The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1883-02-13
Seierf Sfnry.
A STRANGE STORY.

night In l0- was sitting IN my ONCE
reading ever my well-thumbed copy OF
the Codes, hunting up the law OF mur-
der. l was smoking my pipe and had
gotten up to stir up the embers In my
stove, when | saw from my window,
which fronted on the public square, 8
man walking along in what seemed to
be d deep meditation. His hands were
locked behind him, his head dropping
on his hreast and his step was slow and
weary. A dog followed at his heels The
dog was fierce looking bulldog. 1t
was a clear, cold night bitterly cold
and the moon shone with such brilliancy
overhead as to light up the square. The
rays OF the moon, added to the witness
of the snow which covered the ground a
foot in depth, made the night as clear as
day. The hour was late and / was sur
prised 10 see any one out of doors al
such sn hour. The villagers we're long
since at home and not light from my
window could be seen. My curiosity
was aroused and having marked my
page and placed my book on the table !
went to The window. | watched the
man with great deal of interest AS
In al western towns the court house
stood in the center of the square; it was
solid old stone building with immense
ly thick walls which were supported by
hultresses that julted out at each corner
OF the fur walls A tall spire rose from
the building. in which the old brszen
bell had rung out it's various calls for a
century or more. This spire cast long,
slender shadow over the square The
shape of the shadow being Triangular
the spex of It reached directly under my
window. 10 my desire to satisfy my Gu
riosity about the solitary man whom |
had seen, / walked to my door so as to
be out of the shadow OF the spire. |
stepped out on the porch and saw a
strar ger figure than before creeping
along in the darkness of tie shadow OF
the spire, every now and then with a
basty movement gliding into the corners
where the huttresses weie. My aston
ishmtnt and interest arose to great de-
gree. / softly stepped back into the
threshold of my door so as to be hidden
from the view of both men, but where
could plainly see everything. 1t ives
growing exciting now, and my heart
against my breast with noise,
as / thought, that could be heard by
both men. When The man with the dog
had reached the town pump and had
stopped to dirk from The nozze, the
person who had been creeping along in
The shadow stopped suddenly out into
tie moonlight and with an oath rushed
upon the first man. The man at the
pump turned quickly at the sound of
rapid footsteps approaching and, seeing
a man with arm upraised and brandish-
ing a large knife rushing toward him.
fed with loud scream OF terror. The
log faced the pursuer; he seemed to he
from a dog into fiend
With eyes fairly darting ire, every bris-
lie on bis body standing up like quilts
On a porcupine, he waited for his ap-
proach With, a growl of fec ce anger
he spraug Of the throst Of the man with
The knife. But the dog was beaten down
by the man who rushed on in pursuit
My tongue was parall z2d; /; | tried 10 call
ou'. With nv eyes almost starting from
their sockets ard all power o! motion
having LETT my body, l saw the pursuer
gain his victim-and @ith another oath
plunge his weapon up to the hilt three OF
four times into the body of the scream.
ing man; the murdered one fell and the
murderer cast his knife into the snow
and aed. Bv that time | had regained
my senses; | am old and easily ex-
cited; | rushed toward the body of the
murdered man, and when / had nearly
reached it The body and the dog, which
had crept TO its masters side and was
licking the dead mans wounds, had dis
stopped and stared at the
snow where ! had seen the dead man
lying With every nerve in ny frame
q vering with pain and excitement reel
ed and ie'l fainting in the sncw.
When regained CONSCIOUSNESS | was
lying in the snow where l had fallen
Dazed and faint with cold and the ex-
citement of the scene | had witnessed !
arose and crept to nv office. Nearly
stupe6ed could not recall for moment
why | had tainted, I.crouched over my
stove and tried 10 collect my thoughts
Nv brain whirled amidst chaos OF con-
dieting emotiou'--doubt, fear and belief
The steve having warmed my chilled
body, with nameess dread / went to
my door and peered cautiously out, fear
ing lest | sfould see repetition Of that
awful scene. But all was quiet and not
a soul could be seen 1t was nearly two
O'Clock and the villagers were asleep.
The moon was still shining brightly and
made each fake of snow shine with the
lus,er of q priceless diamond Not a
blot or a feot track marred the white
carpet of snow that covered the ground
Nevertheless when l closed my door
double locked it and rolled my table
against it. / pnllei ms window-blind
down aud lighting my pipe sat down to
think over the startling incidents OF the
night never had used liquor; l could
net attribute it TO that. NV mind was
perfectly clear at the time; ! had never
experienced an optical deluslon. l would
swear on ny dying bed that saw these
men, heard ibsscreams of the murdered
man at each stroke of the knife. heard
the gruwl Of the dog and even the crunch
ing of the crisp snow as the men ran
over it; I saw The body as it lay there
with red blood gushing from the wounds
ard staining The snow do not believe
in the supernatural; and as relate this
years afterward believe now as firmly
as I did then that these strange things
took place. But let me go on and relate
the incidents that followed this strange
occurrence.
On the next morning I went to old
Squire Harris to dinner The Squire
and his family were the arlstocrats Of
the place; their home was grand old
mansion on high hill that overlooked
the lovely little valley in which the vii
lsge nestled. II was the habit of the
Squire to give dinner once month
to all of his friends in the village. ]
was one OF his particular friends and
n NOD many a kindness IN the uoo old