Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1878-03-30

old expression OF patient martyrdom. II
would have been easy for me to have
drawn him out, but felt that l did not
want 20 corrOborate any body else's expe'
rience only to record my own And
thought it better to keep the boys from
any predisposing terrors
We ate our supper and then sat, pa
tiently and exPectant, around the fire.
An hour slipped away, but no disturb
ance another hour passed as monoto-
nousIy. Our host read his book only
the dash of the hail against the roof
broke the silence. But"
The doctor stopped. Since lhe last in
terruptlen, | noticed he had changed the
easy slaDgy style of his story to a more
perfect, artistic and even studied manner.
He dropped now suddenly into hiS old
colloquial speech, and quietly said :" If
you don't quit stumbling over those
riatas, Juan, I'll hobble you. Come here,
then; lie down, will you?"
We all turned fercely to the cause of
this second dangerous interruption, but
a sight Of the poor fellows pale and
frightened face withheld our vindictive
tongues. And the doctor, happily, of
his own accord went on;
But had forgotten that it was no
easy matter to keep these high-spirited
boys, bent on a row, in decent subsection,
and, after the third hour passed without
supernatural exhibition, I observed from
certain winks and whispers, that they
we're determined to get up indi.
cations of their own. In a few
moments Violent rappings were heard
from all parts Of the cabin large stones
(adroitly thrown up the chimney fell
with heavy thud on the roof. Strange
groans and ominous yeIls seemed to come
from the outside (where the interstices
between the logs were wide enough) J.
Yet, through all this uproar, our host
sat still and patient, with no sign of in
dignation or reproach upon his good
humored but haggared features. Before
long it became evident that this exhibi-
ton was exclusively for his benefit.
Under the thin disguise Of asking him to
assist them in discovering the disturbers
outside the cabin, those inside took ad-
vantage OF his absence to turn the cabin
topsy turVy.
"a You see what the spirits have done,
old man., said the arch leader Of this
mischief. They've upset that there
-four barrel while we wasn't looking, and
then kicked over the water jug and
spilled all the water :"
The patient man lifted his. head and
looked at the hour.strewn walls. Then
he glanced down at the floor, but drew
back with slight tremor.
:" 1t amt water' he said, quietly.
"' What is it, thenY
WIts BLOOD! Look"
"The nearest man gave =. Sudden start
and sank back as white as a sheet
" For there, gentlemen, on the floor
Just before the door, where the old mai
had seen the dog hesitate and lift hi
feet, there there gentlemen, upon my
honor, slowly widened and broadened Z
dark red pool Of human blood STOP
him Quick Stop him, I say"
| 1U6Ie was DilnulDS hhSh OhoS NV ~
the dark woods and sharp report
When We reached the Doctors side ht
was holding smoking pistol, just dis
charged, in one hand, while with the
other he was pointing to the rapidly dis.
appearing figure Of Juan, our Mexican
vaquero
" Missed him by -'' said tht
Doctor. But did you hear him ? Die
you see his lurid face as he rose up at the
name of blood? Did you see his guilty
cons fence in his face? Eh? VIII!
don't YOU speak? What are you star
ing at ?"
! "Was it the murdered mans ghost
| Doctor' we all painted in one quicE
breath.
"Ghost be -! No. But in tbs
Mexican vaquero, that cursed Jual
Ramirez | saw and shot at his mur
derer ~ New York Sun.