The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-05-31

the dead robber and murderer. He seemed
In live in that hand and TO be ever striving
10 gain possession Of my whole body. l
began TO fear that his fiendish spirit. hav-
ing effected Judgment, would dispossess
nv soul and take up its abode In my
earthly tenement.
aThe bripand chiefs dying curse seemed
to be working. to be taking effect uren me.
At night. in my dreams, Ugo Carcano was
ever present. Standing at my bedside he
held up the stump of his arm and de-
manded either the restoration OF his hand
or a dwelling place In my body. These
night terrors soon began 10 teu upon my
health. and by advice of a physician left
the army and the country that kept the
image OF the dead bandit almost con-
stantly before my eyes
having some skill in landscape painting
my thoughts very naturally turned to
these mountains. l nassened hlther and
resumed nv long neglected pursuit of
paintiDg. / at once discovered that |
could do nothing with my right hand.
The clumsy. uncouth fingers would not
obey INV will. With the least relaxation
of the yigilant surveillance was obliged to
maintain over them the brushes would
drop from my hand There was no feel
ing for them in those ill-lnade fingers,
Retween that hand and MY mind there
was no sympathy. / was not sorry to
and that this was so. Had it been other.
wise would the painting have been really
nv own? Would IL not have been work
by the hand of go Carcano? | wanted
no community Of possession with that
hand. To NV delight found upon trial
impulse of my mind. Into it seemed to
have been translated all the old skill of
my lost right hand
s.Since have been in these mountains
engaged in my old loved pursuit OF study
ing and painting the beauties OF nature
have regained my health, and 10 great
extent my former peace of mind. Ii is
now only of nights that my old troubles
come TO annoy me, and thar but OCCASION
ally. except at the dark Of the moon.
Those monthly attacks | cannot escape.
Then must be on my guard against nay
demon hand.
You look surprised when say must
be on my guard against the hand, and
may think that constant brooding upon
my misfortune has unsettled my mind:
but, my friend, that hand really is dam
gerous-nothing can be more cunning and
treacherous. / long ago discovered it to
be unsafe for me 10 leave pistol. poniard
or weapon of any kind on table or chair
within reach of my bed If do so Iexper-
fence in my sleep an awful feeling of I'M
pending danger nightmare OF the most
stands over me exuIting Ike demon. Ha,
Ia, st last have you he seems 10 shout.
Yes. now you shah die-oie by my hand
the hand You robbed me OF, With these
and similar threats Ego Carcano stands
at my bedside as he appeared In life when
IN battle, except that ms eyes are as Goals
of fire and his features are lighted up with
lambert flames. / am frozen with terror
and unable 10 move or in any way rid N.Y.
self OF the threatening and fearful figure
feel that am in great danger and strug-
gle INCREASINGLY 10 arise and betake myself
to flight. When at last / awaken / find
that the hand-the still living flesh and
blood OF the dead brigand-has reached
forth and obtained possession Of pistol or
poniard and IS holding the weapon at my
breast or forehead.
NO matter how dangerous the inn or
other place in which am lodging may ap-
pear. / no longer dare leave weapon near
my bed. Indeed, have found that it is
not safe TO have weapon anywhere in my
sleeping room can only venture TO have
weapons about me In my waking moments
and when am out travelling the mount
ain roads; even then i often feel 8 horrid
and startling thrill in that hrigand hand
when IL clutches q pistol. At times those
knotty and crooked fingers seem in muir
derous mood TO stiffen upon the weapon.
and il is with difficulty that | can make
Now, my friend, from what have told
You of my sensations. waking and sleep
ing, you will readily perceive that this
hand of a dead man fastened upon me
makes life a burden. II permits me no
moment of perfect rest and ease, nor viii
| il ever do so while | carry IL Soon /
| shall rid myself of it. / shah sever the
| bond which now unites me TO one in the
grave. When / leave these mountains
| shall go directly to Paris There. selecting
some skillful surgeon, shall engage him
| TO rid me of this hand of murderer-the
/ demon gift which Carl Voltz was AZ such
| pains 10 bestow upon me- Not single
| shred or fber of the hated flesh OF T-go Car
cano will | permit 10 remain with me
| Then, when / am myself alone in every
| drop OF blood and granule of fiesh-then
shall have peace Of mind and not before.
| This / feel and know. l must rid myself
of my parasitical demon All, nv friend.
| dread these dark periods in each month ,
Those | cannot escape. Then il is that
the apparition of the hrisand appears AZ
| my bedside. and then ii is that his lost and
| vengetul spirit well nigh drives NV soul
/ from its own proper tenement. A dark
| spell Is coming soon: shall endure that
one more-then f1y 81 once TO Paris and 3
| new hfei"