Oxford eagle., 1889-04-18

I shall briefly puss over the first part +
Of the night. because nothing remark I
able then occurred. had selected a .
front room IN the second story for nv f
watch. and. pistol in hand had stu /.
toned myself by one 0t the windows.
whence I could make my exit % the
ground below, in case OF dire necessity. (
without any serious risk Here I Wit
Messed the night gradually shut IA The
scene. and fslt the frst tonliuess % I
the solemn. heavy hours. as they
dragged On toward the mid-watehes.
Occasiona,ly I took a bsts from
my BASKET and n sip FROM the bottle.
more FOR the purpo-a 0f having s0me-
thing - do than hecause [ felt the
need Of food or sfimuiant4 II was
very tedious keeping watch there all
alone IN the daric. in Al empty hui T.
lug. afIr from the sound or reach Of
human v0ire. and I almost berlu 70
sish for Il ghost of some xind 10 break
the dull. dreary, gioom7 mouosony-
At last -somewhere about midnight.
I judge bc-an "a grow very drowsy,
and as keeping AWAKE was no part Of
my agreement or wager. | sat dnwn on
the ioor. fa Turi1. bras-ai M back
against the wal. ami soon began %
nod and dream, and finally lost myself
in sleep.
How long slept 10 not know. but
in my sleep. none % the -ouudest.
fincicd I heard human voices. speak
Ing in low. guarded. steaiv. mouoto-
nous tones. that came % the ear like
the distant fall of water, yet. when
awolSe, whish I did b. losing my bal
ance and coming down with i shock
and a iar. the sound of thc voices
seemed suddenly 10 cease. Was IL
faHcy' a dreama or had heard some
one or more persons speasing2
Not being in the l.sast bewidered at
suddenly awasoinr and finding myself
IN my novel situation. but remember
ing all that hat gone before and why
WIS there. now lay still and listened.
keeping my eyes wide open. prepared
tO hear and see whatever sound and
sight might be presented to the two
senses. AMI act accordingly.
Presently | heard what seemed 70 be
whispers. AMI feet moving cautiously
n the roOm below. and must adIr,it I
had some rather strange feelings and
reflections. Whls II. after all. there
should be some truth in ghosts and
haunted housesa
Another short silence st5ccreded the
sounds | heard. or faucied | heard.
and then suddenly. bangt bang, baagr
went three different doors in the story
below followed by several g-uans and
noise rs OF some person walking
heavily and dragging "a chain along
the h0or. There was no mistaiSe this
time- and if I did start up rather
quickly grasp two OF my pistols very
tightly and feel ny hair rise. and
heart beat faster. I think. all things
considered, I neither felt Gor exhibited
any more fear than the bravest would
have experienced and displayed under
the circumstances.
The sounds OF the heavy footsteps
and the rattling drag % the chain still
continued m0ving toward the stair
ease. until it WAS reached. and then
ascending deliberately To the second
story-a blue light seeming To prees.,is
the nocturnal walker. and. through the
open door. steal into the room where I
was
Vow for it, thought I. compress.
ing my lips and steadyinr my nerves
with all the resolution at nv com
mand.
The sounds advanced. the light grew
brighter. and. with eyes half-stlrting
from my head. stood staring at the
open door. prepared to behold some
awful apparitiou. Nearer and nearer
sounded the heavy steps and the r,lt-
tling chain. and presently. what
seemed the form OF man euveloped
in white sheet and holding before
him small iron vessel. burning
blue light. appeared % my astonished
gaze.
In Gods name cried I: ami then.
eraeit crack went bota pistols In
/ quick succession.
/ y yell OF terror followed. down went
the Light. and away went apparitIou
and chain, laundering and Gathering
down the stairs. Then I heard quick
and excited voices speaking together.
i rush Of several feet. and n nois.. Of a
number of persons running across the
grounds Jutside.
stood my ground and kept nv
watch TIL morning. but WIS not dis
turbed again. 4 little before sunrise.
my friends appeared. anxious to know
how I had passed the night They
were surprised To find several pieces
OF silk. lace and other vaIuabIe goods
scattered over the main apartment Of
the lower story On M giving them
4 narration Of the facts. we all came
to the conclusion the house had been
made the rendezvous of thieves.
who had previously prepared them
selves 10 work upon the superstiti0us
fears OF any strangers they might
chance 10 eneOunter- and that having
heard my fall, they had dressed one of
their number in ghostIy glrb. and
sent him over the house % make
search. Ny two shots hal unquestiou-
ably convinced him and his cumDan-
ions that sudden Ie:.-buiI was their best
J security, and they bad taken IL accord
ingiy-