St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-12-02

woman. but before could strike down
the ruffian the dagger descended, and
even before could level my revolver
the herdsman sprang, passed me, and
was out in the moonlight.
GONE FOREVER.
Pursuit would be useless after one so
accustomed to the rough and uneven
roads. so, rushing to the side of the
prosttrate woman, | saw that death had
been Immediate and therefore painless.
But what must have been her suffering
dnriug the few seconds of suspense
while the murderouS wretch held her
by the throatl
During the long hours of the night I
kept solitary vigil by the dead, and at
the first dawn of day fastened to the
nearest habitatiOn and gave the alarm.
The matter was investigated by the au-
thorltieS in the city of Padua, but no
trace of the murderer could be found.
Being sent for by the syndicate, l inn
mediately set out Tor nome, but even in
the noisy md busting streets Of Lon
don L could not altogether shake off the
haunting memory IF the look in the eyes
of the unfortunate woman in the hut
among the Euganean hills in Padua.
The incident related above would
probably not seem particularly impress
BILE experience through which 1 passed
later. and. as | have already said, was
unexpectedly connected with the facts
already set forth.
Two years later was again called
upon by company which had sue
ceeded the syndicate mentioned. as [
was known to have obtained consider
able knowledge OF the various mineral
springs in the province of Padua.
| departed post haste, and was soon
among the lava-formed hills.
Determining to profit by my past eX-
perience in the herdsman's chalet, l
took up my quarters in small village
somewhat nearer the hills, determining
to have fixed habitatiOn and not rum
ming the risk of witnessing any more
| tragedies.
On the third excursion that I started
| out on intended to return to my regu-
lar dOmicile as usual. 1 visited several
springs, among them one that l had
missed Oh the day of my unfortunate
experience two years before. This was
located but three miles from my tenn
| porary home in the village, and dusk
was plenty of time for me to start for
| home and reach it in safety. but on this
| occasion, in some inexplicable manner,
| l quite lost my bearings, and the sun
| being about to sink | set out toward
| what L believed the right direction, hop
ing that might meet some wayfarer
and make sure of my direction.
| THE SPECTRAL MONK.
| L had advanced not more than half
mile when saw figure in the distance
standing as statue. When l drew
nearer | saw that it was the form of
monk with his eowl drawn up covering
| his head. while his back was directly
| toward the setting sun. He stood on
| the slope of a small hill to the right of
| giant bowlder.
| l advanced toward him, intending TO
| inquire concerning the direction I
should take to reach the village. My
| approach in no way attacted his atten-
ton. Then addressed him:
"Can you direct me to the village OF
-?"
At my words he turned and faced me,
Looking at me straight with unearthly
brilliant eyes, without word he turned
aud vanished.
An intense feeling of dread came over
me. but striving my utmost to throw it
| off, trudged on. Presently came in
sight of an old abbey, about the gates
| which number of monks were moving,
Thither rected my steps. hoping that
| would encounter more polite mem.
| Der of the order who would give me the
| desired information.
Approaching the one nearest the gate.
told him of my plight, and he kindly
| pointed out the proper way. But as he
spoke bell tolled out in the abbey, and
the monk, addressing me, said:
sit IS our bell for supper. viii the
signor not join US? A storm is rapidly
brewing, and long before the signor
| could reach his destination it would
oyertake him, and the road at night in a
storm is dangerous. The signor is well
come to cell if he could manage to get
through the night in SO dismal a place"
Gladly l accepted the monks kind
offer, and was Straightway led in and
presented to the superior. Monks were
all seated about the table, and / noticed
that, while there were twelve monks.
there were thirteen seats. The one
opposite me was vacant.
THE UNBIDDEN VISITOR.
Grace had just been said when the
storm broke in all its fury. The rain
came down in torrents, while the thun-
der roared and crashed, and, darkness
coming suddenly on, lights were ordered
by the superior.
When the lights were brought in a
terrible peal of thunder crashed over
head, and, horror! opposite me, in the
chair that had been vacant sat TIE
monk with the unearthIy eyes.
Precipitately fed from the table, as
| though | had jeen confronted by the
dead. When l reached an inner apart
ment was joined by the superior, who
| in anxious tones inquired the cause Of
| my flight. Tremblingly related what
! had taken place at sunset and what I
| had seen at the supper table. Imme-
| diately he fell upon his knees aud fer.
| yently prayed. Having finished he rose,
| and with faItprinU VniPQ said
My son. feared what they told me
| was mere fancy: but since you have
| seen will tell you all. Two years ago
| tonight one of our order, forgetting his
| vows, committed a terrible crime in the
eyes OF the church, having lured the
wife of an humble herdsman, who had
come to him to confess, to break the
seventh commandment. The husband
came upon the pair as they were TO.
gether, near the huge boulder not fan
from here: and. convinced by his eyes
of h wrong done him, slew the wicked
monk. The wife fed, button reaching her
home determined to beseeeh her hus-
hands forgiveness. She found forgive
| ness must be sought for in the next
world, for he slew her, too, with dag,
ger, the same one that had dispatched
the monk. The husband then fled and
was never again seen; but the spirit OF
the base monk returns here on the
night of each anniversary of his crime.
perhaps to join IN the prayers for the
rest of his soul"
After a restless night left the abbey
early next morning, and. fortunately,
having quite completed my iuvestga-
tons. returned to London. never again
to visit the Seeue of my strange eXperb
ences in Padua.