Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1890-07-10
MY SONS STORY.
4 Strange Visitor and How He
Was Captured

When / received my sons letter re-
counting the narro>r escape he had had
from = horrible death. IL made me shud-
der. and I thanked God fervenfly for
would simply repeat his story in his
own words. but somehow 1 dislike too
much personal narrative. ItsOunds con
ceited. and the perpetually recurring
Il. L /" the interminabls mes
s-nines" and -mys" grow tires0me. and
look as IL the narrator was trying to
make himself cut q hero, and was say
ing What a fine fellow am. and you
will sse that am By what / am going
20 tell you" So shall only use a few
Of B0h,s sentences when they 1T in bet
ter tlssn any others
Last summer he went to play in =
cricket match in the neighborhOod Of
Henley. and some friends living IN a
charming riverside villa invited him to
stay few days with them The house.
however. was full Of guests, and he was
asked II be would mind sleeping in =
room over = large sammer-house at the
end Of the lawn II was often used for
bachelors under similar circumstances
Il was plainly. but comfortably. fur
nished. and Of course Bob had not the
slightest objection; in fact he preferred
IL he said. for the weather was blazing
hot. and he would be able 70 do more as
he liked. and get his early swim Of a
morning. etc. without disturbing any
-.
Jolly time Of it-an scrts OF fun were
going on beside the cricket. boating.
sennis and dancing Of an evening. A
large fair. too. was being held At Read
ing. and this afforded the youngsters an
other form Of fenterfainment-s-th study
Of mankind ss Bcb grzndilOquently
expressed it.
Well. the last night Of his visit ar
rived The days were at their longest
the weather was hotter than ever. and
when he retired 10 his solitary nest be
cp1grstulated himself rI0re than usual
on having 30 cool an apartment II WIS
approached By long Fight Of wooden
stairs and Is he entered Il by the half
open door ~ their top, and was about 10
light his candle. he was struck By
strange. unpleasant smell that be had
never noticed before The window,
large French one. On the opposite side
70 the neat little iron be3stea6- was
wide open 70 the foor. and he fingered
at its narrow balcony. while slowly I'M
dressing. for 4 long while, enjoying the
sweet country scente of the summer
night air As he withdrew from II at
length. the contrast with the od0r in
side shs room struck him again as
strange; bat he was very tired and flung
himself On his bed still in his thin fan
1els- Somehow. ne says. he felt sort
Il oppression creeping over him. not
nervous oppression, for his nerves. like
his sineWs and muscles. are Of steel and
iron, but curious sense Of uncertainty
and anxiety to which he was quite a !
stranger This il was which prevented /
his completely undressing and tumbling |
into bed in the usual way. and also from /
putting his candle out Ezfigued as
he was. one might have expected he
would have fallen asleep directly. but /
he only dozed and kept on starting up
sgzin and again. always with the odd.
depressing sensation growing stronger
and stronger upon him At one Of his
aEzksnings he heard a distant clock /
strike twelve, but otherwise not the
faintest sound broke the deep silence
Of the sumner nigh.
Yet stay; is he quito sure there is no
other s0und2 What l. that half drowsy
that in his semi sleepy state
be now and again fzncies he hears2 Il
must be the gentle flowing Of the
river. Yes. that is it: and
be does not trouble himself further
lb0ut IL for he is brrinEiz.g 70 grow
'eally sleepy now. The candle has gone
ut and the room is left in the dim.
mysterious obscurity Of 4 twilight
which the calendar describes as no real
light
Il must have been dreaming writes
Bob. dreaming I was at sea for have
distinct recollection of feeling the Eft
4 the boat As il rose and fell on the
IeaTing waves with me stretched out
a the bottom: but presently ! became
that ! was actually being
lightly forced up and down on the bed
the mattress was bearing. not the
laves- For a moment or two ere vas
thoroughly awake ] could not believe /
" senses. and even when I became
h5roughly master OF them, appeared |
ute incapable Of exertiOn- I remem-
er ying there, giaring in WOndermeat
ITO the cleaning of the rO0m. and with
y left arm supine across the bed M
and just hanging over the edge. ] can
OF tell you how long remained like l
lis. but at last I was induced % draw 5
, my hand. from feeling something q
I'D and wet touching H. Still fully
mother minute OF two elapsed before q
u upright on the bed. and beheld.
a-y dimly. Of course-what? Why.
rgr dark form gliding. as il seemed $
ward the window A huge. long. lrw, .
ealthY shape. impossible az first 70 !
y whether that ora crawling human {
ling OF some mighty animal A
.ritable horror OEercame me: I fell o
.ck and shrank into a heap inTolun-
Irily lying perfectly still. and il was z
ell did 50: keeping my eyes ]
1wever. riveted on this dreadful =
uesence- whatever IL might be, for Z
seemed incapable Of coherent tkOught n
bout II. 50 great and overwhelming a
IS ny distress. Keeping my eyes upon b
/, ! say. ] watched il 20 toward the d
indow. stretch partly forward thrOagh il
tben raise its head. a. II smiling the q
Z. Then. turning aside. II passed
'und BY the door tnow closed, which il L
50 sniffed AZ and fingered By, and again n
lma toward the bed from out OF the .
.eper glcom Of the room As IL zp !
'ozched. my terror-I am ashamed 70
rite the word. but it is the only one o
,ex intenser. for ] beheld- then. two Q
light eyes. like rcd lights in the dark 4
-: and these told me that was with b
arms length Of some fierce Wild ami 4
al The truth came 10 me in fash. n
il were. and. I am happy % say. with
q distinct recognition Of what 10 do y
J only chance Of safety lay in remain q