The Canton advocate. [volume] (Canton, D.T. [S.D.]) 1877-1897, 1880-08-19

coming to the ground as if they were
moved by some mechanical impulse,
and were wholly wanting in the elastic
ity of living members. 1t approached
my bed, and mingled horror and curl
osity kept me still. 1t came ard stood
beside lit, and child-like I still clun. to
my couch, moving only to the further
side. Slowly, and with the same un-
natural footballs, it pursued my pos
ition. 1t placed itself then at the foot
of my bed, and moved by its piteous
Igroans, tried to look calmly at it
endeavored to rally my Thoughts
reason with myself and even to specu-
late upon the nature of the object be-
fore me. One idea that went through
my brain was too extravagant not to re-
member l thought, among other
things, that the phantom was a corpse.
animated for the moment by some
galvanic process, in order to terrify
me. Then, as recollected that there
was no one in the village to carry such
a trick into efect-supposing even the
experiment possit lei rejected the
supposition. How, too, could those
awful moans be produced from an in
animate being? And yet, it seemed as
if everything about it were dead, except
the mere capability of moving its feet.
and uttering these unearthly express
sions of suffering. The specter, how
ever, if so it may be called, gave me
but little opportunity for reflection.
Its ghastly limbs were raised anew
with the same automatic movement;
and placing one of its feet upon the bot
tom of my bed, while its glass eyes
were fixed steadfastly upon me, it be-
gan stalking toward my pillow.
Iconfess that was now in an agony
of terror.
Isprang from the couch and fed the
apartment. The keen-sightedness of
fear enabled me to discover an open
closet upon the other side of the hall.
Springing through the threshold, I
closed the door quickly after me- It
had neither lock nor bolt, but the clos
ct was so narrow, that by placing my
feet upon the opposite wall, 1 could
brace my back against the door SO as to
hold it against any human assailant,
who had only his arms for leve.
The perspiration of mortal fear start
ed thick upon my forehead as heard
the supernatural tread OF that strange
vlsitant approaching the spot. Itseem-
ed an age before his measured steps
brought him to the door. He struck
1.-THE blow was sullen and hollow as
if dealt by the hands of a corpse. It
was like the dull sound of his own feet
upon the floor. He struck the door
again-and the blow was more feeble,
and the sound duler than before. Sure
ly, / thought the hand of no living man
can produce such sound.
l know not whether itstruck it again
for now its thick breathing became
SO loud that even the meanings which
were mingled with every suspiration
became inaudible At last, they sub
sided entirely-becoming at first grad
ually weaker, and then audible only in
harsh, sudden sobs, whose duration I
could not estimate, from their n1ingling
with the blast which still swept over the
hillside.
The long, long night had at last an
end, and the cheering sounds of the
awakening farmyard told me that the
sun was up and that might venture
from my blind retreat. But if it were
with slight feeling Of trepidation
that I opened the door of the closet,
lwhat was my horror when a human
body fell inward upon me even as in
closed it. The weakness, however left
me the moment had sprung from its
hideous embrace. Istood for an, instant
in the fresh air and reviving light of the
hall, and then proceeded to remove the
body to a place where could examine
its features more favorably. Great
heaven! what was my horror upon dis
covering that they were those Of the in
teresting stranger whom had met on
the road the evening before.
The rest of my. story is soon told.
The household of the inn were rapidly
collected, and half of the inhabitants of
the hamlet identified the body as that
Of a gentleman well known in the coun-
try. But even after the cbronor's in.
quest was summoned, there was no
light thrown upon his fate, until my
drunken landlord was brought before
the jury. His own testimony would
have gone for little, but he produced a
document which in few words told
the whole story. 1t was note left
with him the evening before by Mr..
--, to be handed to me as soon as I
should arrive, at the inn. 1t briefly
thanked me for the slight courtesy rem
dered him at the blacksmitll's, and
mentioning that, Notwithstanding all
precaution, his horse had fallen dead
lame, and he should be obliged to pass
the night at Wolfswald, he would further
trespass upon my kindness, by begging
to occupy the same apartment with
me-. It stated that. owing to some or
ganic affection of his system, he had
long been subjected to the most griey-
Gus fits of nightmare, during which he
still preserved sufficient powers ofvoli-
ton to move to. the bed of his servant,
who, being used to his attacks, would
of course take the necessary means to
alleviate them. The note concluded
by saying that the writer had less diff
dence in preferring his request to be
my room-mate, inasmuch as. owing to
the crowded condition of the house,
I was sure of being thrust in on some
one
The reason why the Inflated gentle
man had been SO urgent to press home
ward was now but too apparent, and
my indignation lat the drunken inn
keeper in neglecting to hand me his
note knew no bounds. Alas! in the
years that have since come and gone
by, there has beef more than one mo-
ment when the reproaches which 1
then lavished upon him have come
home to. myself. For the piteously
appealing look of the dying man long
haunted me; and Isometimes still hear
his moan in the autumnal blast that
walls around my easement.
A Stoical Indian.
Sonora (Cal.) Democrat.
A few days since an Indian near Ma
Ijor's ranch was suffering the pain of
rheumatism in one of his legs. Con-
Guiding he could bear the loss of leg
better than suffer any longer, he laid