Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1889-05-29
Wayne House.
ny rIrzAnnrm rnrrs TRAIN.


time ! had ever known him back
ward in yieldingto the Claims o
hospitality !; STILL did not blame
hiin. There YVES something ccris
! and rcpcllsnt about the former mas
ter of Wayne Housc. that had de
veloped with his story and made
me ieeI that hc was an undesirable
guest. Still, refusal would have
been impossible under the circum
stances, and Paul tried to make hi.
welcome cordial. No half.meas.
urcs were ever possible with him
and so, that night, Philip Wayne
found himself ensconce,l in our hes,
guest-chambcr, comfortably fed and
prescribed for, enjoying luxury 70
which he had long been unaccus.
toned.
When VIC discussed our strange
visitor, tha, evening, Paul acknowl.
edged that the old man had dag
nosed his own case correctly; his
strength and vitality were spent, and
he wasrapidly nearing HE end. For
some days he fingered, aud VIC did
all in our power 10 alleviate his con
dition.s lie was very grateful, and
seemed to become quite attached to
me. / found employment for all
my spare time in minisfcring To
him, and was able to forget those
wcired, ghostly, and incxplicablc
sounds which had disturbed my
tranquility. There had been no re
currencc OF them since the day on
which old Philip Wayne had been
discovered at our gate, anil my hus
band and began to believe that.
indeed, we had been iaboring un.
der ashalhicination.
Our visitor had been with ms
about week when one afternoon.
Paul, after making his usual profess
ional visit 10 him, came 10 me and
said gently:
Louise dear, he seems very low /:
] should not wonder IL he passed
away in the night. | think | will
have Kelly to sit up with him"
| assented, and il was arranged that
our coachmsn should watch in an
adjoining room, and be ready 10
call my husband in case OF q
change.
was wakcful that night. Al
last ! fell asleep, but my slumbcr
was RESTLESS; | would doze and
wake again repeatedly. until. after
many unsuccessful attempts, ! final.
W lcll into heavy unconscious.
ness. u must have been about two
O'Clock when familiar sound
walked me. ] had been dreaming
that my little ones were with me.
] fancicd that il was early morn.
ing-ioo carly, thought, for nurse
to allow them to rise; and, gIancing
at their still sleeping father, 4 quiet.
ly slid from the bed TO prevent their
awaking him Noislessly / stole
through the gloom, bcckoned, by
the night. lamp that always stood in
the dressing room. reached the
door ia a moment, with my usual
warning yet unspoken on my lips,
when a sight met my eyes that par
aiyzed my utterance, save for q
short, sharp cry.
There before me, kneeling in front
OF the three steps leading to the
closet. with his haggafd counte.
nance revealed by the faint rays Of
the lamp, was Philip Wayne, en-.
gagged in most curious occupation.
He was literally tearing the wood.
work away with his long shrivelcd
fingers. Ills back was to me, and
80 absorbed was lie in his work that
he failed 10 hear my cry Ills ebb.
ing strength must have flowed back
IN a superhumsn fide. for he had al
ready worked great havoc with the
wooden steps. The carpet had
been torn aside, and the debris that
surrounded the bent and quiycring
figure showed ilIat his energy bad
alfeady accomplished much.
hy husband, ronsed by the sharp
sound Of my voice. had stolen to
my side, and together we watched
ia amazemcnt the weired worker.
Finally there came pause; we
moved 2 step forward, the better to
observe his movements.
Al the pianks had been removes
and now the old man crouched low
over something that we could not
perceive; that We saw che white
hands stretched forth until they
caught and clung 10 The invisible ob.
Ject. As We watched with bated
reath, suddenly, upon the stili night
air, their ca me a terrible sound. balf.
shrek, balEmoan, a convnlsiye
movement of the crouchinQ figure.
and the next moment my husband
was supporting the lifeless form Of
Philip Wayne.
pressed forward. in The casing
Of the lowest step lay little dress
still retaining its shape and texture.
while about Il were strewn some a.
ny white bones. ! remembered os.
y lhis' ihe fainting.lit which FOL.
lowed ended in brain fever, and
when I recovered wc had again
become homeless
Fesring lest painful associations
should aggravatc my malady, Paul
had me carried at once 10 hospital.
and never again have I behcld or