Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1880-12-15
The White Hand.
In was many centuries AGO

castle, rearing itself almost within the shad-
ow OF the Bohmerwald, sat two men.
They sat in darkness, save strange lurid
glow from ftful fame, dsrting, tongue
Ike, from the center of a sort of chafng-
dish of iron, shaped to the ghastly form of
q deaths head.
Both bent iltently towards the tripod, on
which rested the ghastly dish, the younger,
and more wicked looking of the two with
sing-song incarnation, as his breath miu-
gIed with the deadly perfume floating on
the tongued fame.
Presently the latter rose, his companion
instantly following his example.
He looked half shrinkingly towards the
shadowy corners of the great chamber, and
,ten back to the dish.
~ ne spell works, my lord, " he mutter-
''Stir not Speak not, whatever you may
chance to see or hearl What it viii be,
know not; but the shade cometh, Behold
and even as he spoke, small lurld spark
suddenly glowed on the floor among the
dismal shadows.
Ii glowed, shiveled. and swelled N height
and breadth till it stood quaking column
Of ghastly light.
Gradually the column took form. and
then quickly dissolving again into shape
less mass, it as quickly flashed into millions
OF dian. 1nd-lIke coruscations, from which
suddenly gloomed tai, black, spectral
figure, shadowy as the shadows them
selves.
In vain the necromancers breathless
companion strove to discern feature OF the
face glooming so wierdly there
From the spectral form issued deep Sc
pulchral voice.
lyon have summoned me-what would
youi" slowly and sOlemnly gneried the
shade.
Power answered the necromancer,
briefly, in low awed tones. 'Gift us Win
power"
'.Power to gather soul-power 10 pol
lutte, to desiroyl"
Gwen so. master. Even the beautiful
Ieona's. returned the necromancer.
.sThe White Hand protects her.
..But tnou art strong, master
"The White Hand is stronger
..aIs,i master. what shall we do y
A little pause followed the query, anu
then the voice returned:
.Ioye is alluring-allure by love- anu
Leona may fall. ;"
"But is there no spell, masters'
ssOne. Listen in silence or you never
will know. Take-
A shrvering, demoniac cry ended 'ne SCH
,ence and the black shade covered 10 'ne
floor. while above it shone' beau'iiui anu
shapely, marble-white hand
Another shivering cry OF mortal terror
.,d ,sin. and the spectral light and shape'
with the marble-white hand, disappeared.
The ,onpued fame on the tripod shot up
.1,,r for an instant, and then died ou''
leaving nothing but the deepest darkheSS'
.-or,endo,ls oath from the necromancer
b,oke the horrible silence, as he gTopea iof
u,saRs to iiight lamp
as;ts pale glow dispelled few o, lne
s,.aows he and his companion s'afed in'o
Zach other's ghastly faces with wild eyes.
For little they stood thus ana lhei' 'A'
necromancer bissed: 10
g. moment more and would have
,..rned the spell. My lord, there is a yer a,.
rible power against u.s. whal Say .,s,, . ,e
To the end, to the endl Leona shai' :"
mipe.' ,odrs Of the spell
..f,u,, my lord, the knowledge Oh 'n' y -
g lost-lost for ever.
.By love, then. ,os,p
at may fail, and then you are '''''
ssBe it go" uttered.
n.rrow panel was softly snppeu ., cham.
a na M onnosite wall, and in the next -n cna.
IN 'ne 1l haired man, of mos. ;ea,;no Senera
Der tau e, s ,o,tered to the communicating
chamber beyond
Wsrntb, W light and perfume ,.- persa'sa 50, s. :
s.et corners, while in us o1n na.utv and
remu ,,st', maiden of marvellous 0eau's '
grace. -. eaxipg robe, loosely coraeo
=, the waist, and certain ma az was sitting up
.. .sncy, ns proved that sns SST s"rne purpose
ehpeh ! her usual hOnr, with S0'"'
in view. .red. and the princeiy oia
Az the door .,.r,ed TO her feet with
man entered, she ;,a[isr aad rushing 81 forward,
:.s.s :, q. :. ::,s - bin 'a' '' hi" ''
.ssat. .,,n she painted, with filing