The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1879-12-09

A TRRBIDLK ADVENTURE.
do not believe in ghosts Of the or.
thodox sort-vsry few people do in
thess matter -of-fact days-nor have
any fixed creed with regard to the ~
I..crsts Of nature which. - clAss. sse
Enormously called supernatural" but
that there are such secrets l firmly he.
Dieve, and tina: occasionally they ars
half revealed TO rs vixen We least expect
ha -xsvelstion / also believe. Who ia
there that has gazed upon the corpse
offs friend without being filled with
ave and wonder7 All that ws saw 10
life lies there. We might .dissect the
body. yet the most powerful microscope
could discover nothing to be missing.
Every part Of the wonderful machine
10 perfect, but It has stopped running.
and oil the science end ingenuity Of
man can nevermore set il going. But
though We cannot measure. or define.
or syen Imagine it, We know that some
thing 10 missing-ws know that the
man himself 10 missing. This empty
shell, mouldering into the dust before
our vesy eyes, il not the friend we knew.
Our friend vas IN invisible essencs. and
this ives Ais babitasion. He looked
| through thoss eyes, not with them. and
now that he has departed. the windows
sre darkened and the house is silent
forever. To think that we never saw
him or he us-tbas We each only saw
The pcrisbable abode Of the 0thsr-is
both strange and sad, but it is true. No
man ever yet looked upon his fellow =
in this life st least. AS we'll might he
say that hs looked upon Q musica, ia
Strumsnt and beheld the sound.
1t was with such gloomy thoughts ~
these that occupied myself one winter
night. now many yearsago. when it was
my melancholy duty to watch beside
the dead body Of one whom | had dear
~ loved In life. He had died in the
vigor OF manhood, had been cut OF in
the blossom Of his hope and strength.
and tho cause Of bis dcath had complete.
" bafiled the physicians. l was stay
ing ON visit at his country house. or
rather palace, for he was enormously
wealthy, and his life had been suddenly
snuifed ont. - it were. while we sat
talking together. Yes. only the night
before bad sat BY the fire in this very
armchair with him opposite to me there
and when looked up to see why lie
did not answer lazy question - had
just put to him. he was dead. Now his
body lay decked Tor the grave IN tie
next room, aud sat here by the 4
alone.
When say that his body lay IN the
next room, am not exact. ltr,aliy
lay st the farther extremity OF
the room in which l sat. but an arch
divided this lofty and spacious chamber
aid from the arch hung heavy curtains
Of ruby .colored velvet, which lad
drawn to keep the beat Of the Il re fsom
the body. and the cold from myself.
for il Was . feaesing night. II was
with tho ancients. and it is with some
people at the present day. an actual
belief that to leave the corpse unwatch.
cd Tor single instant would endanger
the departed spirit. But I entertained
no such ideas. What harm could come
to that poor. vacant tenement. still less
TO the "something" that left IL! And
j! harm should come. surely no vigil of
mine could prevent it. ! sat with the
body because loved it, not that might
protect it.
have said that / am not superstitious
and during the hrst half Of the night no
thoughts save the speculations l have
,nentioned and vain regrets for the loss
Of my friend occupied my mind. II
vas. % nearly . l can rsmembsr. about
an hour after night that I began to OK.
perience sort Of nervousness for which
was at . loss to account ] was se,zrd
with an indeiinabls dread-of what. !
knew not aud this feeling became
momentsrily stronger. In vain I tried
to shake il Of, telling myself that the
agitation snd grief II the past twenty
four hours had weakened my mind and
body. In vain l huddled over tie fire
and strove to think nf other things. II
Was no use. found my eyes wander
ing constantly to the closed curtains.
and l was Enthusiastically afraid. At
length. vexed ct my own weakness. !
crossed over TO the other side Of the
hearth, aud seated myself with nv beck
to the curtains. in the great armchair
which the dead man had occupied the
night before. For . few moments / fclt
easier; then ON sudden my terror re.
turned with tsnfold forcs. l no longer
doubted. now knew that there Was
something to be afraid OF. heard
nothing, but. - distinctly - II saw
is. felt that there was . presence in
the room, aud that it wae hshini me.
Ny heart stood still; my blood, aye.
the vary marrow IN my bones vss fro.
rem with iucxossble horror. I would
sooner have died than look round, Jet
I was irrssistihly impslled TO do %.
slowly. . % slowly. I turned in my
seat and advanced my face TO tho eide
Of the chair (the back WAS too high for
me to see over without rising). With
ashen facs aud staring eyes. peered
round q the curtains. and there, be-
tween them 20. God. shall / ever for
get i,!--these. between the parted cur.
tains, stood the deed uan in bic grave
clothes!
His eyes were open. and be gs1ed
steAdily At me With look Of snoh dsv.
ilish malice 40 ! Aope never 70 go IN .
human face again. could no moss
stir o. utter sound thsn Il / had been
carved in granite. For what Was per
haps . minste, though Il seemed 70 No
: lifetime. we remsined thus; ! poes-