Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1886-12-17

floor. Instantly a gust of air blew
the candle out. And as we stood
there in the icy cold, we distinctly
heard-a grOGn.
It was no fancy. 1t was a long
drawn, wailing moan Of lnexpressi
BILE horror and pathos. 1t dice
away in a dsspairing cadence. II
seemed like the sorrowful lament
of q soul in torment.
As we stood there grasplng each
others hands, with our hearts
throbbing in great pulsations, il
came again. Oh, the horror Of
It'll 1t seemed to be in the room and
close to us. The cold was deathly,
the sileDce broken only by that
weird and awful moan. Once
more it rose and fell-and, some
how or other, the next moment we
found ourselves in the kitchen,
with shaking limbs and ashen
faces, relighting our extinguished
candle. Then we looked at each
other.
"Tbat was no fancy, WILL said
my brother.
"Fancy-no," | replied, my teeth
chattering in my head. "What are
you going to dof"
For my brother had relit the
candle and was moving away.
"Pm going to have another look"
he said.
"But perhaps l suggested, "the
the ghost extinguishes the light"
an give him another chance"
said my brother, coolly. "Come
along, you chattering IDIOT"
[ was too shattered to resent this
unflatterins description, and with
quaking heart followed his fool
hardy footsteps. This time he
opened the door more cautiously,
and we entered with every nerve
strung to its utmost tension. Hold
ing the candle on high, we looked
around. Pure vacuity. And the
sound came not again.
"Poor old chapp said my broth
or. "He can't stand the light
Shall l blow it out again 7"
eff you do" saidI. "But,
joking apart, who is going to sleep
in this rooml Pm not, for one. And
this would naturally be the COVER
nor's ROOM"
My brother was struck.
"You're right" he said. ave
must get to the bottom OF this.
Well fluid out somehow. And
now l think we may go to bed. III
just look round.'
He examined the room carefully,
but there was nothing to be seen,
neither was there anything to be
heard. So we gave up the thing
for that night and went to bed.
l could not sleep a wink. Ny
nerves were completely unstrung.
After o night of tossing and fever,
| awoke unrefreshcd and nightly
pleased to find myself in broad day
light.
At lunch that day l had to run
the gauntlet of my friends. And,
1 am bound 10 say, l lied like
Ananias. AS the day drew on
grew more and more uncomforta'
BILE, and fairly dreaded the ordeal
of the ensuing night.
AS before, we dlned in town. 1t
was a fine night, and We took a
walk round the square before turn.
ing in. The houses all looked
cheerful with their bright lights
Ours alone was black and gloomy.
We agreed that at two o'clock
precisely we would again visit the
haunted room. There was no dan
ger OF our going to sleep tonight.
We were painfully wide.awake.
all sorts of wild con]ectures
crossed my mind as We sat by the
kitchen fire awaiting for the ap-
pointed hour. Perhaps some ma.
mac had taken up his abode in the
rouse, and roved about at night
lttering that awful noise. Or per-
laps some willy person had a fancy
o live rent.free, and had adopted
his method of frightening tenants
way. In any case, the effect was
efficiently horrible. The shock to
mes nervous system was the same,
whatever the cause.
The whiskey ebbed fast, but not
o fast as my courage. My brother, 1
DOL and practical, was deep in
bought. He was not likely to in I
uIge the wild speculations that .
rossed my brain. He was seeking I
ONE material explanation of the y
Teird phenomenon.
At last the hour began to sound.
It the first stroke my brother rose =.
nd took up the candle. / had !.
rOvided myself with a second 9
andle on my own account. We !.
the rooms on the ground =
cor without success. We ascend. :
the stairs aud paused outside =
10 haunted chamber. The pass
ges and the stairs above US were
lick with shadow. Ny brother
lrned the handle-and the weird A
\ 81. a - - aI .