St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1886-07-31

her mistress back hair in q heap, ant
fitted over 1t the night-cap, had left the
chamber, and had come downstairs
As she passed the dining-room. sht
saw that there was still light in it
and thinking that the candles had no,
been extinguished, she entered precipi
lately to put them out. There in the
dead of night she stood. and saw before
her monstrous black bear fast asleer
before the fire, snoring loudly, with its
head on the table and its snout up in
the air, its hind paws upon the fender
a silk pocket-handkerchief over one
knee, and q book on its lap. Nc
wonder that she dropped her candle
and screamed.
But the shrek which testified to heI
fear frightened NJ. Quite out of the few
senses he did possess. He sprang up,
bewildercd with his dreams, confused
with the fumes of wine, and alarmed al
the suddenness of his rericl. Opposite
him was mirror. He forgot entirely
all the circumstances connected with the
assumption of the bear-skin, and with
the last impression produced by Bodin
and by his dream stamped upon his
brain, he jumped to the conclusion that
-he was bewitched, and that he had
been transformed into a werewolf.
Full of this idea. he dashed past the
terror-stricken maid; and his wife, who
had rushed to the landing, saw a fright
full monster bounding downstairs,
uttering howls sufficiently loud to awake
the dead, heard it unlock the front
door and burst into the street. There
upon she tainted away.
NJ. Oufle. impelled by terror, ran
along the street yelling for assistance.
He was naturally provided with a deep
but sonorous bass voice, but his voice
sounded hollow and fearful through his
hideous visor. A few terrified people
appeared in their night-caps at the
windows, only to run back to their beds
and bury themselves beneath the
clothes.
A watchman, who had started on his
rounds. came upon him suddenly as he
turned the corner. and, dropping his
lantern, beat precipitate retreat.
In the adjoining street lived . fair
damsel of considerable personal, but
superior pecuniary, attraction. who
was loved to distraction by grocer's
The young man had made
the ladys acquaintance as he served in
the shop. and had breathed his love
over the cheeses he sold. His addresses
had been countenanced by the be-
loved one. but were discouraged by the
parents, who had not permitted the
devoted youth to set foot within their
doors. The apprentice had no other
means open to testifying his devotion,
than by hiring a band of street
musicians to perform at the rate of two
francs an hour during the silent
of the night. below the window
of the adored. On the present occasion
the band was performing the Descent
of Mars" when discordant
howl in their ears produced a
sudden pause in their music not noted
in their score. and the apparition of a
bear running into the
midst of them upon its hind legs, with
ears and stumpy tail cooked up, pro-
iuced such a panic among the sons of
Orpheus. that they cast their instru-
ments from them and took to their
heels. Not so the grocer's apprentice.
True love knows no fear. He flew to
he door of his beloved, and cast him.
'elf before it, determined to perish in
ler defence. But the monster, with
'ut perceiving him, ran on repeating
Is dolorous howls.
A party of students from the Univer-
'ity were that evening going their
performing feats of heroism,
If which they might boast among their
These feats were not at
ended with much dauger, and yet the
of them was an object of
ambition. They consisted
imply in breaking lamps. and wrench !
ng the knockers off doors. Some
'eople might think that the smashing
# street lamp was an operation
within the scope of the most infantine
bilities; that the wrenching of a |
,nocker from a door was neither a |
nor a very heroic, act. But |
hese people are entirely mistaken.
he police occasionally interfere and
apture one of those engaged in these
cts; and if captured. it costs the |
tudent several francs to bribe the |
fficer to let him escape. Consequent
', the ringing of a street bell at
lidnight is regarded by University
len as an achievement equal to the
ravest deed of tried General, and the
reaking off of a knocker is supposed to
ankvery much on the leve lwith the
roudest trophy of blood-stained
eld.
On the night in question four valiant
ollegians were engaged on the hazard
us undertaking of screwing up the
oor of worthy citizen. an act of
onsummate ingenuity and sublime
Suddenly wild and un-
arthly yell ringing through the hushed
light, broke upon their ears. In
tantlv the four students paused and
armed pale. In another moment they
sw diabolical object moving rapidly
own the street towards them. The
oung men shrank against the wall,
ach endeavoring to get behind the
ther, and reversing the proverb of the
'eakest going to the wall, for in their
.ruggle the ablest-bodied secured that
whilst the feeblest was the
lost exposed. and served as screen
, the other three. The approaching
lonster stood still for an instant, and
lev were able to observe him by the
an light of the crescent new moon,
nd tho dickarinU q oil lamn e1nnu ooroso