San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1889-06-13

mite impression as to its absurdity; TIN
young lady, who wore blue dress, ant
had very bright eyes, laughed merrlly
and then left the room to order hot lem
onade. The storm continued to increas,
In violence, and our host finally per
suaded us to accept his hospitality fo'
tho night.
~ have no very distinct recollection
Of how tho evening passed, but at II
o'clock we were shown to our respectiv,
rooms. Mine was ON the ground floor
and as l did not feel inclined to 60 t
sleep, l threw myself on q lounge befor,
blazing wood fro and gave mysel
up to q succession Of pleasant dreams
In which, am proud to confess, young
lady In blue dress played the most im
portant part.
81 had lain there apout two hours, &c
that 1t must have been near midnight
when noticed, for the first time, that
the storm was over, and that few
struggling rays Of moonlight were
streaming In through tho window, max.
ing strange, fantastic shadows on the
wall and floor.
~ had neglected to draw the curtain,
and as looked up was confronted by
face pressed close against the window,
and staring In ut me with expressionless,
pale blue eyes.
ut was the fate Of the man that had
seen but a few hours before In his coffin.
There was the same softly curling gray
hair, the same closely cut gray beard,
and even the same odd scar over tho
left eyebrow. Features and expression
were alike identical. Inexpressibly
shocked, I rose to my feet, but as I ap-
preached the window, the figure re-
treated step by step. He was dressed In
Q long, gray garment that futtered In
the wind and took on strange shapes as
the shifting light Of the moon fell upon
its soft folds or left them In shadow.
"I am ready to admit that was
startled, but as there was nothing really
frightful in the appearance Of my strange
visitor, l raised the window and ad-
dressed him with careful politeness.
"'Well, SIR asked, what is your
wishr
"My question met with no response,
but the figure raised his hand, pointed to
his lips and then seemed to beckon me
toward him. The window was low
one, and leaped out, but as landed In
the snow, the figure turned, and with
one wild gesture, ran. started in pur.
suit. A few rods from the house, upon
the other side Of the street, was an old
graveyard, its broken shafts and head
stones plainly discernible In the moon
light
"For moment I stood still, awed by
the silent majesty Of the scene.
"Above me rose tho 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 porphyry.
"Just opposite the house was 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 toward
the only place where one could gain ad-
mittance.
~ hurried after him, but he was feet
of foot, and as the tall figure Of the old
man glided in and out amongst the
broken grave stones he seemed of no
more substantial essence than q slim,
gray shadow driven by tho wind.
"Once I came 30 close to him that
put my hand to lay hold Of his robe, but
my foot slipped upon piece Of ice, and
foil nrOstrata across n Qrnye
"a strange, discordant laugh fell upon
my ear. I rose to my feet. The tall,
gray figure was just beyond, still beck
oning with its weird white hand, through
which the pale light of the moon seemed
to shine.
II made one more effort and dashed
forward recklessly, conscious Of nothing
but that dim, shadowy figure, forever
forever mocking me.
Suddenly the ground beneath my feet
gave way. felt myself falling through
space. All around me was darkness-a
darkness 80 absolute, 30 dense that /
tried to grasp 1t as fell in an unreason-
Ing effort to lay hold of something solid
and substantial.
"By quick instinct perceived that I
had fallen through the top Of some ruin
ous old tomb. groped wildly in the
felt the damp brick walls that
shut me In, the stone steps sliiny with
mold, and saw far above me, through
The opening In the roof, white face,
with laughter, peenng down
1t me. In vain tried to scale the wall;
hen felt blindly for the door, every
faculty absorbed in one wild idea OF
sScape. The melting snow oozed through
he broken walls and fell upon my head.
was knee deep In water, and plunging
lbOut In fruitless effort 10 find the
ioor, vaguely conscious oil the while
hat was not the only occupant Of that
oathsome place.
cat last my hands came in contact
With cold iron.
"I had found the door, bat could /
pen it2 With tho desperation of de-
pair / threw myself against IL. II yield
j, and found myself outside In the
now.
How 1 over got back TO the house and
o bed cannot tell Three weeks after,
woke as from some fearful dream. and
ound myself In the same room where
lad fallen asleep after that eventful
light. A gentleman whom l recognized
Is the village physician, and young
ady In q blue dress. sat In front of the |
ire, oonvcrsing In low toncz
"'Why an here ! asked, and whs
.stonisl.ed 70 find my voice 80 weak and
bread like. For an instant had an I'M
ression that I, too, had become a gbost.
q which case ! should probably fnghten
he young LADY who sat By the fire.