San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1882-06-22
NIGHT INAHAUNTED HOUSE.
by IMINILD M'AULAY.

Night had already drawn her sable
robe around her. While the rain was
falling fast, the darkness only lighted
by vivid flashes of lightning, and the
stiffness broken only by deafenine
meals of thunder, / rode up to an old
dwelling-oh, blessed Providence shell
ter at last from this merciless storm!
I dismounted, secured my horse I'M
der an old shed which the lightning re-
yealed, and sought the house; entered;
tried my matches for light. They
were wet
What should do? Alone in an un-
known place, cold and wet, no light and
no fire?
Being much fatigued with my long
ride and almost frozen as the effect OF
INV recent drenchine, and feeling indie
scribably lonely, l rolled my dripping
blankets around nut and lay down on
the floor, seeking in vain for warmth
and sleep.
So / turned to examine the room,
which, by the almost incessant flashes,
I was enabled to do with some degree
of accuracy-could even distinguish
objects.
The room was large and elegantly
furnished-had evidently in times past
served as drawing room. All was ar
ranged with perfect taste. The pictures
which adorned the walls were among
the ahlest productions OF the old mas
tiers.
The room did not bear the appear
ance of desertion, but such it must have
been, for my horse and were the only
breathing objects about, so far as l could
discover.
At last, utterly exhausted, I sank into
q heavy slumber, which must have
lasted several hours, when l suddenly
awoke with start, feeling an awful SEN
sation of the presence OF some super
natural being.
I sat up and looked closely about
me. but could discover nothing.
The rain had ceased to fall, leaving
only the distant rumbling of thunder
and an occasional flash of lightning,
with the wind moaning about the house
like lost souls in Hades.
NV every nerve was quivering with
what? Was it fright? Was L so much
of a coward? L am not a coward, al
though | confess l was thoroughly
afraid-afraid of 1 knew not what. An
cry with myself for such feelings, l
again Law down and endeavored to COM
pose my self to sleep, and had succeeded
in reaching that state of drowsiness,
when one half sleeps and half wakes,
when suddenly smothered moan, fol-
lowed by a low, gurgling fendish
laugh, Just above me, caused me to
spring to my feet and grasp my revolver
with a confused idea of brigands.
I walked about the room, feeling (for
owing to the intense darkness / could
hope TO discover nothing by sight for
I knew not wi at; could discover moth
ING. Not a sound disturbed the still
ness but the ice of the wailing wind.
So, thinking n.yself the victim of some
hideous nightmare, once more sought
oblivion in sleep; but had no sooner
Quoted my quivering nerves than q
cold, clammy hand was drawn slowly
across my forehead, and the heavy
tread of a man on the carpet, followed |
by a iaugling sound. as of chains being
dragged across the floor.
l sat bolt upright and looked about
me, then sprang to my feet utterly hor-
ritied. Sleep was impossible.
Again that iangling sound of chains
overhead and a mans heavy step in the /
hall: a noise as of the door being
opened, quick, heavy tread on the
carpet, and the low murmur of voices
close to me.
Great horrorsl What kind of den
had / entered?
Twas horror-stricken. Cold perspir- ]
alton was cozing from every pore in
my body.
The voices and footsteps left the |
room, while the damp, clammy hand of
a man touched mine and impelled me /
to follow.
I followed the footsteps up broad
fight Of stairs, through q spacious hall ]