The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1889-03-30

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perfection of form.
However, l soon ceased to notice this
quality, being absorbed by her converse
ton, her changeful, winning face, and the
tenderness which permeated her tones
She was exquisite that evening as we
chatted in low voices and looked unutter.
able things into each others eyes. A half
dozen times was on the point of asking her
to marry me, for felt she was willing To
throw herself into my arms. Why | did
not speak 1 can not tell; it must have been
theresult of decree of fate.
| VI.
1t was late when l retired. The wind was
tearing by, straining the timbers and joints
of the house and twisting the tree tops out
side the windows of my room. There Were
a creaking of doors, grOanlng of window
frames, all of which, combined with the
intermitting swishing of the winds and the
dash of snow against the house-like the
| thud OF waves against O ship in a storm
made the night suggestive of the orgies Of
devils and witches.
Disturbed by the clamor of the storm, and
recalling the deliciouseess of the hours
spent with Miriam, l was long in failing
asleep. 1t seemed as If had been slumber
ing not more than a moment when / was
suddenly reused to consciousness by what
seemed the hoarse shrek of a Womans
voice somewhere out in the storm. list
ened with strained ear and heart beatins
with excitement. A moment or two late
the same unearthly sound rang out thToue.
the darkness, and with diabolical feffec
| mingled in the discord of the gale
Again and again the voice came shreking
through the tumult OF the storm-aow .
simple scream, and then awful oahs ana
blasphemies as if the utterances # some
damned soul.
rose, went to the window, an looked
out. The air was filled with svft-fying
clouds of snow. A faint light in tb east in
dlcated that the day was dawning. Directly
in front Of my window could be only seen
u small building of single story Fhich had
the appearance of an clubhouse nch as is
seen about farm houses, and witch might
have been wood-shed a sumner kitchen
or some other structure.
AS l listened to the irSessant shrieks, it
seemed that they came from thi outbuild-
ing. 1t was awful beyond connection. The
voice, although Loarse, was Enthusiastically
that of a woman.
Inside the house in which stOd it was
quiet as the grave. They evidently heard
nothing of the calling through tie storm.
Were they Frustrated by some spell
| "Some woman is being murered."
thought. perhaps it is robbers, Who have
killed the father and son and arenow try
ing to finish the daughter" Witt feverish
haste put on my clothing, raised the win
dow and sprang out, calling: 81 am
coming" rushed toward the little build
ing, hearing still the screams, to which was
added the rattle of a chain.
There was small window in the out
house on the side nearest me, which broke
in with blow from a stick of stovewood
that lay in the vicinity. Ipushed my face
close up to the window and was almost
struck by another face that at the same in
starS was thrust into the opening. drew
back with an exclamation of horror; it wa:
the head of woman with long locks of gray
that writhed about her head and face like
the twisting snakes on the head Of Medusa
and which, like that tabled fury, turned me
into stone.
The complexion was as black as that of &
negresS, the face long and emaciated, the
cheeks sunken, while the eyes from the
depths of their deep sockets shOne with al
Internal glare. Her neck was naked, ~
vealing the sheaths OF protuberant cords
and veins. while her shoulders were the
bones of skeleton. She clutched at me
through the little window, with arms that
were covered only with skin. and fingers
like claws. AS she moved frantcally for
ward and back | could hear the rattle ola
chain.
All this time she chartered necessarily
sometimes in inarticulate screams and then
in well-shaped curses and blasphemies that
rolled out with the speed of light. There
were foam and blood on her lips, and her
opened mouth revealed cavity in which
could be seen rows Of tiery-red gums with
out any teeth.
was gazing with ineXpressib'e horror on
this naked, bony, Infatuated wretch, when
suddenly, something in her expression at a
moment when her contortions subsidized an
instant, gave the outlines of-Miriaml All
flashed over me in a second; it was her
mother.
The vacant seat at the table, the brooding
sadness Of Miriam, her resemblance to the
maniac, explained the entire situation; and
with it came the overwhelming conviction
that Miriam must follow in the footsteps
Of the unfortunate mother. For few mo-
ments my soul was rent by conflicting enc
tions-to remain and as best could Tighten
her journey to the madhouse, or fly. That
the inmates of the house We're so accus-
toned to the situation that they were not
even disturbed in their slumbers by her
shrieks and excavations proved that the
case was one of long standing
With remorse Juggling at ny heart
turned into the wood, and as | went her
curses rung in my ears; and e7en to this
day they often intrude upon my dreams and
brighten sleep away as they didthat night
at the farm home of Farmer douglas.
gave up the school Immediately and re-
turned to my native town.
Once, some twenty years ago. made in
qniries of the whereabouts of Miriam Doug
las. They tcld me that she was loug sirce
dead. i
NorE-Lest some people may doubt The
fidelity OF the picture of the insane wife, it MA
be said that q generation ago this manner c
treating the insane was not uncommon In tn
remoter farming communities. The descriptio
is founded on personal observation.-Poliat,
in Chicago Herald.