The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1886-06-24

ass m Dtl00 OI the pears Is n, ana WAN
the last impression produced by Bod.n
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
Reconstruction maid; and his wife, who
had rushed to the landing, saw fright.
full monster bounding downstairs,
uttering bowls sufficiently loud to awake
the dead, heard it unlock the front
door and burst into the street. There
upon she tainted away.
NJ. Ouie, impelled by terror, ran
along the street yelling for assistance.
He was naturally provided with deep
but sonorOus bass voice, but his voice
sounded hollow ndfearful 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 Waterman, who had started on his
rounds, came upon him suddenly as he
turned the corner. and, dropping his
lantern, beat a precipitate retreat.
In the adjoining street lived a fair
damsel of considerable personal, but
superior pecuniary, attraction, who
was loved to distraction by grocer 5
apprentice. The young man had made
the lady's 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 tcstifying his devotion,
than by hiring a band of street
musicians to perform at the rate of two
francs an hour during the silent
watches 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
monstrous bear running into the
midst of them upon its hind legs, with
ears and stumpy tail cooked up, pro-
duced such 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
the door of his beloved, and cast HIM
self before it, determined to perish in
her defence. But the monster, with
out perceiving him, ran on repeating
its dolorous howls.
A party of students from the Univer-
sity were that evening going their
rounds, performing feats of heroism,
of which they might boast among their
companions. These feats were not at
tended with much danger, and yet the
achievement of them was an object of
considerable ambition. They consisted
simply in breaking lamps, and wrench
ing the knockers off doors. Some
people might think that the smashing
of n street lamp was an operation
within the scope OF the most infantine
abilities; that the wrenching of a
knOcker from a door was neither 4
hazardous, nor very heroic, act. But
these people are entirely mistaken.
The police occasionally interfere and
capture one of those engaged in these
acts; and if captured, it costs the
student several francs to bride the
officer to let him escape. Consequent
", the ringing of a street bell at
midnight is regarded by University
men as an achievement equal to the
bravest deed of a tried General, and the
breaking off of knocker is supposed to
rankvery much on the leve with the
proudest trophy of a blood-stained
field.
On the night in question four valiant
collegians were engaged on the hazard
Gus undertaking of screwing up the
door of worthy citizen, an act of
consummate ingenuity and sublime
originality. Suddenly wild and I'M
earthly yell ringing through the hushed
night, broke upon their ears. In
stantly the four students paused and
turned pale. In another moment they
saw diabolical object moving rapidly
down the street towards them. The
young men shrank against the wall,
each endeavOring to get behind the
other, and reversing the proverb of the
weakest going to the wall, for in their
struggle the ablest-bodied secured that
position, whilst the feeblest was the
most exposed. and served as 4 screen
to the other three. The approaching
monster stood still for an instant, and
they were able to observe him by the
wan light of the crescent new moon,
and the Pickering oil lamp slung across
the head of the street. A fearful OBJ
ject! In their terror the screwdrivers
dropped from their fingers. The noise
attracted the creatures attention, and
it ran up the steps towards them,
articulating words in hoarse tone,
which they, in their alarm, were unable
to catch. Suffice it to say that the
sight of this monster coming within
arms length was too much for their
courage. With n 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; a
third wore his arm in a sling as though
it had been broken in the encounter,
and all agreed that the monster had
fed from them, and not they from the
monster.
The police! 80, horrorsw thought NJ.
Quite, ''they have summoned the aid of
the police. l shall be captured, be
tried and sentenced, and burned at the
stake as q werewolf"