The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1891-08-14

The dinner was amerry one, the savan,
seemed to be an interesting man-in brief,
passed an excellent evening.
The air had been heavy the whole day
and in the evening a storm came on.
| Thunder claps succeeded one another
without interruption and the rain fell in
torrents. Whether it was the effect of
the storm, Of the suffocating heat, or of
the wine had drank, felt a strange
melancholy-I could not breathe comfort
ably.
was about to set out for home, how
ever. for it was late and my house was at
some distance; but they insisted that l
should stay. 1t would be foolish to ex-
pose myself to such n tempest. when l
was not feeling well; the mother begged
me with such a good grace that l felt
forced to remain and pass the night in
that hospitable house.
They ceremoniously conducted me to
my room, and there wished me good
night. / even remember that little
Lizzie having fallen asleep in her faith.
er's arms, kissed her little cheek, paled
by sleep, and her dimpled little arms.
! Left alone, began to undress slowly
and wander about the room, as one al
ways does when one sleeps in a strange
place. I felt as if should smother in
the close atmosphere Of the room. Be
fore getting into bed l wanted to inhale
little Of the outside air, and in spite of
the roaring of the storm tried to open
the window. 1t was false one.
well, well!" exclaimed, a little sur
prised.
thought would remove the chimney
screen; it was false chimney. Irushed
to the door-it was locked. Fear seized
me, and, holding my breath, listened.
The house was quiet, all seemed to be
asleep. Then / inspected the room care
fully, straining my ears for the leas.
sound. On the floor, near the bed, no.
ticed spots; they We're blood-dried and
blsckened blood! l shuddered. and a
cold sweat stood out ON my forehead.
Blood! Why should there be blood
there? And saw that whole sea of
blood must have been split there, for a
great space around the hard wooden floor
had been freshly scrubbed and scraped.
All at once / cried out. Under the bed
had seen a man stretched out, motion
less as an overturned statue. With trem-
bling hands touched the man. He did
not move. With trembling hands l
seized the man by the feet and drew him
forth-he was dead. His neck had been
cleanly cut, as with one stroke of the
razor, and the head held to the trunk
only by slender ligament.
thought should so mad. But some
thing must be done-the assassin might
come at any moment. I raised the body
to place it on the bed. made false
step, and the head turned over, swung to
and fro for moment like pendulum,
and then. detached from the trunk, fell
on the floor with dull sound.
With great difficulty introduced the
iecapitated trunk between the Sheets I
picked up the head and placed it on the
pillow, like that Of a sleeping man, and.
having blown out the candle, slipped
under the bed. r.
/ did all this mechanically, without
thought Of defense or safety; it was in
stinct that prompted me, not intelligence
or reflection. My teeth chartered; my
hands were wet with thick moisture.
felt as il had gone to bed in a charnel
house.
/ remained there in that awful fear for
minutes, hours, months, years, centuries
i do not know how long. lost all idea
Of time and place. All was silent. From
without the noise Of the storm and the
whistling Of the wind came to me soft
cned and sad. like means.
could not picture to myself the
assassin who was coming-whow was there,
perhaps In that state Of horror could
see only little Lizzie fair rosy and frank,
with her doll and her great hat; l could
see her sleeping in her fathers arms; now
and then she lightly raised her eyelids
and disclosed her eyes, which seemed to
me to be bold, implacable, cruel, mur-
derous.
The door opened, but as softly as the
scratching of a mouse. / bit my lips till
the blood came to keep from crying out
Now man stepped in with gliding tread,
with infinite precautions to avoid touch
ing the furniture. 1t seemed to me as if
could see the cruel. clutching fingers
gliding over my clothes, searching my
pockets. Then the steps came nearer
seemed to Craze me. felt that the man
was bending over the bed, that he struck
one fierce blow. Then knew nothing
more.
When I recovered consciousness the
room had become silent again. But
fright held me nailed to the spot. At
length / decided to escape-with what
caution you may imagine. On tiptoe I
gained the door, which had not been
closed. Not sound, not breath. Feel
ing my way, passed into the hall.
waited to see head thrust suddenly
from out the shadows. knife gleam in
the dark. But no-the brute, glutted
with crime, slept without remorse. ! de-
scended the stairs, drew the bolt of the
door, and half fainting, with the. blood
frozen in my veins, fell into the gutter
of the deserted street.
DIR. Bertram had listened to my recital
with the deepest interest.
And there found you, Mr.. Fulniss--
and in what state! Could you recog-