Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1885-11-25
A NIGHT OF TERROR.

A correspondent of the Baltimore Ameri-
can writing from Piedmont, w. Va, says
Strange things happen on these old
mountains and the half of the curious oc-
currcnces are never told The writer few
weeks since spent several days deer hunt
ing on the mountains. Game was scarce,
but the party was lively one, and we had
a good time. \ storm one night compelled
the party to stop at farm. house and ask
shelter. A typical, hospiable Southern col
onel asked us to remain and make ourselves
at home. Among the large family gathered
about the supper table the writer was rar-
tcularIy impressed By strengthening
woman who sat at the lower end Of the
table and was not introduced By the Col
onel and had nothing to say. Her face was
thin and haggard, and wore an expression
of settled melancholy. After tea niece OF
the strengthening lady, with whom the
writer engaged in conversation, told hi'a
the following thrilling story of her aunts
fearful experience, which bad affected her
mind and whiteuca her hair when she was
but nineteen years old:
"Besse Knowing had been invited TO
spend the Christmas holidays with an auat
living about ten miles from HGrper's Ferry.
She accepted the invitation, and in due
time arrived ct her destination, where she
was warmly welcomed. Several other guests
had arrived week previous to my aunt, so
that the house was literally packed, leay-
ing no accommodations for another Wis
ito:. On the lawn, short distance from
The mansion, had been built one-room
cabin. 1t had been comfortably fur
nished by the hostess in anticipation Of
an emergency of the present character.
The hostess stated to her niece that she
would he obliged to place her temporarily
in this cabin unless she objected to the ar
rangement. by aunt was naturally Of a
hold, adventurous disposition, and lacked
TIC natural timiGity of most girls, so that
she quietly agreed to the plan. Tired out
with her trip, she told her aunt that she
would like to retire early, SO fire was built
on the cabin hearth and everything maize
comfortable for the night. My aunt was ac-
companied by her hostess to the cabin be-
fora she retired, and sat with her for some
time talking over family affairs. IS she
started to leave she discovered that the bolt
had been broken off the door, necessilating
her locking the door on tho outside to keep
everything secure This she did after bid.
ding her niece an aiiectiopete good night.
Aunt Bess, after sitting by the lire Cor some
Il,
parent premonition Of what WAS about TO
occur disturbing her. She finally disrohed,
ard . fter rep!enishing the lire retired. She
tossed about uneasily for awhile, and then
fell into titful, restless slGmher. She awake
several hours later with = violent start, the
same uncanny instinct warning her of the
close proximity Of some dread object. The
| fire WAS burning low on the hearth, and
as the night was intensely cold, the
cabin was slowly getting cbilcr. 1t wss
| near daylight, but she still felt that horri-
BILE dread. u Of approsc ching calamity. She
listened for some time, when she heard
something move oGce or twice under the
bed. She nearly tainted from fright, but
having reassured herself into the belief it
was merely dog, turned over TO go to
sleep. Suddenly she felt the bed move, ac-
companiet by loud yawn. She was
nearly overcome as she realized that tho
strange inmate was not, as she had imagined
| dog, but must be a man. She lay III con-
stant dread for several minutes, not daring
to stir, for fear of betrayiug her presence,
| but tinally decided to make a sudden dash
and gain the door and liberty. She was on
the point of putting her resolve into execu-
| ton, when she suddenly remembered that
the door was locked on the outside, and
that she was practically prisoner aud at
ths mercy of the unknown intruder. She
laid quietly in bed. moving 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 agonizing length along, till the irst
streak of daylight appeared. The monster
several times during these awful hours raised
the bed, causing its occupant to experience
untold agony Of apprehension.
Finally, the object crawled out from un:
der the bed. It proved TO be man clothed
in tattcrs with the fragments of heavy iron
shackles hanging to his wrists aud ankles
The hair and beard of the strange visitor
hanging below his shoulders. The brute
stretched his full length out by the fire, snd
giving q grunt of satisfaction, fell into s
deep Sleep. The occupant Of the bed, real
iZing that ct daybrcak she would inevitably
he discovered, cast her eyes wildly around
for q hiGirS place. The heavily curtained d
recess in one Of the windows caught hel
eve. and she Instantly resolved to make q!
effort to reach it. Raising herself quietly
on her hands, she crept noiselessly from thu
he'd, and reached the window in safety
| From this point of vantage she looked will
aponizipp dread on tho sleeping brute
Overcome with fatigue and fear she was al
paost in the act of sinking to the floor whel
she suddenly became aware of the bayin!
of hounds and the rapid hoof beats of gal
loping horses. They approached neare
aud nearer. till she could distinguish tn:
excited voices Of the riders. She realiz =
suddenly that thcy were on the track .
ibe strange intruder, and silently PRAYED
Tor immediate succor. The voices diet
away IN tho distance, grew louder and thsi
sank fainter, the alternate conflict of hop
nnd Eaar q lost rand arinn hnr frantic rlfh q,