The Delaware farmer., 1883-11-23

the voice groaned, as if in pain. ]
knew the voice to be that of a negro OF
hideous aspect and gigantic size, whom
one Of my ancestors had scourged to
death. That voice threatened us with
direful disasters, and made the night
hideous with its cries. It always came
in the gray of the evening, and stayed
all night. The recollection of these
horrors, that had escaped my memory,
terrified me. Ny wife saw that I was
unnerved, and clung closely to me.
repeating in trembling tones, "I am
afraid, am afraid, am afraid" I
tried to restore her courage, but I could
not. looked at her, and saw that she,
too, recollected the dreadful tale. We en-
deavored to leave the house, but could
not. Then we esoughtrefuge IN the par
lor, and trembling awaited, we knew
not what Suddenly barbaric tune
was beaten on the floor above us, as
trough T70Uud6d UUIG VIII i TTT CTUD,
and the voice spoke tauntingly, saying:
"To-night you shall see me-" An ire
sistible force drew US to our bedroom.
The column Of vapor descended the
stairs and entered it and foated out Of
the window. Then we sought to escape
from the dreaded voice by hiding in
dark corners; but the voice tauntingly
called us forth.
Finally, in despair, weentered the
parlor, and there the end came. Forth
from the solid wall strobe a gigantic
naked negro. His flesh was scored as
though with a whip. Blood marked the
trail as he walked. He stalked toward |
us. With an exultant grin he glared |
iercely at u.s. Then he slowly stretched |
out his hand, as though to grasp my
wife's yellow hair. An overpowering
base and cowardly terror seized me.
My only fear was that the black spectre
would grasp me instead of my wife.
She clung to me with twining arms,
"Protect me ! Save me p
Basely I thrust her from me toward the
hand of the gigantic black.
She looked at me lovingly, notreprOach-
ully, and with a kind, forgiving smile on
Ter face, fell dead at my feet. With
scorn the negro pointed his
lOrny index finger at me and said, "a
coward The first Of his race, " and dis
with a crash that always
Weakened me-"
The ex-Confederate ceased talking
Or an instant while he lit a fresh cigar,
nd then he said: "That is Johnson's
ision. 1t never varies a particle, and
e sees it if he drinks so much as one
lass of whisky. Of course you all un-
erstand that there is not any ground
or the vision. It is, from beginning to
nd, an alcoholic phantasm.
''Then there was Wallace, and the
arratOr smiled at his memories. ellis
as a queer case of physical recollec-
on of flight and drunken hiding.
Wallace got drunk in town q am talking
{ Northern Alabama), and while drunk
OF into trouble. Being hard pressed,
e drew his pistol and killed his oppo-
ent, who was a worthless creature.
he dead mans friends, also worthless !.
gathered in an excited crowd.
7allace, partly sobered, realized his
niger, and resolved to get out of town v
possible. His horse stood in the shed. u
Tallace kept the crowd off by pistol II
footing, that may have been a little .
until he was mounted.
Y this time some of the dead mans
ENDS were also mounted. Wallace fed U
ID was hotly pursued His plantation :
as some eight miles the other side Of 4
e river. The pursuing horsemen cut =
m off from the bridge by riding up a y y
lie street. Seeing this he turned his a a
rse and rode down the river bank at y
4 gallop. 1t was quite dark by this IL
ne. After riding about a mile down =
e river bank he spurred his horse into "
e stream. His horse carried him
ross safely and cIambered up the OPP
site bank.
wallace rode into the heavy forest n
the full gallop. He remembered no :,
,re of that nights experience. The -
xt morning he awoke in a darkened q
om. He was lying on a rough, dirty -
or. Staggering to his feet he felt
,und his unknown quarters until he '"
md hole in the floor. A ladder had :
en- thrust through this opening and a. a.
oiected couple of feet above the a a
or. He descended the ladder and -
md himself in basement, one side of n, N