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

~ ""N Wv hiN l'SNi N'N'luk NioNnh
the room from between the hcav,
curtains of the window.
Shuddering, but urged hy the
impulse that rivets the gaze of the
bird upon the snake, turned to- see
the Horror OF the night Nes, IL
was no fcvcrcd dream, no hallueina.
ton OF sickness, no airy phantom
unable TO face the dawn. In the
Nekly light ] saw it lying ON the
bed, with IFS grim head on the pill.
low. y mani Ora corpse arisen
from IT'S unhallowed gave, and
awaiting the demon that animated
NJ There il lay--a gaunt gigantic
form, wasted To skeleton. half clad.
foul with dust and clot,ed gore. its
huge limbs flung upon the couch as
II AT random, its shaggy hair stream
ing over the pillows like a lions
manc. Its face was toward me.
oh, the wild hideousncss of that
lace, even in Sleep In features il
was human, even through its horrid
mask OF mud and half.dricd bloody
gouts, but the expression was british
and savagely fierce; the white teeth
were visible between the parted
lips, in malignant grin: the tan.
gled hair and beard were
mixed in lconine confusion. and
There were scars disfguring the
brow. Round the creatures wnis,
was q ring OF iron, TO which was
attached heavy, but broken chain
the chain had heard clanking.
With second glance noted that
part OF the chain was wraDDcd i'm
straw to prevent its calling the
wcarcr The crcaturc-I can moi
call II man had the marks of cct.
tcrs on It's wrists, the bony arm that
proiruded through one tattered
sleeve was SCARED and bruised: the
icet were bare, and lacera,cd by
pebbles and bricrs, and one of them
was wounded, and wrapped in n
morsel ofrag And the lean hands
one Of which held my sleeve. were
armed with talons ike an eagle's
In an instant the houid truth flashed
upon me- was in the grasp of
madman. Better the phantom that
scatcs the sight than the wild beast
mat rcnds and tears the quiver,no
ticsh--the pitiless human brute tbai
has no heal to be softcncd. no reason
AT whose bar TO plead, no compas
sion, naught Of man save the form
and .he cunning. gasped Ia terror
an tie mystery OF those ensan
guircd fingers, those CORY woIfish
Jaws! that face, all besmearcd with
blackening blood, is revealed
The slaiE sheep, so mapglcd and
rent-the fantastic butchery-the
print Of the naked foot-all. ali were
explained; and the cham, the bro.
Ken link Of which was found near
The slaughtered animals-it camc
from his broken chain he had
snapped, doubtless, in bis cscanc
from the asylum where his racine
frenzy had been fctrcrcd and bo1od
In vain! IN vainl All, ME! how had
this grisly Samson broken manqcle,
and prison bars-how had he eluded
guardian and keeper and a hostile
world, and come hither on his wild
way, hunted like beast Of prey.
and snatcbing his hideous banauet
Ike beast Of prey, toof Yes
through the tatters of his mean and
ragged garb | could see the marks
OF the seventies, cruel and foolish.
with which men in that time tried
to tame the might Of madness. The
scourge--its marks were there: and
the scars Of the hard iron fettcr. and
many cicatricc and welt. that told
dismal tale Of harsh usage. But
now he was loose, free TO play the
brutc-tbe baitcd, tortured brute
that they bad made him-now with.
out the cage, and ready T. gloat over
the victims bis strength should
oycrpower Horror horror ,yae
the prey-the viciim--alrcadv in
the tigers clutch and deadly
sickness came over me, and the iron
entered my soul, and 1 longcd 10
scream, and was dumbi / died
thousand deaths as that awful morn.
,ng wore on. ] dared nat faint
But words cannot paint what
suffered as ] waited waited f;ll the
moment when be should omen ms
eyes and be aware Of my prcsence.
Tor ! was assured he knew il not
lie had entered Tie chamber AZ n
iair, when weary and gorgcd with
MS horrid orgic; and hc had flung
himself down TO sleep without
suspicion that he was not alone
Even his grasping my sleeve was
doubtless ~ act done bctwixt slccp.
ing and waking, like bis uncon
scious means and laughter, in some
irighiful dream.
Hours went on. then trembled
las thought that soon The bopse
would beastir that ny maid wonld
come to call me as usual. and awake
that ghasily sleeper. Md mieht
he not bavc time 90 tear me. As he
tore ihc sheep, before any aid could
ariive' At last what dreaded came
70 pass light footstep on lie
landing-there is q tap at the door
n pause succeeds. and then The
tapping Is renewed, and this time
more loudly. Then the matu1a,
stretched hfa lunfs arF ..t..