The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1886-09-11

tried and senten sol, and burned at the
stake as . 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 Ii
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, sovereign cure for lycan-
thropy. But poor NJ. DUTIES 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
q little heightened by his stumbling
over an elderly gentleman, and leaving
him apparently dead of fright on the
pavement. It did not mend matters
when. hearing 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 M. Oufie sat down on door
step and gave himself up to despair
The stake was before him, and his
Imagination 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
breast. He rose from his seat and
walked to meet his first-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 masquerading habit OF
bear-skin, which he had left hanging
over the back of chair, walking
deliberately towards him, as though
the spirit of the departed Bruin had re-
tenanted his forsaken skin, and was
coming in the dead of night to demand a
reckoning with him who had dared to
use 1t as a carnival habit He stood
and looked at it with pale face and
staring eyes, whilst q shudder ran
; through his frame.
If it had been within the limits OF
i-l-.:1~l ~oeo;bsl.tu bo Uould bavQ
sunk into his shoes. When he heard
his own name articulated in hollow
tones from the muzzle. he turned heel,
. and fed like the wind. In vain did
M. Oufle call after him; the louder he
called, the faster fed the youth. and
. the 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
lest the skin should overtake him,
and M. QUITE dreaded losing sight Of
! his son, lest he should at the same
time lose all chance of reganing his
home. When NJ. QUITE, e. jeune
I turned his white face over his shoulders
he saw the creature gaining on him
+ and heard its hollow calls. He dodged
: from street to street, but he invariably
3 saw the bear-skin double the corner
{ and rush after him, turn where h
would. 1t was in vain for him to hope
: to throw it out, and at last he rar
Q straight for home. This he had left 81
z the garden. 1t was his custom to leav'
4 the house by the back door, and clam
Q Der over the garden rails, whenever h
q went out on his night expeditions, an.
q now he made for the. garden. hoping
{ to climb the rails and escape through
!. the door and lock it before the ski
could overtake him.
. He reached the ratings. 1t was
e difficult and delicate matter to sur
g mount them with the time at his disposal
y but now that it was to be accomplished
It in no time at all, it was hazardous in tn
y extreme. M. QUITE, junior, had reache
e the top. and was preparing to jum
q down, when furry paw grasped hi
o ankle and held him as though i
o q vice, for the monster proceeded t
d climb the ratings, holding on to hi
leg. The poor youth endeavore
It to break away; he writhed an
/ strained to be free. Holding the iro
q bars with his hands, he vociferate
4 loudly for help. The creature reaches
e the top; and clasped him round tn
j. waist, whilst the hideous snout wa
d poked close to his ear over his shouldel
l. Both leaped together, and were brougf
d up with jerk. The rails were toppe
" with sharp dart-heads, and or of thes
" caught in the hide, so that NJ. OUT
ie and his son were suspended from it
/, mid air, the latter in the arms of h
10 father. Both cried together for assis
le ance; the young man louder than eve
ir when he heard the sonorous bowls I
1t his captor in his ear.
Q Lights appeared in the lower apar