San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1882-05-18
ipa 10 my tired and already ever

/ hb ihy tiicI' tHe 'o"AN'
increased In hideousncss, ! Thought oi
all the stories ] had heard OF the cursed
rookery, and M / did 40 the sounds hs,
came more and more like the shTieks OF
the damned or the wall Of lost soul,
/ finally became SO nervous that re-
solved TO arise and go below.
BIT nov, as rrose in my bed for this
purpose, found myself subj ected TO II
new source OF annoyance. The mock
ing wind, which had appemed to me
more than once to syllable human
sounds, camo ut length upon my ear
distinctly charged with tones which
could not be mistaken. 1t was the
hard, suppressed breathing of man.
listened still, fand it came anew,
lstronser and more fully upon. my ear.
| 1t was like the thick respirations OF an
apoplectic. Whence it proceeded
knew not; but that it was near Inc
was certain. ..-... f,--.... ,..-.. .-.-...
A suspicion, of robbery, possibly as
sassination, flashed upon me, but was
instantly discarded as foreign to the
people among whom / was travelling.
The moonlight now fell upon the
curtaiued bed opposite to, me, end
saw the tattered drapery move, as II
the frame upon which it was suspended
were agitated. ..s",r.. s.'. F... ..
watched, confess, with more pc
culiar feelings of interest. l was not
alarmed. but an unaccountable anxiety
crept over me. ...y .,.y ac
At length the curtain parted, and a
naked human leg was protruded
through its folds; the foot came with
dumb, death.like sound to the floor,
resting there, it seemed to me, at least
half minute before the body to which
it belonged was disclosed to my view.
Slowly, then, pallid and unearthly-
looking figure emerged from the couch,
and stood with its stark lineaments
clearly drawn against the dinRy cur
tains behind it. 20 '' DO. .'+ IT,
1t appeared to be balancing itself for
a moment, and then began to move
along from the bed.
But there was something horribly
unnatural in its motions. Its feet came
t. the floor with dull, heavy sound,
as if there was no vitality in them.
Its arms hung apparently paralyzed
by it's side, and the only nerve set rig
idly in the frame appeared about its
brow. The eyes were dilated and fixed
with the expression Of CHASTITY horror,
and the petrifed lips moved not, as the
hideous moaning, which came from the
bottom of the chest, escaped them.
1t began to move across the floor in |
the direction of my bed, its knees at
every step being drawn up with sud-
den jerk to the body, and it's feet com
ing to the ground as if they were moved |
by some mechanical impulse, and were
wholly wanting in the elasticity of liv-
ing members.
1T approached my bed, and mingled
horror and curiosity kept me still,
1t came and stood beside it, and,
/ chung to my couch, moving
only to the farther side.
Slowly, and with the same unnatural
it pursued me thither, and
again | changed my position. 1t placed !
itself then at the foot of my bed, and,
moved by its piteous groans, I tried to /
look calmly at it. @ ......s -.a
1 endeavored to rally my thoughts
10 reason with myself, and even to
speculate upon the. nature of the object
before me- 3,E..E t Ei.t4 %Nb
One idea that went through my brain
vas too extravaganza not to remember.
thought, among other tn ngs, that the
phantom was corpse, animated for the
by some galvanic process, in
order to telrify me.
Then, as | recellected that there was
10 one in the village to carry such
rick into ef1ect-supposing even the
possible L rejected the
How, too, could those
.Mlul means be produced from an in
Inimaee being? eL Ga ",. 'Eg u vi
And yet it seemed as if everything
bout it was dead, except the mere Ca
liability Of moving it's feet and uttering
hose unearthly expressions of suffer
ng. q -- F"" Ii
The spectre, however, if SO it may be
alled, gave me but little opportunity
or reflection" Its ghastly limbs were
aised anew with the same automatic
movement, aud placing one of its feet
N the bed, while its CLASSY eyes we-e
ixed steadfastly upon me, it began
lowly stalking towards my pillow. I
/ confess that l was now imam agony
# terror. 1 sprang from the couch and
led from the apartment. The keen
ightedness of fear enabled me to dis :
over an open closet on the other side
f the hail. Springing into it, closed |
he door quickly after me. 1t had
either lock nor bolt, but the closet was
o narrow that by placing my feet
gainst the opposite wall 1 could brace |
ack against the door so as to hold it !
gaiust any human assailant who had
MY his arm for lever. /
The perspiration of mortal fear
'arted upon my forehead rs heard the
lpernatural tread of the strange visit
Al II