The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-08-09

left arm and signed TO me to stretch out my
leg. ] did NO Observation-Disclosures then-how
can ! convey to you the feeling that came
over me as il proceeded to pull what seemed
10 be Il stocking OF ice upon my left legi
l can even now ut times feel the horrible Icy
coldness Of that spectral hose. 1t was a
stocking that the tigurn WAS pulling upon
my bare leg and foot. was CHILLED to tho
my heart ceased to beat for Il moment,
higher and higher crept the ice-cold
stocking upon my leg. The stocking was
on. This accomplished, the spectre
Inotioned me to stretch ont the other
leg. Ny horror now fairly broke tho spell
that chained me. l fled to tho door, the
specter Rlided after me smoothly and sill
emily as n fate. ] seized the handle of the
door-miserable! / remembered that / had
fastened myself in with the ghost! My
reason seemed 10 be escaping me. The
steel-lite glitter of tho specter's eyes was
fixed upon me. Like a hunted and doomed
animal l fled round the apartment. / leaped
at the window, crashed through it, and fell
into the street below.
II must have lost consciousness ut once,
for the next thing / remember WAS lying OH
my bed in my own lodgings, with my good
landlady and the acquaintances who had
dared me to the terrible trial, standing
around my bed.
sit was said for some time after that the
poor E%nglander was going mad, as all the
CIiC VIII ~ bCcA ~ EIoSb Vi bIlD Z
erstrasse had done. ! cheated them, how
ever. My head was too strong, suppose,
for / got over my fright, and after my
broken leg had been set, could listen to
their recital oe what had taken place. l
learned that those who had set themselves
to watch in the street had heard first Il
strange, low, grinding ~gonnd-my screws,
no doubt-then, after n long interval, my
frantic screams, a crash, and the CHATTER of
broken glass, and had seen me fall Us a
~lifeless lump upon the street pavement.
'Ihey picked me up. and one of them
described that as they did so he CHANGED to
look upward and saw at the broken window
above, shining in the moonlight. a pale,
shadowy face, and the glitter of two bright
eyes.
ut is not strange to say that nv right leg
was broken by the fall; but it is. l think
somewhat strange to relate that my left was
blackened to the knee, as if scorched; nay.
it is so to this day-see!"
My friend showed me his blackened leg.
'And that is all?' / asked.
GAN, lieber Himmel! is not that enoughi
Can you wonder. after what 1 have told you,
that l don't like the Lederstl asse?'
"Wonder; not 1! / would not go near the
place again after dark for a grand dukes
ransom. But who do they say the sceptel
Was?"
IT do not quite know. There is a legend
of some hosier who once lived in that house
and was rich, who fell into some disgrace
and the reigning duke of ~Saxe-Dummel.
sheim seized upon him., and with a refine
> ment in cruelty, in order to extort from hin
his money, caused him to be put to torture
something in the manner of our ancien
machine called the boot which crush, e
8 the leg of the victim. In this case the in
strument was a hose of steel, which was al
the onset icy cold, and was then heated b,
t fire to almost a red heat. The poor hosie1
sank upder the dreadful torture"
I gsJk ,c ,,iJ thai L,1 ,h~,N ,--, o1o1a It.
avenge itself upon all who approach hi
ancient abode, and that be tried on then
@ his CHASTITY hose; if he succeeds in getting
g both hose on their legs they die, and hi!
spirit is released from its wanderings."
Such was the tale of the queer old Anglo
o there Ilay and POWDERED long upon the
strange story l had heard. Ny sleep, wher
sleep came. was not of the best. Every nov
and again l awoke with Il start and a shud
8 der, andsfancied that Il Rhostly hosier wa
pulling upon my W legs the spectral hose
of the story.
A day or two passed by, and one night, a
I was packing my portmanteau for IN.
t homeward Journey on the morrow, l wa
startled by a great yellow light in the sky
q Soon after l heard the hoarse and blatan
voice of the alarm bell. dressed and wen
place running in one direction. ! fol
v lowed the stream of folk. IT was
f fire, some one told me, i
g the Lederstrasse the haunte
house was burning down. We arrived i
the ancient narrow street; the sight wa
l magnificent; the whole dwelling was envel
a oped in flames. Noon took the slight
g est tlouble Or endeavored to get the flame
under. All were staring and gaping in i'd
curiosity.
o at was a bad place." some one said, "an
thew were we'll content to see it perish
How, or by whom the fire was kindled
never knew.-Time.