Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1886-02-04
e]istellaneuns &eadiug.
THE SEVERED HAND.


cling through the southeastern part of Vir-
ginia, and owing to the violence of sud-
| den snow storm, was belated and forced to
stop for the night at little wayside tavern
remote from the ordinary routes of travel.
| can't say was much pleased by the
looks of things, for more desOlate and
lonesome place never beheld; nor were
the cOuntenances of mine host and the tall,
bony virago he called his wife more pre-
possessing. / had some valuable goods in
nv wagon, and good horse, besides some
money, so I was worth robbing, and per-
haps, numbering. 1t was Hobson's choice,
however, so 1 decided to make the best OF
it; and, after tolerable supper of fried ba-
con and eggs and corn bread, | asked to be
shown to my room, for | was dead beat out
with driving so far in the cold, and over
the vilest roads that ever mortal Travelled
It was truly a wretched affair, that room,
being nothing more than shed attached to
the rough boarded cabin, dignified by the
title of tavern, with single unglazed WIN
dow closed by heavy wooden shutter.
I soon fell asleep and must have slept for
some time, for when | aWoke l found all
the lights in the house out and everything
profoundly quiet. What had awakened me
I could not tell but all of sudden found
myself sitting up in bed with my eyes star
ing wildly and my hair stirring and lifting
on my head. A strange feeling possessed
me that something ,uncanny, something
dreadful, perhaps deadly, was near me, but
could neither hear nor see anything. AT
ter waiting for some nome is in that state
of intense suspense which follows sudden
shock from sleep, regained sufficient self
possession to remember that had a box of
matches in my pocket, and reached out
my hand for my clothes lying on chair by
the bed. Something warm and moist touch
ed it, licking it like the tongue of a dog. |
felt immensely relieved. Of course, it was
dog; dog which had been asleep under
the bed, and had crawled out to make ac-
quaintance with the new inmate. l lay
down, drew the bed-clothes over me and
tried to sleep again, but could not That
strange eerie feeling grew stronger every
moment. 1 could not persuade myself that
it was dog in the room. A dog would
have made some noise; 1 should have heard
it scratching or walking about, but every
thing was deadly still. While lay, vain
ly trying to reason myself into going to
sleep, soft warm touch passed over my
face. What was it? What could it be )?
Nothing human, l was sure. Now | really
must strike light and see what was in the
room. With desperate determination, I
grabbed my clothes, got the matches and
struck one. AS it blazed out l cast fur
tive, frightened glance around. What l
feared to see l can't tell, but something
frightful. The match lasted so short a time,
it was necessarily brief and imperfect sur
vey, and struck another and another, but
could see nothing.
There was an end of tallow candle on the
unpainted wooden table that did duty for
wash stand, but that was at the other side
Of the room, and to save my life l could
not summon up courage enough to get out
of bed. am ashamed to confess it, but an
absolutely paralyzing terror had mastered
me. l literally could not stir. l lay still
with closed eyes, and tried desperately hard
to 20 to sleep, but try as hard as l would
that touch reused me again and again.
What was it? asked again. l could not
be dreaming-I knew l was not asleep. l
was broad awake, and with every nerve in
ment. And now as lay with my eyes wide
open and looking nervously about at the
dark corners Of the room, trying to pierce
their shadows, as people will do when they
are badly scared in the dark, astrange thing
happened, which I don't suppose any one
will believe, but it as true as | am here.
The room was intensely dark; but as
glanced at the outside door it seemed to me
it was not SO dark there as elsewhere. a
faint luminous haze seemed to grow out of
the darkness and as gaZed breathessly at
it, it gradually took form and substance, and
grew into the pale resemblance of human
figure with something crouching at its feet,
but what could not distinguish. | rubbed
my eyes hard, and stared through the dark
ness at these strange appearances, until L
seemed dimly to perceive that the crouch
ing figure was that of a dog. AT the mo-
ment I fancied had made this discovery,
long, low, melancholy howl echoed
through the room; the most mournful and
lugubrious sound ever heard. At the same
instanta shadowy hand from the human
figure seemed to point to spot on the floor
over which it lowered Then the appar
ton vanished and all was again darkness.
AS will sometimes happen, extremity of
terror now gave me courage. with des-
perate determination to fathom these mys-
teries, if possible, l leaped from the bed,
huddled on my clothes, and lighting the
candle I approached the spot where had
seen, or fancied l had seen these strange
things. After as close scrutiny as the wretch
ed light would allow, l found something
which looked suspicious. In the floor, close
to the outside wall, space had been sawed
large enough to admit the body of man,
and the planks had been fitted in again
closely enough to avoid attracting observa-
tOn from any but a very suspicious person,
vet SO as to he easily raised from beneath
Locks and bars were useless with such
means of ingress as this, and my late super
natural terrOrs were now succeeded by more
reasonable bodily fears. l recalled the vii
lainous countenance of the landlord and the
still more repulsive look of his wife, thought
of my valuable possessions, and decided that
l was fairly trapped in murderous den
where, probably, many an unfortunate trav-
eler had perished before me. And just as
| made this pleasing discovery, the wretch
ed remnant of a candle expired and l was
left in total darkness.
am not coward, though | don't set up
for hero, and like many others who find
themselves in a strait from which nothing
but courage and presence Of mind can de-
liver them, l suddenly developed hitherto
unknown reserves of those admirable quail
ties l resolved that if l must be robbed
and murdered would at least die hard and
do as much damage to my assasSins as pos
sible. listened intently, but could hear no
sound. I could form no idea what time of
night it was, dut decided that it must be
after midnight, and that the worthy cou-
pie who kept these human ShambleS were
biding their time until they could be reason
ably certain of finding me sound asleep.
Among the goods purchased in Norfolk
was hunting knife bought on commission
for planter near Staunton. 1t was splen-
did weapon, with richly carved hit and
sheath and short strong blade, sharp and
true as Toledo steel. Luckily for me had
not packed it in my bales, but had placed it
in the valise which contained my clothes.
stole like a shadow across the room, trem-
bling lest a loose plank in the crazy floor
should betray me, opened the bag and seiz-
ed the knife. With this in my hand felt