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

sight Of this monster coming within
arms length was too much for their
courage. With shrek they burst
past it, tumbling over each other. and
rolling down the doorsteps. picked
themselves up again and fled, palpitat-
ing, in four separate directions, calling
for the police, imploring the aid of that
august body which they had so long
set at defiance.
What tales they related on the
following morning to all the old ladies
OF their acquaintance, it is not for me
to record. One of the students broke
his sword, and vowed that he had
snapped it in his fight with the demon:
another exhibited the bruises he had
received in his fall. as evidence of the
desperate character of the conflict; q
third wore his arm in sling as though
it had been broken in the encounter,
and all agreed that the monster had
fled from them, and not they from the
monster.
The police! 80, horrorsr thought NJ.
Oufle. 'they have summoned the aid of
the police. l shall be captured, be
tried and sentenced, and burned at the
stake as a werewolf"
The fear of this urged him to retreat
stealthily homewards, least any of the
agents of justice should get sight of
him and carry him away to trial. If
he could but reach home he would inn
plore his wife to stab him with knife
between the eyes, and draw some drops
of blood, a sovereign cure for lycan-
thropy. But poor NJ. Oufle's head was
never very clear, and now it was in
thorough condition of bewilderment,
so that he completely lost himself, and
skunk about the streets in disconso-
late manner, vainly searching for his
own domicile. His bewilderment be-
came greater with every step he took;
and his confusion and alarm were not
little heightened by his stumbling
over an elderly gentleman, and leaving
him apparently dead of fright on the
pavement. 1t did not mend matters
when. hearing a facre driving by. he
suddenly stepped towards it and asked
the way of the driver-for the coach
man jumped off his seat in paroxysm
of terror, aud the horses, equally
frightened, ran away with the carriage.
whilst the people inside screamed
through the windows.
At last NJ. QUITE sat down on a door
step and gave himself up. to despair.
The stake was before him. and his
conjured up all the horrors
of his position, chained about the waist,
and dancing in the midst of the flames.
All at once a familiar voice smote
upon his ear-the voice of his eldest
SON. A ray of hope penetrated his
walked to meet his tirst-born. That
young gentleman was returning from
the masquerade ball at which he had
been figuring. He had imbibed con-
siderable amount of wine before he
left home, and he had absorbed little
more during the pauses in the dance.
He was accordingly scarcely sober. and
and as he returned, he sang or talked
to himself at the top of his voice. But
now he saw something which sobered
him instantly. This was nothing else
than his own masguerading habit of
bear-skin, which he had left hanging |
over the back of chair, walking
towards him, as though |
the spirit of the departed Bruin had re-
his forsaken skin, and was
coming in the dead of night to demand a |
with him who had dared to |
lse it as carnival habit He stood |
Ind looked at it with pale face and |
staring eyes, whilst q shudder ran |
through his frame.
If it had been within the limits of
physical possibility, he would have
sunk into his shoes. When he heard
his own name articulated in hollow
ones from the muzzle, he turned heel,
md fled like the wind. In vain did
n. Oufle call after him; the louder he
:alled. the faster fled the youth. and
he distracted father was obliged to
pursue his son. The race was run
With the utmost speed by both parties.
The young man was urged on by terror
est the skin should overtake him,
md NJ. Oufe dreaded losing sight of
lis son, lest he should at the same
ime lose all chance of reganing his
lome. When NJ. Quite. le jeune.
urned his white face over his shoulders,
he saw the creature gaining on him.
md heard its hollow calls. He lodged
rom street to street, but he invariably
xw the bear-skin double the corner
md rush after him. turn where he
would. 1t was in vain for him to hope
o throw it out. and at last he ran
traight for home. This he had left by
he garden. 1t was his custom to leave
he house by the back door, and clam
'er over the garden rails, whenever he
vent out on his night expeditions. and
low he made for the garden, hoping
o climb the rails and escape through
he door and lock it before the skin
ould overtake him.
He reached the ratings. 1t was a
lifficult and delicate matter to sur
Mount them with the time at his disposal;
ut now that it was to be accomplished
4 no time at all, it was hazardous in the
xtreme. NJ. Quite. junior, had reached
he top, and was preparing to jump
own, when a furry paw grasped his
nkle and held him as though in
vice, for the monster proceeded to
limb the ratings, holding on to his
Y. The poor youth endeavored
} break away; he writhed and
trained to be free. Holding the iron
ars with his hands. he vociferated
,udly for help. The creature reached
ne top; and clasped him round the
,a;c< rb;lot <bo hidoonc enanf -oa