The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1888-12-29
Wild: knocking. uneartbiF iauph IA.


The shock restored me to consci
BUSINESS. I was standing In the
moonlight, having wandered out Of
doors asleep while under the influ:
ence II d horrible nightmare brought
on by midnight alarm.
Trembling chilled l summoned my
will power to Danish all feelings oil
terror, conscious that the unusual
experience could be reasonably ex.
planned, and thus partially restoring
my mind to it's usual condition ot
calmness l turned to re-enter the cab.
In, when that awful screaming cry
filed the night with alarm again.
No beast that ever heard could
utter such d terrible cry, nor could
Nightmares and dreams explain it,
for 1 was awake and in full posses:
sion OF my faculties.
| In time of danger animals seek
mans protection. Ny horse galloped
up, whinnying with fright, but he
sought poor defender, for, already
hnnerved by the terrors of night
mare, the recurrence of that awful
mocking laugh completely stampeded
me.
| Clad only in scanty night gar
ment leaped on the horses back and
forced him over the low rail fence
around the clearing. He headed him
self toward my nearest neighbours
house, solitary bachelor like myself,
| tho sI1Darstitious lamb
My hallooes soon brought him to
his cabin door, and his drawing in
curry, "What's the matter, Charley?
you look halt scared to DEATH" re-
called my panic stricken senses.
Ashamed to acknowlede the true rea-
son to him. l pretended a painful
toothache, which made sleep impos-
sible, and asked if he had anything
that would relieve it.
After what seemed to me, shivering
in the cool night air, an age, he re-
turned with a flask of whisky, re-
commencing that hold a little on
the afflicted nerve.
borrowed the entire flask on the
plea that the pain was very intense,
and when safely away from his OBJ
servation applied it contents to the
exercising of the uncanny spirits
which haunted me.
My courage was renewed by the
stimulating drink, and my revived
mental faculties suggested that the
alarming laugh might be the work of
an envious practicaljoking revival.
This solution of the mystery filed
me with anger, for Lucy would be
told how | had fallen a victim to q
ridiculous fright, and my next visit
to her would not be pleasant one
for me. So, hastily retracing my
steps, l arrived at the clearing again,
watchful and alert, to detect the To-
cation of the sound should it be re-
peated.
Leaning forward to open the low
gate, that wild hooking laugh sound
ed again as though uttered at my
elbow. A hasty glance revealed only
a few stunted orange trees, too bare
to conceal even a shadow. That
sound could not have been framed
by human lips.
Ny artificial courage quickly fled
before this renewed manifestation OF
an invisible presence and turning my
horses head urged him away, re-
solved to quit the place forever.
Plunging through the forest he
came to a sudden pause among the
few graves which constituted the
neighborhood's burying place.
By the bright light OF the moon l
read the inscription on the head
board: "Here rests Wilhelm Bischoff,
Born in Bremen, Germany; Departed
this life far from his native land.
May he slumber peacefully until that
awful day when" 1 read no furth-
or.
From the very bosom of the grave
a hooking, scornful, wild revengeful
laugh bursts upon the Silly mid
night air.
The hair bristled on my head and
drops of agony gathered on my
brow. The atfrighted horse, with
sudden forward leap unseated me,
and, as the cold grave, wet with |
3 heavy dew, smote upon my ears
again. l felt that all was lost; a
retrospective view of my checkered
life flashed through my mind with
electric speed.
With closed eyes l awaited the
atal blow from the hands of my
yhostly pursuer. But no blow fell,
Ind, terminated by hope, l arose and
ooked around.
No wrath or spook or ghost ap-
,eared. The bright moonlight filled
he forest with a peaceful glory.
Emboldened, but not wholly reas-
ured, FASTENED away, and in my
agerness to escape rushed through
bed of geraniums at the foot of the
rave.
A solitary bird, aroused from it's
lace of concealment, few swiftly
way, filing the forest with that
wful sound which had so paralyzed
he with terror.
A revelation lighted my bewildered
lind, and another laugh sounded on
he midnight air, though not malig-
ant one, but full of relieved feeling
nd expressive of a sudden sense of
diculous sensation. The Laughing
WIZ of Florida, seldom met with, /,
hose uncanny, imaniacal cry might
ell alarm the stoutest hearted, had Il,
cen the innocent cause of my Night
Terror. Hurrying home, l clothed :
y chilled limbs in their accustomed
and lighting a pipe, gave s
yself up to philosophic meditations.
,nvinced that many of our troubles !
'e caused by over-excited magma :
ons; and congratulating myselfthat
icy would not hear of the escapade,
fell into quiet sleep.
A Wonderful Rocking Stone. s