The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1886-05-07

" 4Qb q D1tol JOhC Ulio W 90 OQ JIl4bus
who was undoubtedly reposing beauti-
fully in room los, at the st. Charles,
unconscious of the strange escapade I
had gotten him into. / resolved to
write to the xoung lady as soon as I
left the city, informing her Of my little
deception and introducing the original
Smith, whom was quite sure would
fall head over ears in love with her at
sight Poor Smith, was just mapping
out his future most beautifully, when
Morpheus seized me and carried me off
into dreamland.
s'About midnight I was awakened by
a slight noise in the room. / listened,
but all was as still as death Appar
emily the whole household had fallen
into slumber. i attributed the sound
to my own imagination, and was about
to compose myself to slumber. when a
cold chill crept over me. was sensi-
Bile of a near presence. The room was
intensely dark and I could see nothing.
Neither could my faculties, which were
now thoroughly acute, perceive the
slightest movement or sound. Yet my
blood ran cold with the premonition of
evil. could feel cold sweat break
ing out all over me-the chill crept to
the very roots of my hair.
with a sudden bound | leaped from
the bed The matches were on table
near. Istruck one and looked around,
half expecting to see some uncanny
shape leap out of the gloom and attack
me; but the room was empty. | little
lamp and examined the apartment
carefully, but all was as secure as when
I retired.
with an impatient condemnation of
my weakness | went to bed again,
leaving the lamp burning low. AS |
| am no believer in haunted houses and
my digestion is unusually good, soon
sank into deep slumber
"About two hours later, however, /
was again awakened by thatmysterious
sensation. Again the cold chills, be-
tokening some evil unknown presence,
crept over me. A terrible presentiment
took possession of me. / dared not
move for a second. My knees trem-
bled, the cold drops of moisture stood
on my brow. What could it be-this
awful presence that seemed to lay cold
fingers upon ME in the darkness and
wake me from my sleepp / lay there
shivering as though chilled by some
actual, icy touch for moment, then
Thy healthy, vigorous physique reas
! serted itself. [ was no coward even to
myself. | rose stealthily and erept to
the light, turning the full blaze on sud-
denly.
a 7<,l Il, II
The heavy portiere was thrown aside,
the folding-doors stood wide open.
Resolved to penetrate this mystery, |
stepped into the other room.
"a cry of horror escaped me as ]
did so. stood in the middle of the
floor, petriied, the very blood freezing
| iii my veins. There on the bed lay a
| man with his throat gashed from ear
to ear, the, red blood oozing slowly
upon the white Counterpart and the
rich carpet beneath. His wide eyes
were upturned to the ceiling, his white
face transfixed with the death agony.
''For second | stood there as If
| frozen to the spot, my senses reeling,
my hands clinched in sudden agony
of mortal terror; then like q flash OF
lightning the truth swept over me. A
| terrible crime had been committed.
The responsibility was to be laid on
| me. In the morning the police would
come to arrest me. What vestige of
power would [ have to disprove it?
''With sudden, quick energy born
of desperation, | went to my room and
dressed myself, leaving not the slight
est trace of my presence there. Assur-
ing myself that not card or slip of
paper was left as clew to my identity,
| [ took my boots in my hand and crept
noiselessly down the stairway.
''When [ reached the door beyond
the court shrank back in dismay. I
had forgotten it would be locked and
barred | entered the apartment where
| had been entertained the night before,
| hoping to find window unbolted.
70 my surprise heard voices and per-
| ceived a light emanating from the
| room adjoining. The door between
was slightly ajar | walked breath
| lessly across the room and peeped
through the crevice.
Horrors of horrors! What did I see
there? The fine, courtly old gentle
man of the night before seated at a
faro table, surrounded by motley
crowd, and my fine young lady, the
brilliant, sweet-voiced enchantress of
the dinner table, dealing out faro
blanks opposite!
"It was enough. | turned away.
realizing that / was in New Orleans. [
had gotten into one of the worst dens
of the French city, and the beautiful
creole was probably one of the motor
ious' characters had so often read of.
'No wonder my blood ran cold
What if / could not escape? These
were desperate characters, with whom
/ could not cope. The outlook was
terrifying.
II tried each window cautiously
They all resisted my efforts to raise
them; all but the last-that yielded a
little. | struggled nightly, with the
strength of despair. In doing SO my
hand touched a spring which | had not
perceived before. In an instant the
window was pushed up noiselessly and
with stealthy bound / leaped
through, landing unhurt on the ground
few feet below.
But what to do next? There was
that wall, surrounded by it's rows of
sharp nails. 1t would have been mad
ness to have attempted to scale it. The
gate was barred and fastened with a
heavy chain. / could not cry out for
assistance; that would have meant GER
tain death from those desperate, dark
browed men at the faro table. What
should / do? Again the cold drops of
moisture dampened my temple. Twas
frantic. What should do?''
/ John stopped in his narrative and lit
the cigarette Eugene had handed him a
little while before.
What did you doP'' Eugene was
impatient of the delay. He leaned for
ward anxiously. His own cigarette
had gone out. He had forgotten it in
| his absorbing interest.
| Eyes, what did you dop" Nell re-
peated the question with terrible
anxiety in her brown eyes. Her Ken
sington lay unheeded on the floor, he1
! elbows rested on her knees, one hand