Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1889-05-31

fierdish intent 1t was impossible &c
keep our eyes open, and Russell, holding
the reins in his hand from force of habit
trusted to Providence and the horse. and
hid his face in his coat collar. In spite
OF the storm, however, we should
probably havo reached home safely
ii, at turn in the road, we had not en-.
countered n party coming in the oppo-
site direction. The two horses, coming
thus unexpectedly upon each other, be.
came frightened and quite unmanage-
able. What happened to the occupants
OF the other sleigh never had the grace
to inquire, but Russell aud / were both
thrown out, and before VIC could regain
our feet. our horse had disappeared.
Forum .tely, or unfortunately, as it may
appear, tho accident had occurred in
front of the house of one of Russclps
friends. The good gentleman fastened
TO our assistance and insisted upon our
coming into the house.
AS we were thoroughly chilled, and
covered with snow from head to foot,
we willingly consented. We were ush
cred into brightly lighted parlor, where
Young lady, who seemed 10 me. in nv
possibly somewhat dazcd condition. an
enchant ng vision of loneliness, came
''''N' ~ ''SSs hS' Ilfl'lC SOUlC InsO-
hercnt remark which am thankful to
have forgotten, as have II very definite
impression us to its absurdicy; the young
lady, who wore a blue dress, and had
very bright eyes, laughed morrily, and
then left the room TO order hot lemon
adc. The storm continued to increase
IN violence, and our host finally per-
suadcd us to accept his hospitality for
the night.
u have no very distinet recollection
oil how the evening passed, but at ten
O'Clock we were shown to our respective
rooms. Mine was on the ground floor.
and as l did not feel inclined to 20 to
sleep, threw myself on lounge before
blazing wood-firo and gavo myself up
to succession of pleasant dreams. in
which, am proud to confess, n young
lady in blue dress played tho most i'm.
portant part
II had lain there about two hours. so
that 1t must have been near midnight,
when | noticed, for the first time. that
the storm was over, and that a few
Struggling rays of moonlight were
streaming in through the window, max.
ing strange, fantastic shadows on the
wall and lloor.
II had neglected to draw the curtain,
and as looked up, | was confronted by
lace pressed close against the window,
and staring i'll ut me with cxprc.sionloss,
pale-blue eyes.
Ut was the face of the man that had
seen but Il few hours before i'm his collin
: mere was the same softly curling gray
mar, the same closely cat gray beard
and even the same odd scar over the left
eyebrow. Feature and expression were
alike identical. lnexpressibly shocked,
rose to my feet, but rs | approached
the window. the figure retrcated stcp by
step. lie was dressed in n long, gray
garment that liuttercd in the wind and
took on strange shapes MS the shifting
Ugh; OF the moon fell upon its soft folds
or left them in shadow
81 am ready to admit that I was
startled, but rs there was nothing really
frightful in the appearance OF my strange
visitor, | raised the window and nd
dressed him with careful politeness.
W shi'
My question met with no response,
put the figure raised his hand, pointed I
to his lips and then seemed to beckon
me toward him. The window was a I
low one, and lcapcd out. but as |
landed III the snow, the figure turned, +
and with one wild gesture, ran.
started in pursuit. a few rods from the
house, upon the other side of the street,
was M old grave yard, its broken shafts
and head stones plainly disccrniblc in
the moonlight
"For moment I stood still, awed by
the silent majesty of the scene.
'Abovc me rose the sky, like the dome
Of some spacious temple, its sapphire
roof supported on every side by pillars
OF cloud, white like marble, or purple in
the distance like porphyryn
At this point in the narrative madam.
Ill an unguarded moment, leaned for
ward in her chair, but De Wolf, gnor-
ing this unconscious manifestation of in
tcrest, went on:
"Just opposite the house was a gap in
the fence which surrounded the deserted
burial place. and my ghostly visitor at
once showed his familiarity with his
surroundings by turning his steps to-
gain admittance.
81 hurried after him, but he was fleet
OF foot, and rs the tall figure of the old
man glided in and out amongst the
broken gravc-stones he seemed of no
CooCitC luuu u Sllln,
gray shadow driven by the wind.
"Oncc / came so close to him that I |
put out my hand to lay hold of his robe,
but my! foot slipped upon piece of ice,
and fell PROSTATE across grave.
ga strange, discordant laug h fell upon
my ear. l rose to my feet. The tall, |
gray figure was 'ust beyond, still beckon.
ing with its weird, white hand, through
which the pale light of the moon seemed +
to shine.
al made one more effort, and dashed
forward recklessly, conscious of nothing
but that dim, shadowy figure, forever
Guiding, forever hooking me.
Suddenly the ground beneath my
feet gave way. l felt myself falling
through space. All around me was
darkness-a darkness so absolute. so
dense, that tried to grasp it as fell,
in an unreasoning effort to lay hold of
something solid and substantial.
SPY quick instinct 1 perceived that
l had fallen through the top of some
ruinous old tomb. l CROPPED wildly in
the darkness, felt the damp brick walls
that shut me in, the stone steps Shiny