Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1891-04-23
a Midnight Supernatural visitor.
From the San Francisco CALL

About midnight on the Goth OF April,
1883, Dr.. Rowland, physician at San Fran
cisco, suddenly awoke and was surprised to
see the form of man by hs bedside. He
rose to sitting posture and asked the in.
truder what he wanted, though not without
some miegiviDgs. The midnight intruder OF
bis chamber was tall, slim person. By
the light of the moon the doctor could see
that his features were sharp and his hair
black. His eyes shone wtb,a strange !uster,
and the whole face bore resemblance In
the imperfect light that sent chill over Dr..
Rowland II am a. Harder" said the In.
truder, smiling. 1t was any thing but a
comforting reply to the doctor A stranger
appearing by bis be tslde at midnight and
bearing great resemblance. as far as the
darkness would allow, to b. Harder, and
declaring himself to be that person, when
q. Harder had been dead week
He overoame all feara, however, and re-
piled: "H. Harder is dead. What do you
want? You are an imposter."
Il am dead" replied the figure. Heaven,
what death had You shall know suffer-
ing ae know it. II was your fault"
The doctor hsd edged over to the other
| side of his bed, and, letting hand fell over
the edge to the ground, had Rrasped one of
his heavy shoes With ell his strength he
| brought bis hand round and hurled 1t at the
head of the Intruder, and he saw as it left
dis hand that bis aim was good. Then be
| heard it crash against the wall at the ether
| side of the room. Merciful GOO II hsd
passed through bis head Another chill
shook him from head TO foot, but he over
came bis fears he was materislistic in his
beiefs. Thoroughly convinced thai he was
the victim of IN illusion he attempted to
| rise Some STANCE power held him down.
He struggled and fell back in deep slum-
| Der.
When he swoke it was pitch dark and he
| was cold. His limbs were stiff ss though he
| had lain long time and the bed was hard
and uncomfortable. He tried to turn over.
ReaVene Some board was above him He
couId't. What vas the meaning OF this ?
He felt With bis hands on either siie. They E,
too, eEcouutered board He shuddeTed.
g. strange fear crept over him. He felt
again tried to rise again, with the same re
suit. Franticall9, In agony he struggled,
and cold sweat broke out all over him.
| Then be lay back again. painting and trem-
bling like an aspen leaf. His heart throbbed
like an engine. He was powerless with
horror as the swfnl truth euggestt itself TO
| him.
Above him was six feet OF soil Great
drops of perspiration rolled on him as he eet
his arm against tho smooth roof al d pushed.
1t was g'ass. 1t broke and he felt the damp
earth.
| The thought of the lonely graveyard above
him and its gbastly occupants. No, lot
above him, around him Above was 1t day
or was it night DID the sun shine ioyously
over head, or did the moon cast her pale
| shadows ard form ghosts for the nervous
| faucy of some timid pssser-by +? Perhaps
some one was above on his grave now. HIS
grave? Yes, his grave, though be wss
alive
He raised his head slowly as far as he
could and then banged 1t down with all
his strength upon the board. Again and
again he battered bImself Suddenly he
thought of the glass. He took piece In
his hand and felt the edge blunt, but 1t
| would do IL be could find no better piece.
He searched. His hand touched something
cold and damp. Il was wreath OF flowers.
They were fastened with wire. He unloos.
ened them slowly. This was better than q
blunt glaes. In the horrible silence Of his
prison be turned 1t round his neck. A eu :
eide in the tombs he smiled grimly.
| He held one end OF the wire in each hand
and began to tighten. The thin wire hurt
him. Bah Why not wait quietly for
death? II must come soon. anyway. He
lay still and thought. Soon he srasped
the wire again 1t was better to have some
thing to occupy his mind, even lit was pain.
A frantic pu with all his isstrength-ths wire
cut deep into his flesh. The blood flowed.
he pulled once more, and then brought the
ends together and fastened them. The pain
was awful. He struggled madly What 8
tragedy 10 q tomb The earth above fell
through ,he broken glass. Il covered his
face, e led his mouth, eucked up the pool of
blood that covered the floor. He could not
stir. A low cultural sound-a shriek chok-
ed lr his throat--broke from him, and then
all wss over.
He opened his eyes. They encountered
the gsze of the lussrous black orbs of his
chambers midnight intruder. By the clock
at the other end of the room be saw that he
had been ssleer.
A cold sweat was all over him. He felt
exhausted as from violent ply sicsl exertlon.
"Yon have suffered what suffered" said
the demon, ''and you shall snffer again.
Fifty times you shall bear what bore. In
nv cof6u when awoke swore that when
nv spirit was freed would return to earth,
seek cut the msn who was to blame for my
beirg buried alive and make him suffer fifty
times I have returned. You are the man.
You pronounced me dead. Yea signed my