The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1886-08-27
man in black preceded me, slipped out


OF the door OF my room, went down
stairs and stationed himself respect
fully behind John, who opened the
door OF my carriage. When John
closed the door he mounted the coach
mans seat, who made room for him
at his right. Arrived at its destina-
ton, the carriage stopped. The foot
man opened the door; but the phan-
tom was already at his post just be-
hind the footman. Hardly had set
foot on the ground when the phantom
ran quickly before me, brushing by
the butler who opened the door. look
ing back at me to see whether l was
following him.
'"Then the thought struck me to
make the same test with my coach.
man which had tried on John.
"'James,' l asked him, who was
the man on that seat with your
"'What man, Sir, asked the coach
man.
"The coachman looked frightened,
and stared helplessly around him.
"Never mind said l hastily, Il
was mistaken"
II went into the house where l was
invited
'"The man in black had stopped on
the stairs. He was waiting for me-
AS soon rs he saw me coming he en-
tered the room as if to announce me.
After had entered the front parlor
he left the room and waited in the
hall.
"As to John and to James, the
| phantom had been invisible to every
one.
''Then it was that my fear changed
| to terror, and that l realized that l
was, in reality, mad-hopelessly, in
curably mad.
"From that evening began to
change. Everybody asked me the
cause OF my preoccupation; you, doc
tor, like the rest. But l must return
to my story.
81 found my phantom in the hall.
| Gas at my arrival so at my DEPART
ure, he ran before me, mounted the
coachman's seat, re-entered the house
with me, went in with me to my room
and sat down by my bedside in the
same chair as on the evening before.
wishing to assure myself if there
was anything real or palpable in the
apparition with a violent effort I
threw myself back into the chair. l
felt nothing, but in the glass l saw him
standing behind me.
GAS before, went to bed, but not
until one o'clock in the morning. AS
soon as l was in bed saw him in nv
| chair.
1.-THE next day at dawn he disap-
peared.
"The vision lasted one month.
"At the end OF a month. the phan-
tom failed i'll his habits. 1t did not
come.
''This time did not believe in q
total disappearance, but in some ter
ribie modification, and instead OF en-
| joyng my isolation l waited for the
next day with fright.
THE next day. at the last stroke
OF six, heard light rustling in the
curtains OF my bed and from, out the
folds / plainly dscerned-what do
you think?-a skeleton!
'This time my friend, you will read
ily believe it was, in very fact, the
living image OF death.
"The skeleton was there, immova-
bic, looking at me with its empty,
open eyes.
~ got up. made several
turns around my room. The head
followed me in all my move
ments. The eyes did not leave me for
a moment; the body remained as be-
fore, lmmovable.
"That night did not have the
courage to go to bed. l slspt, or
rather remained, with my eyes closed
in the chair usually occupied by the
skeleton.
cat dnybreak the skeleton dlsap-
peared.
81 ordered John to change my bed
and to close the curtains.
"At the last stroke OF six l heard
the rustling. saw the curtain move;
then noticed the extremities of two
bony hands drawing the curtains
aside, and through the parted cur
tains plainly saw the skeletona again.
"This time had courage enough TO
get into bed
THE head, which, as on the evening
before had watched my every move
ment, inclined towards me; its eyes,
which had never lost sight OF me, were
fixed intently upon me.
"1ou can imagine what a night
passed! Well, doctor / have passed
twenty such nights. Now that you
know what is the matter with me will
you undertake to cure me?'
II will at least try" replied the doc
tor.
Glow? Come tell me-"
II am convinced that the phantom
exists only in your Imagination"
"What difference does it make if it
| oyistS Is II J1ao ,,nt av;ct iS m =,
see it?'
"Do you wish me to seeit with your
Certainly"
"When?"
Gas soon as possible, by all means
} tomorrow"
Every well, then, tomorrow. Until
then keep up your courage"
The sick man smiled sadly.
The next day at seven o'clock in the
} morning the doctor entered his friend s
room.
"Well," said he, show about the
skeleton?"
"It has just disappeared" replied
} the invalid in q feeble voice.
"We will manage it SO that he does
not return this evening""
, "Do so.''
To begin with-let me see, you say
J that the skeleton enters on the last
, stroke of six?''
Without fail"
"Very well, then, we will stop the
clock" and, SO saying, he fixed the
J pendulum.
What are you going to do?"
81 wish to take away from you the
means of measuring the time"
"Good!'
: Now, we will close the blinds apd
draw the curtains over the windows y