Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1883-05-08
An Awful Night.

An Awful Night.
$50 you want me to give you an Incl
dent in my experience" said a well
known drummer, while party of the
Commercial hustle" craft sat around q
stove at q country hotel at Arkansaw
where the lateness of a train had, and
greatly against their will, it may be
trnthfully said, caused them to congre
gate.
GIVE been on the road long time, I"
he continued, sands great may acct
dents have befallen me, but little ex-
perience I had recently in the north
western part of this State, steps few
feet in advance of anything which has
ever been visited upon me. One even
ing, at the close of the day whose low
ering skies and damp atmosphere made
me feel uneasy lest should have to re
main out all night, L reached small
house situated near beautiful little
stream, just comfortably settled on the
graceful slope of one of the many pictur-
esque valleys which render that coun
try the perfection of magnificent and
changful scenery. The owner of the
place was very courteous, asked me to
get down and linger at the short neck of
q long Jug; which did, you know; but
dismal night, and recounted the many
dangerous stumbles which my horse had
made even in daylight, and asked him
if he could accommodate me with a
place to sleep, regardless of white sheets
and pillow shams. When I pressed my
entreaties, he shook his head ominous-
ly. At length, considering the gather
ing gloom of a night amid whose black
ness any courage would quail to wan
der, he said:
mister, no man more than / am is
disposed to accommodate stranger. but
the truth is, there are but two rooms to
our house, both of which are occupied by
the family, and there is no place for you
to stay except"
Except whereof" asked eagerly.
Except in the old stone mill down
by the creek yonder."
why not stay there ?" asked.
mot because you would fail to find
comfortable quarters, for there is a pref
ty good bed in room that is far from
mean, but because"
Because what p / asked impatiently
because the place is haunted
Nonsense" L replied. 1T is the old
story. Give my horse something to eat
and show me the place.
II do not advise you to take this STEP"
he said, while an almost deathly pallor
spread over his face. 81 was once in
credulOus, but l ana convinced now
Why, cir, in the very room where you
would attempt to find rest, three men
were murdered during the war Since
then the ghosts Of these men visit the
room nightly"
He complied reluctantly, and led me
down the hill to an old stone tower-like
house. He seemed to be in great dread OF
something. for, as he opened the door
and heard the rats running away he
shoox violently. laughed at his fears
and followed him up steep stairway in
to large room containing bed made
mostly of cornsacks. A large fire place
gaped at one end of the apartment, and
a piece of boiling cloth which served as
q curtain for the high, narrow window,
trembled in the spears of wind which
came through broken places in the glass.
'I'll take care of your horse. 1 hope
the Lord will take care of you, "were my
companions parting words.
heard him stumbling down stairs,
and when heard the downstairs door
close, looked around for fire wood, for the
air of the room was chilly. Finding q
broken beam and few pieces of frame
work, / kindled a fire, and lay down for
the night, smiling at the superstition of
OF my ignorant bat kind host The fire
blazed brightly, and even after my piece
of candle had burned away, lay there
watching the spider webs shiver at each
fresh blast of wind. Gradually every
thing grew indistiuct and l dozed. A
falling chunk awoke me, with some
thias, of a start confess, and again |
lay looking around. Again I dozed -
Suddenly sprang up. Something cold
had touched my face. The fire was
burning low, and getting up raked the
chunks together and soon had bright
blaze. I lay down again and bad per-
suaded myself that L had been dream
ing, when whack something struck
me- across my face. [ sprang up but
could see nothing. I sat on the edge OF
the bed. When suddenly my blood ran
through my veins with a shock as
though the blood had been withdrawn
and ice water introduced. A white
shadowy something hung before me,
and extending from it a cold hand
came and rested on my head, sending q
shi7er over me. Two more figures sud
denly appeared and walked to and fro
10 front of me. The first figure did not
remove its hand, but pressed down up
oD me and rendered me poWerless to
stir or cry out"
1t was all a dream" said one of the
drummers, moving away from his shad-
ow reflected by the window glass.
mo, boys, I'll swear it was not q
DREAM" continued the narrator. "The
hand pressed harder and harder, and in
vain did try to cry for assistance
One of the figures dashed something
cold over me, and Ishivered convulsive.
~. Another one danced before me in
horrible fashion, and then the two en-
acted tragedy, showing how the triple
murder was committed. Then 1 be-
came unconscious and knew no more
until morning, when the sun, stream
ing through the little window and its
gauzy curtain, restored me to conscious.
ness. was sitting upon the bed. Look
ing up among the rafters, 7 saw hand
covered with blood"
Look here, ''said one of the drummers
ARE you certain that 1t was not q
dream? ?"
Eyes"
Can you account for it?''
Eyes, SIR"
"How?"
Easy enough. The whole thing ia a
lie!n