Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1886-08-07

with it at Victoria station. One Of
my wagons was there waiting to take
the body to my place, where was
instructed to keep it until the next
morning, when the proper parties
would call to make arrangements
about the burial.
So far of course, there was moth
ing specially remarkable about the
affair. 1t is little unusual in such
cases not to find some one connect
ed with the deceased accompany the
body but / hardly gave that matter
second thought. / had no doubt
but that the right persons would APP
pear later in the day
aWhen I got to my shop, it still
lacked two hours Of daylight, and,
as / felt no slight responsibility, |
didn't think of going home, but
made myself as comfortable as pos
sible in my office for the rest of the
night. You must bear in mind that
all the sleep | had secured was a
broken, uneasy slumber on the jour
ney from Dover to London, and
when | went to sleep in my chair, af-
ter stirring the fire into blaze, |
slept very soundly-yery soundly,
that is, for awhile, for it was still
dark when | woke up in q sudden
and startling way,
"Have you ever wondered" the
undertaken asked, turning his eyes
full upon mine for the first time
since he had begun his story, what
mysterious influence that is which
makes you feel another presence in
the same room as yourself, though
you hear no one and see no one? It's
q queer feeling at any time, but /
don't know of any occasion when it
can seem more queer and awful than
when it comes to q man locked up in
the dead of night with nothing but
black plumes and grave-clothes and
pals and collins about him.
He turned his eyes to the floor
again, and cold tremor crept
trough my own flesh in the brief and
ominous pause he made before he
vert on in lower voice
"That was the feeling l had when
I suddenly woke from sound sleep
to full consciousness with chilling
Of horror. | was sitting be-
fore the fireplace, with my back to
the door that led from the office to
the shop. I had purposely left the
door ajar. The fire had died down
to dull glow, and it seemed to me
that q breath from the Arctic zone
had penetrated the room. | cannot
describe the kind of cold it was.
Ny very bones seemed to be ice,
And then I felt that presence"
The undertaken seemed terribly
affected even now by his recollec-
tions of that night. 1t was impossi-
bic to resist the infection, and my
own flesh was creeping in very I'M
comfortable way. He made a strong
effort to recover himself and steady
his voice, but, in spite ofall, it trem-
bled with an ever deepening terror
as he went on, curdling my very
blood in sympathy.
IL had turned the gas out when |
sat down in my chair to sleep, so
that the only light in the Groom came
from the dying fire. l became
aware of that presence the very in
slant awoke. Mind, sir, this is not
a dream. I was as fully awake as I
am at this moment. The thing was
there 1t was at the back of me.
1t was between me and the door |
had not to turn my head to see it.
But / knew it was therel Who it
was, or what it was, / didn't know ;
but / was sure that some living
thing was standing behind me mo-
tionless in the dim, ghostly light,
and was looking at me, My God,
sir it was awful to sit still and feel
ox1 49,, mn =,