Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1880-05-27
THE GHOSTS SUMMONS.
A Physicians Story.


professional career, when patient.
were scarce and fees scarcer, and
though / was in the act of sitting
down TO my chop, and had promised
myself glass OF steamiDg punch af
! terward, IN honor of the Christina.
season, | hurried instantly into my
surgery. entered briskly. but ne
sooner did | catch sight of the fig
ure standing against the counter
than started back, with strange
feeling of horror which for the life
of me could not comprehend.
| Never shall forget the ghastll
ness of that face-lhe white horro,
stamped upon every feature--ths
agony which seemed to sink the very
eyes beneath the contracted brows
it was awful TO me to behold, accus.
toned as l was to scenes of terror
You seek advice?' / began, with
some hesitation.
j mo; | am not ill.,
/ sYou require then
| sHushl' he interrupted approach.
ing me nearly, end dropping bis al
ready low murmur to mere whis.
per-. I believe you are not rich
Would you be willing to earn q
thousand pounds p
| A thousand pounds His words
seemed to burn my very ears.
| 4 should be thankful if | could do
SO honestly replied, with dignity
| What is the service required of
me p
| A peculiar look of intense horror
passed over the white face before
me but the blue black lips an
swered firmly, TO attend death.
bed.'
| "A thousand pounds to attend q
death-bed Where am l to go, thep2
Who is it2'
Mime
+ The voice in which this wes said
sounded so hollow and distant that
involuntariIy / shrank back. sYoursl
What nonsensei You are not dy.
ing man. You are pale. brt you ap-
pear healthy. You
Hush = be interrupted; Il know
all this. You cannot be more con-
vinced of my physical health than
| am myself yet / know that be-
fore the clock tolls the first hour
after midnight l shall be a dead
| man.
But
He sbuddered slightly but
stretching out his hand command
ingly motioned me to be client. Il
am but too we'll informed of what
affirm be said quietly Il have re-
ceived o mysterious summons from
the dead. No mortal aid can avail
me. / am as doomed as tho wretch
on whom the Judge has passed sen.
tence. | do not come either to seek
yeur advice or to argue the matter
with you, but simply to buy your
services. L offer you $1,000 to
pass the night in my chamber, and
witness the scene which takes place.
The sum may appear to you ex-
travagant. But | have no further
need to count the cost Of my gratlfi-
cation and the spectacle you will
have to witness in no common sight
of horror
/ The words, strange as they were,
were spoken calmly enough; but as
the last sentence dropped slowly
from the livid lips an expression OF
such wild horror again passed over
the strangers face that, in spite OF
the immense fee, l hesitated to en-.
swer.
| you fear to trust the promise 81
dead mani See here, and be con.
vlnced, he exclaimed eagerly and
the next instant, on the counter be.
| hind US, lay parchment document,
and, following the indication of that
white, muscular hand, / read the
words: 'And to Mr.. Frederick
Read, of IA High Street, Alton,
bequeath the,sum of f1, 900 for GER
tain services rendered to me-
| have had that will drawn up
within the last twentv.four hours,
and | signed it an hour ago, in the
presence of competent witnesses.
am prepared, you ses. Now, do
you accept my offer, or not2'
4 My answer was to walk across
the room and take down my hat
and then lock the door of the sur.
gerry communicating with the house
X
| 1t was dark, icy-eold night, and
somehow the courage and deter
mination which the sight of my
own name in connection With e1,,
600 had given me tagged considera.
bly, as / found myself hurried along
through the silent darkness, by 4
man whose death-bed | was about tc
attend. He wss grimly silent; but
as his hand touched mine, in spite
of the frost, IT felt like burning
coal.
On we went--tramp. tramp
through the sEow-on, on, till ever
| grew weary, and at length on my
appalled, ear struck the chimes of 8
church.clock, while close at hand
distinguished the snow hillocks of
church-yard. Heavens I! Heavens
was this awful scene of which
was TO be the witness to take plac,
veritably among the desd
Eleven groanod the doomed
man. Gracious God but TIVE
hours moro, and that ghosily mes
: senger will bring the summons
Come, come; for mercy's sake lie
Us hasten.'
There was hut short road sepa
!. rating us from wall whica sur
rounded large mansion, and along
J this we FASTENED until we reached
q email door. Passing through this
in few minutes we were stesltbily
ascending the private staircase to
splendidly furnished apartment
which left no doubt of the wealth o
!. its owner All was intensely silent
however, through.tbe house ant
, about this room in particular sher,
: was stiffness that, as | gazet
: around. struck me almost CHASTITY
!. My companion glanced st the clocl
J, on the mantle-sheli and sank into
II