The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1880-07-08
THE GHOSTS SUM MONS.
A Physicians story.

IL was IN the early days OF my PROBES
Biona career, when patients were scarce
and fees scarccr, and, though | was III
tho net Of sitting down to my chop, and
had promised myself glass of stcaming
punch aitcrward, in honor Of the Christ
mas season, | hurried instantly into my
surgery. ] entered brisky, but no soon
cr did / catch sight of the figure stand
ing against the counter than | started
back, with strange feeling Of horror
which for the life Of me could not com
prchcnd.
Never shall forget the ghastlincss OF
that facc--the white horror stamped up
on every fcaiure-thc agony which
seemed TO sink the very eyes beneath the
contracted hrOwB; it was awful to me to
behold, accustomed AS | was to scenes Of
terror.
"You seek adyice?" 1 began, with
some hesitation.
"No; am not i'll"
"You require then"
Hush!" he interrupted, approaching
more nearly, and dropping his already
low murmur to n mere whisper. 81 be-
wilIino to caru n thnsond nounds ."
thousand nnunds, His worda seorncd
10 tnrn nnv ycry onrs
81 shnmId hc thnnlrnl If 7 could doso
bonooI, - I r,rI;el uith di,,ni,y
mWhat il thc soryiro rrouircd If mr9r''
A ncrulinr look of iutonso horror
oosooI nynr thc wbito rocn before mo
INT u,o ro-LIocl, limo onsworod firmly
"To attend q Iroth.hcd"
"a thusnnd nouuJs 70 attend n
dootL. hrdl Where nm + 10 90 then >
WIZ 10 40"
" NI;no -
MIA ynice in which tbis wos soid
sounded so hollow and distant that in
Voluntarily shronk hack, "Yours !
What nonsense You are not n diving
man You are male. but Won appear pcr.
fnrtlv healthy You -
"Ihsh !" he interrupted al know
all His You cannot he more convinced
or NV physical health than | am my.
soIf vet / know that before the clock
tolls the first hour after midnight shall
be II dead man"
"But -"
He shuddcrcd slightly; but stretch
ing out hshand commundingl motioned
me to he silent. +" am but too well III
formed Of what affirm, he said quietly
81 have received n mysterious summons
from the dead. No mortal aid cnn avail
me. am rs doomed M the wretch on
whom the Judge has pissed sentence. |
do not come either to seek your advice
or to argue the matter with you, but
simplyto buy your services | offer you
81 600 to pass the night in my chamber,
and witness the scene which takes place.
The sum may appear to you cXlrHvagnnt.
But have no further need to count the
cost Of my qualification and the spec
taclc you will have to witness is no com
mon sight OF horror.
spoken calmly enough; but nS tho last
sentence dropped slowly IRON lie liVl''
hpS an expression OF such Wlld horror
again passed over the strangers lace
that, III spite ol the immense lee, hesl-
tatcd to answer.
"You fear to trust the promise Of II
dead man Sec here, and he convinced"
he exclaimed, eagerly; and the next in
slant, on the counter between us, lay u
parchment document, and, following
the indication of that white, muscular
hand, ! rend the words "And to Mr..
Frederick Read, Of "A High street, Alton,
| bequcath the sum OF Il 900 for certain
service rendered to me-"
al have had that will drawn up within
the last twenty-iour hours, and | signed
it an hour ago, in the presence of com
petcnt witnesses. | nm prepared, You
see. Now. do Won accept my offer, or
not?"
My answer was to walk across the
room and take down nv hat, and then
lock the door Of the surgery communi-
eating with the house.
II was n dark icy.cold night, and
somehow the courage md determination
which the SIGHT of nv own name in CON
nection With gI 900 had given me tagged
considerably os | f,mnd myself hurried
along through the silent darkness by a
man whose dcath-bcd was about to at
tend. He was grimly silent; but, ms his
hand touched mine, in spite of the frost,
it felt like burning coal.
On we wcnr-tramp. tramp. through