Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1886-09-10

and surprised and puzzled l waited there
moment listening TO the heavy snore
I of Mr.. --- and the gentler sccompani-
ment from his wife coming regularly
from their chamber. Satisfied that the
raps came from no earthly visitant, and
thinking l was little nervous, went
| back TO my chair, but had hardly seated
myself when an icy cold draught of air
rushed over me like breeze from the
north pole. causing me TO jump up and
look around. A large Newfoundland dog,
the handsomest l ever saw. solemn and
stately, walked slowly ny me with meas
ured steps, never looking to right or left,
but went straight to the foot of the bed
an old fashioned sofa bedstead and stood
looking at the lady. l supposed he was
pet of hers and had wandered into her
room, perhaps from missing her down
stairs. But fearing he might waken her
IN her critical condition. went softly to
him to send him out. Iwaved my hand,
whispering, Go out, go DOWN AsI
looked to see him mind he disappeared
lnstantly-before my eyes. Twas thoro-
ughly excited. 1 hastily glanced all
over the room-under furniture. ont at
the doOr-no dog anywhere. What did
1t mean: l bathed my face in cold water,
&c - III tdblt MLtu growing weary, TO
rouse my senses. The old clock in the
hall now struck twelve times. How loud
and yet how sad it sounded. Tur.ing
again to my patient, who was quietly
sleeping, saw on the pillow sleeping be-
side her, with her left arm thrown across
her form, the face of an old woman.
looking directly at me with her dark
piercing eyes, while her struggling gray
hair was floating over the pillow The
arm was bare | could see the cords and
veins and her shriveled hand. And those
eyes never left me! l rubbed mine and
laid my hand on the pillow. Nothing |
could touch! Yet there was the old face
with the anxious eyes, and there was the
floating gray hair as plain as | ever saw
anything in my life. l looked again at
the hand stretched out as if to pet and
protect the sleeper. And noticed the
freckles on it! l said to myself:
/ have been working too hard and am
getting crazy.
| wanted full light, for l determined
to know if all this was waking night
mare, or what it could be. But Just as |
moved the gas went out entirely. And
when | reached it was obliged to turn
it on and light it again. Some one had
TUNED it off! | looked back, the face and
arm had vanished.
| said to myself:
What does all this mean: Those raps,
that big dog, this old woman
plnched my arm to see if | was
awake, and wishing to do something to
prove whether l was dreaming or in pos
session of my senses, l pinned up the
hem of my dress with half dozen pins,
and, not satisfied with that, took a num-
Der of matches from the safe on the man
tie and laid them in a straight row on one
side of the bureau.
Nothing more occurred of this super
natural style. And 1 sat by my patient
until morning wondering over what had
passed.
"When daylight at last came | found
the hem of my dress pinned up and the
matches in straight row, just as | had
placed them.
ION going to breakfast | remarked that
their handsome Newfoundland dog came
up to the room last night. They said:
Dog: Why, we have no dog
And they knew of no such dog any
where about them. Then | told what had
occurred in the night, when an old aunt,
who lived in the family, exclaimed:
"'Rebecca is going to die!"
hen they tOid me or rapS they mad
heard the Friday previous, and how they
had gone down stairs and gone to all the
doors, but found no one, and while down
stairs the next morning they all heard
shrill scream apparently from Rebecca's
room. They rushed up only to find her
sitting quietly by the window, look
ing out upon the park, peaceful and hap
Ply.
Didn't you cry out or call just now!
was asked.
And she replied, with surprise:
why, no, 1have just been sitting here
still as possible
'Mr. -- then asked me if l could de
scribe the old lady. l did, and they all
looked aghast.
"'Could you tell her picture do you
think
Il was sure that | could know that face
anywhere. So they brought large pho
tograph album, and there were several
other old ladies there, but l picked out
mine of the night before as the identical
old woman, and was told she was the
grandmother of the patient, who had
made great pet of her, bringing her up
after her mothers death.
That next night the poor lady died in
great agony, and calling on US to take
away the people she saw about her. 1t
was sad case. There had been some
trouble, some great mystery, in her life,
as | afterward learned.
The doctor, when he called after her
death, exclaimed at my looks, and re-
peated the facts to him. He smiled and
said | was all worn out and needed rest,
that nervous fatigue had merely produced
an optical illusion; go home and sleep a
day or two, and l should come out all
right L presume that was so. 1 went
home and was sick myself for nearly two
, weeks.
And that is all the story" said Mrs.
Rogers, "and l cannot stop minute Ion
ger, for Mrs. S. is waiting upstairs for
her electricity. Don't let the dog and old
woman keep any of you awake tonight,
for | don't believe 1t myself"
And off the blessed dear went to her
round of duties, while we still sat by in
the dim light and discussed possibilities
and probabilities, and as usual came to
no conclusion.
/ hot do