The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1885-11-28
A Night of Terror.

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curious occurrences are never told.
The writer few weeks since spent .
several days deer hur ting on the
mountains, Game was scarce. but |
the party was lively one, and we
had good time. A storm one night !
compelled the party to stop at a farm
house and ask shelter. A typical, |
hoSpitable Southern colonel sked us
to remain and make ourselves at
home. Among the large family gath
cred about the supper table the writer
was particularly impressed Ivy a
strengthening woman who sat at
/ the lower end of the table and was
mot introduced Ivy the Colonel and
had nothing to say. Her face was
thin and haggard, and were an ex.
preston of settled melancholy dis.
ItrPssing to behold. Her hair was
snow white. After tea niece of the
strengthening lady, with whom the
writer engaged in conversation, told
him The following thrilling story of
her aunt'S fearful experience. which
had affected her mind and whitPned
fhPr hair when she was but nineteen
years old;
Bessie Knowing had been invited
to spend the Christmas holidays with
an aunt living about ten miles from
Harper's Ferry. She accepted the
invitation, and in due time arrived
at her destination, where she was
warmly welcomed. Several other
guests had arrived Il week previous
tn my aunt, So that the house was
literally packed, leaving no accom-.
mOlaliOnS for another visitor. On
the lawn, short distance from the
mansion, had been built One-roOm
cabin. 1t had been conf rIabIy furn-
| iShed Ivy the hostess in anticipation
of an emergency of the present chtr-
acter. The hostess stated to her niece
that she would he obliged to place
| her temporarily in this cabin unless
she objected To the arrangement. My
aunt was naturally Of Il bold, adven-
turouS disposition, and lacked the
natural limidity of most girls, so that
>he quietly agreed to the plan. Tired
out with her trip. she told her aunt
that she would like to retire early, so
a ire was built on the cahIn hearth
and everything made comfortable for
the night. My aunt was Hc.Onpan-
led by her hostess to the cabin before
she retired, aud sal with her for some
time talking over fami Y affairs. A.
she started to leave she discovered
that the bolt had been broken off the
door, necpSsitatiug her locking the
door on the outside to keep every
thing secure. This she did after bid
hing her niece an atfeciionate good
/ night. Aunt Be~S, after sitting Ivy
the fire for some time, became un-
easy and nervous, an apparent pre-
monition Of what was about To 0ccnr
disturbing her. She finally di-r0hed,
and after replpniShiug the fire, re-
tired. She tossed about unPaSiiy for
awhile. aud then f. into filful,
restless SlumhPr. She aWOkP several
hours later with violent start. the
same uncanny Instinct warning her
of the close proximity of SOME dread
I0ljpct. The fire WAS burning low on
the hearth. and as the night was III
tpn-rly cold, the cabin WAS slowly
getting chilIpr. 1t was near daylight
but she still felt that ht rriblp dread
as Of approaching calamity She lis
tend for some time, when she heard
something move once or twice under
The bed. She nearly tainted from
fright. but having treasured herself
into the belief ii was merely Il dog
turned over to 60 to asleep. Sud
: denly she felt the bed move. accom-
panied Ivy Il loud yawn. She WAS
the strange inmate WAS not, as she
had imagined, Il dog, hut must he II
man. She lay in constant dread for
several minutes, not daring to stir,
fer fear of hetrayin2 her presence
hut finally decided to make sud-
den dash and gain the door and lib
erty. She was on the point nt put.
ting her resolve into execution, when
she suddenly remembered that the
door was locked on the outside, and
y that she was practically II prisoner
and III the mercy of the unknuwu in.
truher. She laid quietly in bed, mOV-
ing neither hand nor foot, the horror
of the situation steadily increasing,
till she feared she would lose her
reason. The seconds and minutes
dragged their agonizng length along
till the first streak OF daylight APP
ppared. The monster several times
during these awful hours raised the
he'd, causing its occupant To expe-
ripnce untold agony of apprehension.