Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-12-24

/ IL
fast asleep. say i'm igine because there was
no witness present: and OF what We DO or
what we don't dc. In that strange indefinite
border-land OF sensation which separates wax
Ing Time from sleeping time. We can never be
perfectly certain.
So far as know slept for some considerable
time. Ii was sensation, believe, OF my feet
waxing cold that FIRST loooened the bonds OF
slumber While i was in that semt-consctous
state. which has peculiar discomfort. be
came dimly alive TO the fact that there was in
the room some presence other than my own.
There was mOvemenC-a stirring In the air. as
IL some creature had come in. The events OF
the day returned 10 my memory, which was
still only half alive. / started up, rubbing my
eyes for | could not be at all sure that | was
awake and In my right mind.
When went 10 sleep was alone. Yes, Ger
tainly. But even II IL were lot So what strange
pale face was this now gazing at me across the
d1mly -hghted space of the shadowy room? |
was but half awake. My nerves were In an eX-
clte0 state. The gnOSt In the house had been nv
last conscious idea. And now this strange face
which seemed 30 be advancing on me out OF he
gloom. was II a creation OF my own fancy? Or
was II some one playing trick upon me. In
any case, low was my time TO fathom the my5-
terry. Trying TO be courageous and gather my
wits together, advanced. The face receded and
passed into the deeper shadow, Till IL appeared
10 be suddenly swallowed up In the drap5rleS OF
the heavily cuTtained window | rushed for
ward. but was not swift enough. Before L
! touched the curtains the face had disappeared.
was certain, however. perfectly certain, that
as drew the curtains open / IelC resistance
10 my hand, and at the same time gust Of
| colder air rushed against my face. as II from an
opened window. AT first felt as Ii about to
faint; but my WILL fortunately, was strong, aud
threw the curtains aside and put my hand On
the window. IL was closed. | tried tue bar,
which could only he fixed from the iusIds a III
IL was as had left IL early 10 the evening
At this discovery my agitation overpowered
Zoe; my head SWAN, and tainted. When re
covered consciousness was lying In the br )ad
recess OF the curtained window and | felr a
Jrickllng sensation on my forehead, and sIlS-
pected, what / afterWard found to be the case,
that had struck my head on some article or
furniture and was bleeding. This Involuntary
boOd-letting helped 10 revive me, and | sat
up
For few minutes remained partly stunned
and bewildered. / felt CREEPING, sensation as
II had been struck by a frOSt-wind. Alter a
while, my heart began TO beat less audibly, and
} rose 10 my 1eet- AT that moment the emberS
OF the fire suddenly sank into the bottom OF the
CRATE, Sendlng up faint llckering light which
was absolute cheerrulneSS as cOntraStei with
The horrible semi-darkneSS that had hiTh-
erto prevailed. | felt my courage re-
turning, and managed TO ring the bill.
The ayah came, alarmed that | should have
summoned her at an hour when she sup
posed had retired 10 rest. l did not tell her
what had witnessed, only asked her to light
candle. She did so, and as the light fell u0on
my face, she gave light scream. | had forgot
at the moment that blood was trickiing from
the wound had received, or | should not have
asked her to light the candle. AS 1t was had
10 make the best excuse | could In answer 10
her Inquiries. L said | must have slept long by
the IRE, and moving about the darkened room
had 1aIlen and hurt myself The wound. how
ever, was found 10 be mere scratch; and in
re" minutes the ayah had succeeded in remOV-
Ing from my face al marks OF the disaster,
asked her to leave the candle with me and
allow me 10 retire TO rest She did So and
after the door was closed upon her proceeded
WIN the candle 10 examine the window more
HllnuIely. Ine mystery was as much a myS-
terry as ever. The window had Certainly not
been opened by any one, and no trace was
visible on the walls OF any posi- bic means OF
egreSS or 1ngresS- | felt more nervous IMAM
ever, and was about to turn and Quiz The room
altogether. so much did my fears Cypress me
When something lying on the floor within the
recess attracted my attention. l stopped and
picked 1t up. II was Il small piece OF WniIe
coth-a few inches square-yery frail in the
texture, as If half -r0tCed with damp or age
and adorned with a peculiar kind OF embro1-
cry such as thought | had seen before but
could not recall where. on one edge there was
a hem; the other three edges being irregul If
and Jagged. IT looked Ike a piece OF cloth
wrenched out OF a garment by the foot being
suddenly placed upon IL. felt | had mad d
discovery.
