The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1879-10-16

Entered at the Post Office at .Kayenna, Ohio
as Second Clafs matter.
the b0ughs and thorDs which lashei
and tore my facial this arrested my
progress, and at least . quarter of an
hour had passed before succeeded In
reaching the spot whence / supposed
the scream to have proceeded.
All there was still and solitary and
dark as death. Even GavrilYtch had
disappeared, being unable 10 follow
me in my headlong run. The night
had regained that oppressive, solemn
calm which had for a moment been
disturbed. Not living being SEEM
ed to be in the forest. The river how-
ed black, still and deep at my feet. I
stood motionless and listened, holding
my breath. Not sound mo sign of
life. ,-
Where had all the women disap-
peared? Had all this horrible process
sion been dream, or were the wo-
men really witches, and had the earth
swallowed them upa I opened my
blind lantern. No, it had not been q
dream. On the spot ON which stood
the ground had evidently been freshly
trodden by great number of feet, and
few boughs of fir trees were singed
by the torches passing underneath
them. Guided by my lantern, Gayri-
lytch appeared In the circle of light
shed by it.
Well, barin,' he asked, thave you
found something7 ~
Nothing at all.
'Look here he continued, pointing
to q spot some distance on beneath the
trees there they have left their plow.
They must have killed somebody or
something, the witches, or else they
would not have fed SO quickly.
After searching once more in vain
all around the place for some token of
what had happened, we went home.
That I was unable to sleep that night
need hardly be mentioned.
Soon after dawn l went to the viii
lage to relieve tho Doctor. There had
been no new cases during the night,
so that he had enjoyed good rest. I
told him all about the events of the
night. He was vissibly struck by my
description of the ceremony I had
but ridiculed my fears con.
,erning what had happened in the
wood.
'You know, my dear fellow he ex-
you must feel nervous this
morning after all these horrors. Go
home and lie down. I lam as fresh as
! rose, and can very well manage our
patients alone for once, with the help
IF our admirable Sister of Charity,
at first protested, but, feeling real
y far from well, ultimately Obeyed
md went to bed. had just fallen in
o refreshing slumber when the voice
If the Doctor awakened me. When
opened my eyes he came up to the
bedside.
Excuse me for disturbing you,' he
aid, ,sbut all this seems SO very strange.
Tell me, have you seen Mashka to.
light among all these women?
sNovI answered indignantly how
an, you think of such thing7
NoI1 h. So - -
d. She has not been home the whole
light, and nobody has seen her since
ast evening.
'Doctorp L exclaimed, that scream
Ve heard in the forest. 1t was she;
here can be no doubt of it'll
Let us hope for the best the Doc
Or answered in an earnest voice.
During the day we had all the neigh
orhood searched, but in vain. NASH
q was not to be found. We attempt-
d cautiously to make some inquiries
\ the village about the events of the
light, but equally without any result.
asked of the balif whose plow it was
had seen standing in the wood? He
ad ready answer at hand. The
low belonged to Nikita Matyeief,
'ho had left it in the wood because it
'as nearer to his field.
Thus, day after day passed without
ringing the slightest Intelligence Of
le missing woman, and strange to
y, since that very night the spidem-
seemed to lose its pernicious char
ter, and three weeks later it disap.
Jared entirely. f
About the same time q report came
ON the district town that dead
,dy had been washed to the bank of
70 river by the currant. 1t was the
,dy of woman ian advanced state
decomposition. An inquest had
zen hurriedly held and the unknown
oman buried as quickly as possible.
In the village of Dubrovo tho old
en- and women put their heads to-
,ther of an evening and whispered
one another that Gods mercy was
,ain with them, since the village had
ZEN purified of the presence of its
lly sinful woman.-[New York Sun.
IT reminds a mother of her girl
,od days to come into the parlor
'xt morning after her daughters beau
% called, and just one chair drawn
, to the fire place, while all the 9TH
8 are sitting along The wall as If
ey hadn't been touched for years.
DIDN'T at all expect company to.
" said lady to her visitors, with
not very pleasant look, but hope
u will make yourselves at. home.'