hills toward frontier
town, twenty miles distant where we
intended to take the railroad. A more
forbidding region it has never been my
misfortune to see. 1t was chaos, black
ened and warped by primeval fires, and
destitute OF the smallest trace of vege-
tstion. Tall cliff. lowered a thousand
feet above our heads, shutting out the
light of the dull November sky. Slug
eish streams filtered between crevices in
the rocks, and poured noiselessly into
the deep aud motionless Turns. 1t seemed
that the blight of death had fallen upon
the whole country.
"Well knowing the peril OF attempt
| ing TO proceed through such region
after nightial, we halted at sunset, and,
building fire at the foot of crag, dis
posed ourselves to rest as well as we
might. Exhausted with the tolls Of the
dsy, the Doctor was soon asleep, and |
was not long in following his example.
How long | slumbered l knew not,
when | found myself sitting upright,
peering nervously in the darkness around
me. 1t seemed TO ne that some one had
uttered wild, appealing cry in the vei y
portals of nv ears. For some moments
sat so, wondering ard anxious Then
reflected that, as there could be no
human being in the neighborbood but
ourselves, the sound which bad alarmed
me must have been he shrek of some
bird or animal. Explaining the matter
thus, ! was on the point OF lying down
again when | was arrested by repeti-
tion of the cry. This time there could
be no mistake. Wild, long, and, it sp.
peared TO me, full OF intolerable anguish
| It re echoed among the crsgs with fear,
full shrillness. With an uncomfortable
start | turned and shook the Doctor te
awake him.
".Be quiet" he muttered; 81 an
awake and heard it ALL
"What can it be ?'' asked anxiously
"surely nothing human; no one lives II
this region for miles around Perhaps
it is a wildcat
ono he said, between his teeth
'sucn a sound never came from th'
throat of a wild cat. There it is again
Listenl'
"The cry was rereated. 1t was {
woman's voice, but it expressed such SUI
preme misery az believe woman neyei
let before. 1t came ringing up III.
gorge with q weird and m0urnful into
nation that chilled tho blood In n!