Idaho news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1887-1891, 1890-04-26


moment was wide awake, staring
before me into the black darkness
and listening intently to the profound
about me. Why was doing thisf
asked myself, but could not give any
answer. Something must have nap,
pened to awake me. What was ~
| wondered. looked and listened.
There was only blackness and silence
For many seconds | lay thus peer
ing and listening, and was just on
the point OF shutting my eyes again,
when, glaring at them through the
darkness, | saw two other eyes, anu
hot on my cheek came the breath OF
something-man, or beast, or mon
sterl | drew my head some inches
back; the eyes, to which mine we're
riyeted, advanced. | felt q form
bending over the side OF the bed. IL
stopped. The eyes stopped, theiorm
became motionless. In the pure
agony of the moment-actuated by
that alone-I rose little In my bed,
and bent my head forward; the form
also rose, and the eyes, which were
still fastened to mine, retreated. AS
they did so, to my unuttrrable horror
/ discerned the outline OF u human
facet
1t was within few inches OF my
own and now my eyes, becoming ne
customed to the darkness, could see
that il was covered with hair. There
was a dreadful gibber-sueh as might
come from an ape or dumb man IN
pain-and before my fascinated gaze
flashed two rows of shining teeth.
The creature-monster or maniac
was by my side, ready, waiting to
spring upon me. Hot upon my face
came its breath, while the awful eyes
shore like the eyes Of tiger. twas
on the spring-to tear me limb from
limb. Just one thing stayed IL. just
one thing was keeping of the awful
death that threatened me- lnall the
ecstasy of my terror | comprehended
what that one thing was. twas the
power Of my eyes. was fighting an
eye battle with the monster.
Into its dreadful eyes gazed, as
though | was gazing into the very
gates of hell. Like the eyes OF u wild
beast, they seemed ever restlessly
pouring forth tumultuous torrent
of passion, and ever restlessly in
search OF mine, which yet they shrank
from when they met. Constantly as
they did so there was the same hide
Gus inarticulate gibber Of battled rage.
Thus some two or three hours ut
least must have passeduntil the day
light began to steal in through the
curtains, which were only partly
| drawn.
When the light came the sight be-
fore me was even more horrible than
my imagination had conjured In the
dark. Crouching by the side Of the
large bed, between the window and
me, was q man. But sucha mani A
tall man in IL flowing gown, with
long, matted, unkempt yellow hair
and beard, his face deadly white, but
every muscle in it throbbing in con.
yulsive sympathy with the fires that
/ blazed from his wild and awful eycsl
Minute after minute passed, though
/ took no heed OF them. All my
thought, all my strength was con.
centrated into the one weapon | had
my eyes. Still, | felt mt last that
| could not prolong the battle much
4 longer. What was | 70 do? My
strength was giving way The mon
ster or maniac was becoming more
and more excited, fonmiLg at the
lips and uttering short, shnrp cries,
while his long. cruel fingers worked
conyulsiyely, as though they we're
impatient to be on their prey.
4 So long Us | could ward him Of
with my eyes, he dared not approach
me nearer; directly, through faint.
ness, | dropped them, he would fall
upon me and tear me to pieces. My
strength was gcing. A look of OK
ultation came upon his fuce. The
daylight had lasted for long time
| Oh, Cod would no one ever come,
His gInre Of triumph increased. Ny
eyes we're getting dim. His face was
getting nearer and more cxulting.
1t seemed MS though another spirit
came suddenly into my body--I wai
| hardly conscious OF what Idid-look
ing into his eyes witha strength tha'
did not seem to be mine, rose in M
bed, bent forward my body, eye Il
eye, drove the creature back till h,
was more than a yarl from the bed
slipped from the bed-gaye one sprini
caught the handle Of the door, mn,
was in the passage running. Their
was an awful noise behind me of viii,
yells and laughter and pursuing feet
As fed, screaming, down flight afte
after flight Of stairs, it grew neare
and nearer. The monster was rpoi
me. A number Of people seemed t,
be about me. / heard shouts an,
blows-a confused trampling, shout
ing and scuffling-and then all wa
dark.
When awoke was In bed. I ha,
been very Ill for many days, the
said. 1t was a long time before
was allowed to see looking glass
when did ! found that my beaut
full brown hair was gray. 1t hal
changed its color in that one ayfl
night. The maniac was Aunt il
dith's only child, who had escape