Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1889-11-21

| III H1o uCdln
sit must nave been about three o'clock
in the morning when / awoke all in a
SILVER The little fellow was sitting up
and crying. l asked him the matter,
and he said he did not know, but that
he was miserably afraid of something
and asked me to take his hand. As /
reached out to do this, felt the old
awfulness come over me, and, knowing
what this meant, drew back my hand
with cry, and prepared to leap out of
bed and run-anywhere. With my first
movement, however, there glided into
view from behind me the pallid-faced
Angel of Death. Coming between the
beds with no sound in the sweep of its
shroud-like garments, and with no re-
lenting in it's marble eyes, it seized my
hand and laid it in that of the wonder
ing boy. Even as took the poor, thin
hand in mine, it grew numb, but the
weeping ceased, and with faint cry of
Mother!' the little fellow smiled and
passed"
Again he was silent, and was silent,
too. What, l thought, does the fellow
mean? Is he taking me for credulous
old man; is he in earnest, or is he muir
dering lunatic? The latter idea was i'm
! pressively persistent, and 1 concluded
that it was wise to be as quiet as could
and to get rid of him as speedily as pos
sible. So 1 got up, threw the end of my
cigar away and yawned, as 1 said: VERY
remarkable story. but"
Then he rose, too Don't say any
stand exactly your sentiments, or, rather,
1 should say, your doubts. You doubt
my truthfulness, perhaps my innocence,
and possibly my sanity"
! Now this was getting too close to
mind-reading to be comfortable, so 1
! tried another tack.
Now, look here" 1 said, plainly, ''do
you mean to tell me that your story is
true one?"
Il began by telling you that, SIR" he
said; lit is as sadly and unaffectedly
true as that nature is mans bitterest
enemy; or, if that is too argumentative
protest, then let me say that it is as true
as that we stand here. lam miserable
man, possessed of the Angel of Death"
Then, for Heavens sake" l ex-
claimed, with some excitement, why
do you tell me your story when, at the
same time, you know the dangers that
hang to the relation? Are you expert
menting in some devilish way on me"
With that a strange thing occurred.
He leaped in a peculiar way backwards
and then to the top of the piazza railing
steadying himself there by grasping
one of the uprightS. Waving the dis
engaged hand toward my open window,
he called aloud in his great booming
voice: Get in, sir, and bolt your window,
and lock your door, too. Go quick, and
remember this: When merit yOu see me,
shun me as yOu could tile rider Of tie pale
horse himself"
may as well tell the truth; got into
my room in very short order, and ItOOk
especial pains to secure every means of
ingress. The fact of the matter is had
bad case of nervous DISCRIMINATION
funk we used to call it when was boy.
l did not even go to bed that night, but
sat up with the lights burning, waiting
for l did not know exactly what. l do
know, though, that when the morning
came l had my things packed, and went
quaking down the stairs and took the
early train for San Francisco.
By the time we had reached Los An
geles, l had measurably recovered my
equanimity and was busily trying to
convince myself that 1 had business up
North which required my presence there.
The train was by no means crowded and
l had a section to myself, with no one to
object to the rather selfish disposition
of my belongings on both seats. l felt
the necessity of company, however, and
just before we reached San Fernando,
went into the smoker, where three
lively drummers were making the air
blue with tobacco and tough yarns.
Apprised by the whistles shrill toot
that the big tunnel was quite near, /
started up to see that my section win
dow was closed, and had got round into
the aisle, when, to my disgust, l saw a
tall man planking down big valise in
my seat. | FASTENED forward in no very
good humor, and had just reached the
fellow, when the whistle gave a last
shrek and the train rushed into the
tunnel. AS it did so, the tall man
Strengthened up, and then my blood
stagnated in my veins, for there in the
half-light, the CHASTITY face of the grew
some waiter CLEANED down upon me.
With sort of groan, l turned and tot
tered in the direction of the car-door.
My idea, believe, was to get out and
jump off, but 1 only got as far as the
door, when my knees gave way and 1
sank in a swoon.
l was shaken into consciousness by a
terrific crash which seemed to stagger
the car as though it had been struck by
thunderbolt. There were cries from
within, the bell-cord over my head was
violently shaken, and, with a sudden
shock and rasping, the train slackened
up and stood still. l staggered to my
feet and saw that they were yet in the
tunnel. Lanterns were flying here and
there, and one trainman was coming
through the cars asking if any one was
hurt. Then / heard the voice of our
porter call out something in quick,
sharp way. The drummers and train
men made rush carrying me with
them, and we soon saw what had hap
pened. A rock, fully ton in weight,
had fallen from the roof of the tunnel
and had crashed into the side of the car.
1t was wedged in between the broken
timbers and splintered. seats, and, as L
am sinner, the spot where all this ruin
lay was my section!
But there was something more than
crushed woodwork and shattered glass
underneath the murderous rock. There |
daad mon aud diS /