Returning to the fireplace sat down to think.
IL seemed clear TO me now that my visitant,
however he or she had affected an entrance was
no spirit This piece OF linen was certainly not
lying there when l had closed and barred the
window for the night; nor could 1t belong TO the
apparel OF any member OF my household. II
was not unlikely that IL was part OF the loose
garment OF dtngy white which now remem-
Uefed my strange ViSitant wore.
am naturally strong minded, and gradually
began to recover my cOmpoSure. / said TO nv
SELF Il shall IND out the secret. The first Ink
OF the chain Is between my fingers. | never
oeIore heard OF ghosts tramping bits out OF their
drapery, and no doubt the ghost saw had been
nearly DIS much afraid as myself when so sud
denly approached IL, and had not got AWAY
%llnout Ittie Hurry. This accounts, too |
thougnt, Tor the resistance which felt 10 nv
hand when first laid hold of the window cur
ta1nS."
| was more than ever persuaded that trick
was being played upon me. / did not feel how
ever, as II could sleep Ia the room that night,
| II my visitor was as suspected mortal like
myself, there Is no saying what he or she might
| De induced TO attempt, should the desire or re
| Nenge prompt second visit. My life was not
| sale III such circumstances. when barred win
| dow and locked door were not sufficient TO
| protect me from Intrusion. | resolved for that
night to occupy the bedroom where my two
| eldest children slept, which could reach with
| OUT Disturbing The rest OF the house.
was about 10 take up my candle and CO.
| When imagined l heard sound behind me-
| In my state or nervousness, started, and had
| almost dropped the candle. | looked toward
The window, but the curtains hung motionless,
! and were parted as had left them.
thought struck me. IL my visitor were to
/ return AFTER had retired, how should l know?
pioneered the matter little, and then pro
/ De met by trsckery. | went to my workbox.
/ took out a reel OF thread ana drew off few
! YARDS Thert were curtain fasteners on each
| moor; and between these | stretched and made
| last the length Of thread, SOsthat no one could
| enter the room from the window recess in the
| course OF the night without unconSciously
I breaking the frail barrier had erected This
| would afford me SUFFICIENT proof as TO whether
/ lne privacy OF my sleeping room had again been
invaded. Taking up my candle and the bit of
cloth L then passed quietly OUT, locking the
| door or the room, and carrying the key With
Inc. 1elt myself stronger in the presence o
ny children, and soon managed to fall asleep.
CHAPTER ii.
My first quest next morning on leaving the
apartment where | had slept was for the pur-
pose or aScertaining whether my bedroom had
been again entered after / had left it On the
previous evening. l unlocked the door and
cautiously looked In. Enough light came
through between the drawn curtains to snow
Inc that the room was apparently as | left it
! advanced 10 the window and found the
thread there, unbrOken, and evidently I'M
touched. i must confess felt somewhat dis
| appointed. My fears had probably exagger-
ate1 my conceptions OF the danger and mad
anticipated a second visit as more than prob
aole. After thinking however, came to the con-
cilSlol that 1t was better as IL was Had nv
strange visitor for any purpose entered my room
second time and found that had quilted It.
the effect might have been the reverse OF IA
yorable TO a discovery OF the trlckery which
discovery could best be forwarded my making
as little change Ia my usual habits as possible
IL was not improbable; seeing that no suspicion
had been aroused by the knowledge that | had
changed my sleeping apartment. that the
ghost' might be emboldened to pay me a