The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1882-02-18
A MANAGES FREAK.

u,
affected, am disposed to be incredulous
on the subject"
The above remark was made by DIR.
Maynard, as we sat on the piazza of his
pretty villa, discussing the different
effects of terror on dissimilar tempera-
nents. Without replying to me, the
doctor turned to his wife and said:
t'Helen, will you please relate to my
old friend the incident within your own
experience? IT is the most convincing
argument can advance"
II looked at Mrs. Maynard in surprise.
had observed that her hair, which was
luxuriant and dressed very becomingly,
was purely colorless, but, as she was
young woman, and also a very pretty
one, l surmised that it was powdered
to heighten the brilliancy OF her dark
eyes.
The doctor and I had been fellow
students, but, after leaving college, we
had drifted apart-I to commence prac-
tice in an Eastern city, he to pursue his
profession in q growing town in the
West. / was now on visit to him for
the first time since his marriage.
Mrs. Maynard, no doubt reading my
supposition by my look of incredulity,
smiled as she shook her snowy tresses
over her shoulder, and seating herself
by her husbands side, related the fol-
\ lowing interesting episode:
y 1t was nearly two years ago since my
husband was called on one evening to
visit a patient several miles away Our
domestics had all gone to wake in the
vicinity, the dead man being relative
of one of our serving women. Thus I
was left alone. But felt no fear, for we
never had heard of burglars or any sort
of desperadoes in our quiet village, then
consisting of a few scattered houses.
The windows leading out on the piazza
were open as now, but / secured the
blinds before my husbands departure,
and locked the ouGside doors, all except
the front one, which left for the doctor
to lock after going out, so that, if /
should fall asleep before his return, he
could enter without arousing me. I
heard the doctors rapid footsteps on the
gravel, quickened by the urgent tones of
q messenger who awaited him; and, after
the sharp rattle of the carriage wheels
had become but an echo, | seated myself
by the parlor astral, and very soon be-
came absorbed in the book I had been
reading before being disturbed by the
summons.
cumbed to drowsiness, and thought of
retiring. Then the clock in the doctors
study struck II, so determined to wait
few moments more, feeling that he
would be home very soon. / closed my
book, donned a robe de chambre, let
down my hair and then returned to my
seat to patiently wait and listen.
Not the fainteSt sound disturbed the
stiffness of the night. Not a breath of
air stirred the leaves. The silence was
so profound that it became oppressive.
longed for the sharp click of the gate
latch and the well-kno wn stem on the
gravel walk. / did not dare to break
the hush myself by moving or singing,
was SO oppressed with the deep hush.
The human mind is strange tortnrer of
itself. / began to conjure up vivid
fancies about ghostly visitants, in the
midst of which occurred to me the stories
/ had heard from superstitious people
about the troubled spirits of those who
had died suddenly, like the man whom
my servants had gone to wake" who
had been killed by an accident at the
saw mill.
In the midst of these terrifying re-
Elections was startled by stealthy foot
fall on the piazza. I listened between
fear and hope. It might be the doctor.
But no, he would not tread like that; the
step was too soft and cautious for any
thing less willy than cat. As listened
again, my eyes fixed On the window
blind, saw the slat move slowly and
cautiously, and then the rays of moon
disclosed thin, cadaverous face and
bright glittering eyes peering at me. Oh,
horrorl who was it, or what was it? .
felt the cold perspiration start ut
every. pore. / seemed to be frozen in
my chair. I could not move; could
not cry out; my tongue seemed glued to
the roof of my mouth, while tine deathly
white face pressed closer, and the great
eyes wandered in their gaze about
the room. In few moments the blind
closed as noiselessly as it had been
opened, and the cautious footsteps came
toward the door.
s.Merciful heavensp' cried in hor-
ror-stricken whisper. as heard tho key
turn in the lock, ''the doctor, in his
haste, must have forgotten to withdraw
the key"
/ heard the front door open, the step
in the hall, and, helpless as q statue, L
sat riveted to my chair. The parlor
door was open, and in it stood tall thin
man, whom never before beheld. He
was dressed in a long, loose robe, sort
of garbondine, and a black velvet fur
cap partially concealed broad forehead,
under which cleaned black eyes, bright
as living Goals, and placed so near to-
gether that their gaze was preternatural
in their distinctiveness; heavy grizzled
eyebrows hung over them like the
tangled name of the lion; the nose was
sharp and prominent, the chin was over
grown with white hair, which hung
down in locks as weird as the ancient
mariners. He politely doffed his cap,
bowed, replaced it, and then said, in a
slightly foreign accent.
MADAM, it is not necessary for me to
stand on any further ceremony, as your
husband, DR.. Maynard" here he again
bowed p4pfoundly. ''has already ac-
: quainted You with the nature of my
business here tonight. perceive he
added, glancing at my neglige robe,
that you were expecting me-"
No." ] found voice to stammer, "the
doctor has said nothing to me about a
visitor at this hour of the night"
'sAh! he wished to spare you, no
doubt, dfsagreeable apprehension, he
returned, advancing and taking seat on
the sofa opposite me, where for few
moments he sat and eyed me from head
to foot with strange glittering light in
his eyes that mysteriously impressed me.
s'You have remarkably fine physique,
maIaIn,s he observed quietly y-ssone
thGt might deceive the eyes of asosi
skilled and practieed physician. Do you
suffer much pain?'