Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1888-04-20

/ Vihk "h'hi ANc worst Long NCs
fore strong men could arrive knew
that | should hc dcad-and what
deathl The maid waited, no doubt
surprised nj my unusually sound
slumbcrs, for wosin general light
sleeper aud an early riser. hut ic.
luciant TO dcViaie from habit hy
entering without permission. /
was skill alone with the thing In
mans shape, but he was awake now
| saw the wondering surprise in his
haggard bloodshoi eyes; / saw him
stare nj me half vaeunilv, then with
a crafty yet wondering look; and
then / saw the devil of murder
begin to peep forth from those hid.
eous eyes, and The lips io part as in
a snccr, and the wolhsh teeth
TO bare themselves. But
was not what had been. Fear
gave inc a new and desperate
composurc--a courage foreign TO
my nature. had heard OF the best
method OF managing the insane; /
az try. Calmy, wondering at my
own feigned calm, fron,ed the
glare of those terrible eyes. Steady
and undaunted was my gaze-mo.
uonless my at'itddc. marvclcd
at myself, but in that agony OF sick.
ening terror | was ouf,cardly firm.
They sink, they quail abnshcd, those
dreadful eyes, before the gaze Of
helpless girl; and the shame that il
never absent from insanity bears
down the pride OF strength, the
bloody cravings Of the wild beast
The lunatic monncd and drooped
his shaggy head between his gaunt
squalid hands.
| lost not an instant. rose, and
with one spring reached the door.
tore It open, and, with shrek
rushed through, caught the won
dcring girl by the arm, and crying
TO her TO run for her life, rushed like
the wind along the gallery, down
the corridor, down the stairs. Ma.
.y's screams filed the house as she
bed beside nae. heard long.
drawn, raging cry. the roar of a
Wild animal Knocked Of ITS prey.
and ] knew what was behind me.
| never TUNED my head few
rather than ran. | was in the hall
already, there was a rush Of many
feet, an outcrv Of many voices.
sound Of scufiliug feet, and brutal
yells, and oaths, and heavy blows.
aud ] fell to the ground, crying,
"Savc met and lay in swCon. ii
awokc from q dclirious trance. Kind
faces were around my bed, loving
looks were bent on me by all, bv
my dear father and dear sisters; but
i scarcely saw them before /
swooncd again.
When / recovered from that long
illness, through which had been
nurscd so tenderly, the plying
looks | met made me trcmblc. j ]
asked for a looking glass. IL was
long denied me, bot my importuni- |
~ prevailed AZ last--a mirror was
brought My youth was gone at
oLc fell swoop. The glass showed /
nc iivid and haggard face,
blanched and bloodlcss as Of one
who sees spectre. and in the ashcu
lips, and wriuklcd brow, and dim
e} IS, ! could trace nothing Of my
old self. The hair, too, jetty and 1
rich before, was now as white a.
snow; and one in night the rayage,
Of half o century had passed over my
face. Nor have my nerves ever
recovered their tone after that dire
shock. Can you wonder tbat my
life was bightcd, uIat my lover
shrank from me, 50 sad wreck was
II
am old now-old and alone.
Ny sisters would have had me 90
live with them, but chose not 10
sadden their genial homes with ms
phantom face and dead eyes. Reg
nsld married another. lie has been
dead mary years. ] never ceased
10 pray for him. though he LETT me
when / was bercft Of all. The sad
weird is nearly over now an
old, and near the end, and wishiul
for IL. ! have not been bitter or
hard. but ] cannot bear TO see many
people, and am best alone. / try
20 do what good ! can with tie
worthless wealth Lady Spelihuui.
lcft me, for, az my wish, my portion
was shared between ny sisters.
What need bad ] of inhcrittncof-
], the shattered wreck made by
that one night of horror,
lIHE IND