The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1879-12-20
A MISTY NIGHTS ADVENTURE.

/ "a
One evening, about year ago, was
standing on the corner of Sixth avenue
and Thirty sixth street. 1t was about II
O'Clock, and heavy mist was falling,
though the night was warm. was about
to take down-car, when / was accosted
by tall. broad-shouldered, fne-looking
man, who called me by name, but whose
identity / could not fix in my mind,
though / knew had seen him before.
'Patsey, old boy, how are you?" said
he, grasping and heartily shaking my
hand. I'm glad to see you, Pat, really.
Come, take walk with me up town.
The night isn't particularly inviting, old
boy, nor is it terribly severe. Gomez
Why should take walk with q man
whom / couldn't place." at that hour,
and on such night, didn't ask myself
and can't answer even now. Perhaps it
was the mans manner of speech, earnest
and peremptory, his commanding rather
than soliciting tones, that caused me to
think he had some kind of an affair on
hand which he did not wish to "give
away" and that companion would be
desirable. Something Influenced me at
any rate; for, with Come onr' to him,
and without asking his name or anything
concerning him, hoping to ''place" him
by my own efforts at retrospection,
turned and started off with him up the
avenue mentioned.
His pace, though not hurried one,
was as earnest as his speech. He put his
feet down as if he had something to walk
for, and he talked commonplaces in o
crisp and solid tone, SO to speak. In
short, there was nothing of the idler in
his walk, and nothing of the sleepy-head
in his talk.
l walked along beside him, wondering,
as walked, what was up, of course, inn
agining all sorts of things. We walked
till we reached Central Park, having
dropped in" once on the way, at his in
vitation, to partake of the inevitable sin
vigorator," when scanned my midnight
companion closely--not for mental in
yentory of his apparel, but to ''take in
the situation" in respect to his sobriety.
If I was any iudge-and I thought /
was-he was as straight as q string as
free from the influence of liquor as a
lamp-post, and standing as firm, while
his eyes shone with light as clear and
bright as health and vivacity could i'm:
part. I have thought of that light since
I should have more closely observed il
| then-it was glare.
We entered the park. / was now an
involuntary, may say, a mechanical ac.
compartment, and nothing more-he
| walking and talking as usual, putting his
foot down as firmly and speaking as earn
estly, though dwelling not for moment
on any one topic, broaching and dispos
ing of one in less than that time, and
taking up another.
My curiosity in regard to my com
panion and his mission was nov
only exceeded by my desire to be ''ir
at the DEATH as it were-to '.see the
thing out"
sWho the deuce is this man?" Fol
the life of me 1 couldn't "place" him
though I had worked the retrospect
to the best of my ability. "What i.
his lay?" "How will it end?" He ism
drunk. He isn't lunatic. 'It's yer,
queer, anyhow Such were few Of til,
questions and remarks mutually asket
and made by myself as ] was drawn
alongside the tall unknown-''d drawn,
that's what it was, for was impelle'
by some strange influence to kee]
alongside my companion, whether
would or not. In fact, it didn't occu
to me to attempt to break THE spel
upon him-the ''spell' operates to th
contrary, suppose.
J Well, on we went through the mis-
and darkness s-opaqueness, let me say
for, though 'slost to sight, there .wa
moon above us, according to the a
manac, and it was not dark, a dull
gray, ghostly sort of light peryading-
) until ''ths lake. was reached, when m
. companion incontinently seated himsel
!, pulling me down beside him-a phys
, cal effort on his part, and not one {
attraction, magnetic or otherwise.
No sooner were we seated than b
spoke of the gray mist, as if for th
first time noticing it, and went on
remark upon mists in general, If ne
this one in particular.
, He discussed mists for two minute
i perhaps, when he dropped the subje'
; as one-well, too moist, perhaps,
! maybe too dry" At all events,
!. dismissed the mist without ceremon,
and for the first time since we set OF
5 on our walk, spoke not for the space
Il forty seconds.
: Suddenly, he broke the silence wit
d a remark that came from his lips
;. suddenly as the report and flash of
gun, and, if not so sounding as the r
i port, quite as startling to me.
: '.Patsey,'' Il shall never forget no
s .sshort, sharp and decisive" was Il
II pronunciation of my Chrietian nam,
are you fond of sensations? l tell yo
we'll create one in the morning, yc
II bet! When they find US both laid o
here as dead as herrings, in the NOR
ing, / rather think there will be som
,. thing of sensation, ehl
y He paused then, and it dawned upt
h me that my companion was lunati
d And when, the next moment, / saw
o his right hand a good-sized revolver
IS none of your little vest-pocket affairs
IS the broad sunlight of conviction, so
speak, forced itself upon me that n
position was ticklish, if not per
,. GUS, one.
II A cold sweat started out all over me
J. the condition which conduced to th
'i sweat saved my life, perhaps; for the O
: posite, which would have prompted r
to spring to my feet and fly, would We
likely have precipitated matters to a
D. rious if not fatal conclusion. NV ha
n stood up, I am certain, and my tong
l. cleaved to the roof of my mouth as
glued there, while my heart beat t
tattoo" on my ribs.
'e / suppose you think was frightene
III Well, you have been mistaken befo
le now, without doubt; and you might
~ now-but you are not. / was frighten
!; and don't you forget it!
u Out there in the dark at midnight.
a cold, gray, ghostly mist that look
a like the shroud of all things earth
~ seated beside powerful fellow W
J. cooily suggested sensation of
" startling and tragical nature, strengtht
ening his suggestion by the product
of a murderous-looking revolveri-y
az ,ras frightened, and don't care W
in knows it.
II shall shoot you first, Patseyi'' v
the next remark of my friend IN, q
an how crisp and firm the utterancel 9Th
lie 1 shall shoot myself! The sensation
n. the morning will be tremendous,
lot boy!p
tt. His right hand moved-my eyes w
glued upon it--and something / had
do, or something he would do, most c
tainly, and cause sensation in
% morning" Retrieving my tongue lmir
NJ the skin, I am certain) from the roof
er my mouth. managed to moisten it S
ne fciently to speak in a husky voice:
". Gully, don't shoot, as that will bri
W the park police upon us, who viii ca
OF us to the station-house, and spoil
5a moffing sensation. See it?''
bs ound as nut" said my friend ]
ne mediAtely, and, putting away his reyc