San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1889-04-01

passed through the winter without further
illness, but gained strength slowly, and when
spring appeared my sleeplessness returned.
With it came an irresistible attraction to-
ward the bath room window whence my
vision of a few months before had been seen.
Whenever lay awake went some time dur
ing the night and stared out toward that IN
canny apartment house, Night after night
saw nothing and turned away, relieved at
the assurance that ono symptom of my
former illness was wanting.
Finally, at l o'clock on a cool April morn
ing, after three hours of vain tossing in bed,
/ entered the bathroom, with my eyes di-
rected toward the tenement house. For an
instant I could not credit the vision that met
my gaze On the luminous curtain where /
had seen the shadow pantomime before the
same tragedy was being enacted This time
had arrived little later in the progress of
the scene, for all / saw was the falling woman
and the withdrawn dagger in the hand of her
companion. The man stopped as before
toward his victim, and l waited to see him
rise, in hopes of obtaining some assurance
that what ] had seen was real. l saw nothing
further. If the shadowy slayer had stopped
to read victim he must have risen in such
spot that his figure was not brought again
before the light and the curtain. Filled with
forebodings of a new illness / awoke Holt and
told my vision. We went to the window,
looked toward the tenement house and saw
only the faint CLEAN Of unlighted panes.
Holt gave me an opiate and next morning the
doctor had me removed to the country.
| remained out of town all summer, bath
ing, fishing and boating. For three months
went to bed tired every night and slept ten
hours. Then I took a long sea voyage, and
arrived in Philadelphia about the middle of
September more robust than had ever been
before Holt and laughed at the old hallu-
cinations, and the doctor rallied me consider
ably upon my detective spirit of the winter
before. On the first night in my lodgings
forgot the tenement house window and slept
without disturbance. The next night, how
ever, l came in late, and yielded to a sudden
within that led me to the bathroom window.
As entered the bathroom l looked over to-
ward the tenement house and gave little
start at seeing light in the very apartment
that had so long possessed for me fascinat-
ing interest The night was warm and tie
window whence the light siione was hoiSted.
The curtains were drawn also and | could see
pretty clearly a man and woman sitting
opposite each other near the center of the
room ! shivered little on discovering that
the couple were very like those of the panto-
mines The man was smooth shaven and
well featured The woman seemed older than
he and her face fitted well with the names of
evil suggestion that l had seen in the vesti-
bule eight months before. As gazed l saw
the woman suddenly start toward her COM
panfon with some cleaning weapon in her
appraised hand. | felt my heart quicken and
my breath come thick The man rose to re-
ceive the attack and | saw a shining dagger
plunged into her bosom Trembling with
horror, was about to cry out when hearty,
natural laugh burst upon my ear from the
hall On looking round | saw Holt in the
doorway.
Good heavens, man, did you see thatg" l
gasped.
Certainly" he said, with another laugh.
'Then how can you stand there laughingi
If we both saw it there can be no doubt of its
reality"
1T was real and unreal, old man. Your
sight is vindicated and the doctor and l are
put to shame, but there is no cause for horror
See, the light has been turned out and there
is nothing more to be learned Take glass
Of WHISKY to steady your nerves and III ex-
plain the mystery"
Wondering at his language, but consider
ably treasured, followed him to his parlor
and sat down.
Now" said Holt, "the thing you saw to-
night Il shuddered again as he spoke) and on
two other occaeions is easily explained. James
Carr and his so called wife, who have lived in
that apartment off and on for eight months,
are known to many theatre goers here and
oil bnV nc rtb nd
What you saw tonight was the rehearsal of
an incident in play which is to be produced
at Chestnut street theatre early next week.
You'll find the very scene ON a dozen down
town bill board LISA quarrel The woman
attacks the man with a pair of scissors and he
responds with lager. The play was pro-
duCed in small cities last winter and at one or
two popular watering places in the summer
You've seen three rehearsals."
Holt, l don't believe you" cried, as it
flashed upon me that my old illness was re-
turning and Holt had taken this method of
diverting my mind from the threatened
calamity.
True as gospel" said Holt briefly, pour
ing out another drink.
Il will not believe it unless you describe
the scene exactly as it appeared to me-"
Holt promptly went over the whole occur
renee, and his description differed in no i'm
portant feature from my own vision. was
convinced. We talked half an hour longer
and five minutes after going to bed was
sound asleep. Next day went al und to
my doctor, laughed at his learning and &C
cepted his apologies for the discredit he had
cast upon my visual sanity.
That evening at dinner while reading an