The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1888-12-29
AFRAID In THE DARK.
Remarkable Story Of a Young
Mans Strange Power.

"
the best of health and spirits, hold govern
mcnt inspectorship with a good salary.
eutailing plenty of travelling, and have only
Que care In the world-I am afraid of the
dark. Indeed, it is something moro than
fear-it is a terror which has haunted mo
from my childhood to the presentday
Only three people In the world besides
myself have my secret: my mother, Sir
George GilliDEham, of Gillingham Towers.
with whom lived for five years as private
tutor to his sons, and who got me my sp-
pointment, and Mr.. Pallatti.
When left the Towers twclvcmonth
ago, my nervous dread of the nights should
have to pass In strange bedrooms of strange
inns, when travelling on inspection duty, be-
came 80 acute and Overwhelming that 1
determined to consult leading physician
about myself.
Sir Alfred Smith listened to my story at
teutively, asked me multitude of questions
about my health and habits, and especially
whether any thing ever occurred m very
carly childhood to give me d shock. although
might have been too young at the time to
remember it now. My catechism over. he
said;
'Mr. Houghton. must tell you frankly
that can do nothing for you. The symp-
toms you have described are distressing,
but can not tell you as q physician how
they originate or suggest any way OF alle-
waiting them. / have friend. however.
who is q profound believer in animal mag
netism. and although am very skepticat
about many of his theories, he is one of the
cleverest and most agreeable men know.
1t can do no harm for you to see him, and
sm quite certain he will perfectly sympa-
thize with you, IL he can do nothing else.
His name is Pallatti and l have written
down his address for you. Call upon him at
three O'Clock to o-morrow, and will write TO
tell him that no may expect you"
I found Mr.. Pallatti the next afternoon
iounging over book in large lrXuriousiy-
furnished room crowded with pictures.
curos, and "pretty things''-a handsome
young gentleman, perfectly dressed, with q
pair of eyes which. il they could not see
through milestone, looked ID IL thoy could
pierce a human being through and through.
After little indifferent conversation I
began to tell him my tale, but was 80
pervous that bungled wofuliy, and inter
spersed my narrative with idiotic giggies.
"Wait bit, Mr. Houghton, there's no
hurry" said Mr.. Pallatti, bringing me q
glass of wine from side-table; "you arc
my patient, you know, and must drink this
before beginning long story"
expect he must have put something into
my draught, for In few minutes found
myself talking as calmly and impassivcly as
IL were speaking of some other person.
told him how, II left my bed in the
dark and took two steps away from il, 1 was
utterly lost; how my outstretched hands
would touch window where expected to
find door, and all the furniture seemed TO
play puss in tho corner as ] moved about
uutl ut Inst / would sink on tho ground ut
teriy unnerved and trembling to wait
through long hours for daylight.
| told him land as went on. Mr. Pailat-
ti's face grow eagerly attentiveb how, whcQ
4 was boy of sixtoen, my mother had de-
Bcribed TO me the circumstances Of my eldest
brothers death by drowning when 1 was an
infant; how the same night my lamp went
out, and / saw through a luminous haze a
room with ladies' and gentleman la IL, q
servnnt coming in at the door, followed by q
bostmau carrying boy in his arms with O
dead face and water dripping from his long
bair; how. when told my mother what I
bad seen. she said that had described 70
paper, the flowers on the chimney piece the
Identical scene as it occurred on chat tori.
bIe morning at Brighton.
s'Any other experience like thata" asked
Mr.. Pallatti. ~ can't tell you how deeply
you have interested me, Mr.. Houghton."
s'Only one other" replied, 'and that
occurred mt Gillingham Towers. where !
iiyed for five years as private tutor 10 Sir
George Gillingham's sons. He had been
,oiling me one evening curious story OF a
tragedy that occurred in his family more
than century ago, and had pointed out 10
me the portraits hanging in the great draw
tug-room OF the three principal actors. Some
papers Of the utmost importance were alb.
ptracted in the confusion at the time, aud
Sir George said that his inability TO produce
.hem II ever called upon TO do so might be
most disastrous. The danger, OF course, de
creased as the years rolled by. but the
sword still hung over the house OF Giliing-
nam, though the bair by which it was crigi-
nally suspended might have thicisened 10 @
cord
"That night great storm OF wind and
rain broke over tho Towers; my window
was burst open, ms light extinguishcd. and
the matches always kept 10 my hand were
wet and useless. For the second time In my
life the luminous haze rolled out before me,
and throur,. II tnere appeared very small
room with ono narrow window, tho lower
sash OF which was thrown up--a lumber
room apparently with one bare table In the
center, a few broken chairs piied up In the
corners. some dirty looking prints in black
frames on the wallis aud great glass case
full OF stuffed birds some tumbling and
somc tumbled from their pcrcbes. aud al