Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1880-09-24

There was but short road separating n
now from wall surrounding large man
sion, and along this we FASTENED until w
reached n small door. Passing through this
in a few minutes we were stealthily ascend
ing the private staircase to splendidly fur
nished apartment, which left no doubt 0
the wealth of its owner. All was intensel,
silent, however, through the house; AM
about this room in particular there was
stiffness that as gazed around, struck M
almost CHASTITY.
My companion glanced at the clock OF
the mantle shelf and sank into large chat
by the side of the fire with shudder. "Onl,
hour and a half longer" he muttered
"Great Heaven thought had more for
titude. This horror humans me-" Then
in u fercer tone, and cutching my arm
he added, "lla! you mock me-you thinl
me mad, but wait till you see--wait till you
seer
put my hand ON his wrist; for there wa
now Il fever in his sunken eyes which
checked the superstitious chill which has
been gathered over me, and made me hopt
that, after all, my first suspicion was cor
rect, and that my patient was the victim o.
fearful halucination.
"Mock you w answered soothingly. "Fal
from 1t. sympathize intensely with you
You require sleep Lie down, and leave me
to WATCH
He groaned, but rose, and began throwing
off his clothes, and, watching my opportu
nifty, slipped u sleeping powder, which
had managed to put in my pocket before
leaving the surgery, into the tumbler of
claret that stood beside him.
The more | saw, the more felt confident
that it was the nervous system of my patient
which required my attention and it was
with sincere satisfaction | saw him drink
the wine, and then stretch himself on the
luxurious bed
"Ea," thought as the clock struck u,
and, instead Of II groan, the deep breathing
Of the sleeper sounded through the room +;
you won't receive any summons tonight,
and make myself comfortable"
Noisecssly, therefore, | replcnished the
fire, poured myself out glass of wine, and,
drawing the curtain so that the freight
should not disturb the sleeper. | put my.
self in position to follow his example
How long | slept | know not, but sud.
denly aroused with a start and AZ ghostly
thrill of horror as ! ever remember &c
have mar .i'.a-s,.s '-,>ss,
! knew isot-secmed rear; something name
less, but unutterably awful
gazed around The fire emitted faint
blue glow, just sufficient to enable me to sec
that the room was exactly the same us when
wanted but five minutes of the mysterio us
hour which was to be the death moment OF
the summoned" man!
Was there anything in it, then any truth
in the strange story he had told2
The silence was intense could not even
hear breath from the bed; and l was about
to rise and approach, when again that awful
horror seized me, and at the same momont
my eye fell upon the mirror opposite the
door, and | saw
Great Heaven! that awful Shape--that
ghastly mockery of what had been humanity
was it really messenger from the buried
quiet dead? 1t stood there in visible death
clothes; but the awful face was CHASTITY with
corruption, and the sunken eyes glare, which
seemed II yeritable blast from the internal
fires below.
To move or utter II sound in that hideous
presence was impossible; and like statue
| sat and saw that horrid Shape move slowly
toward the bed. ~.
/ What was the awful scene enacted there
know not ] heard nothing except a low
stifiled groan, and saw the shadow Of thai
CHASTITY messenger bending over the body
| Whether 1t was some dreadful but worldlesl
sentence its breathlcss lips conveyed as il
stood there know not, but for an instant
the shadow Of a claw-like hand, from which
the third finger was missing, appeared ex
tended over the doomed mans head; and
then, as the clock struck one clear, silvery
stroke, il fell, and wild shrek ran through
the room--a death shrek.
| am not given TO fainting but certainly
confess that the next ten minutes Of my ex.
istence was cold blank; and, when did
manage TO stagger TO my feet gazed round
vainly endeayoring 10 understand the chilly
horror which still possessed me.
Thank God the room was rid OF that aw-
ful presence saw that; 80, gulping down
some wine, lighted wax taper and stag
gered toward the bed.
All, how prayed that, after all, might
have been dreaming, and that my own ex-
cited Imagination had but conjured up some
hideous memory Of the dissecting-room.
But one glance was sufficient 10 announce
that! No! The summons had indeed been
given and answered.
| flashed the light over the dead face, swOl-
len, conyused still with the death-agony
but suddenly | shrank back Even as
gazcd, the expression Of the face seemed 10
change; the blackness faded into a deathly
whitcness; the conyused features relaxed,
and, even If the victim Of that dread appari-
ton still lived, a sad, solemn smile stole over
the pale lips.
| was intensely Mortified, but still | re.
tanned sufficient sell consciousness 10 be
struck professionally by such Il phenomenon.
Surely there was something more than super
natural in all thisy
Again scrutinized the dead face, and even
the throat and chest, but with the exception
Of tiny pimple on one temple beneath a
cluster Of hair, not mark appeared. To
look at the corpse, one would have believed
thaa this man had, indeed, died at the vista.
ton Of God, peacefully while asleep.
How long stood there | know not, but
time enough 10 gather my scattered senses
and 10 reflect that all things considered, my
own position would be very unpleasant II ]
was found thus unexpectedly in the room o.
a mysteriously dead man. 80, noiselessy
rs could, made my way out Of the house