The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1892-03-25

| must ntchL ne lmplOreu, anu L saw Dy
the dying candle that he was actually in
tears.
II persisted, however, and he threw
himself desperately before the door. His
herculean height lowered above me, but
] more than matched him in breadth,
and easily put him aside.
81 passed out. and. as had expected,
he followed, but whether from devotion
to me or the fear of being left alone in
the shop. who shall say? You see the
candle had burned down, and low, con.
tinuous growl in the southwest told Of q
coming storm.
"Our goal was near; we were soon
there As pushed open the door Jo-
ham had neglected to fasten, l felt his
breath on my cheek, his hand on my
shoulder. He was in such tremor that
his touch thrilled, as it were, my entire
being, and still shuddered after had
shaken myself free.
"The room before us was eighty feet or
more in depth. and appeared gloomy
even at MONDAY, being lighted but by
single window in front. 1t now yawned
as black as q dungeon, as silent as death.
We hesitated at the Threshold; then
Johann's quick breath suddenly ceased,
and at the same instant beheld huge
eye glarug Mt us wickedly from remote
corner"
4Sinbad's giant" whispered Clarence.
"Polyphemus, Bessie echoed.
Both nestled closer. Uncle Dave went
on.
II felt queer, there was no denying it.
But thought l, III, as Tom Campbell
says, distance lends enchantment. then q
view at close range must clear UP the
mystery advanced.
"The eye moved as though to meet me
half way. 1 halted involuntarily and
glanced back. Johann still stood in
the doorway; / could dmly trace the
upper portion Of his giant figure thrust
through the aperture. He WAS evidently
spell-bound. Turning, grasped my
courage in both hands, so to speak, and
again started forward. The eye changed
its tactics. Cleaning Indignantly, it be-
gan now to move slowly from side to
side; back and forth, back and forth,
like a restless wild beast in its cage"
Clarence's hand slid into that OF his
uncle.
"As the space narrowed between us,
the latter continued, "the eye became
fixed, then gradually sank down, down,
rs though its invisible owner were crouch
ing to spring. I once more paused irres-
olute, raised instinctively a protecting
arm, then. ashamed, let it drop by my
side As I did so, the apparition shot up
with incredible swiftness, and ], tripping
on a loose plank, measured my length
on the floor, striking as fell pile of
boxes adjacent, and slightly gashing my
head.
II regained my feet in a moment,
Johann had fled. My courage had now
risen, and clutching a crowbar that
chanced to stand within reach, I was
ready for anything.
"The evil genius confronting me was
no longer an eye; a near view had dis
PEELED that illusion. 1t was too large, to
begin with, and lacked color. 1t looked
ghastly. ..F. ..... ....
ats activity, however, left little doubt
of its being alive. True, the dread object
had not pursued me, had scarcely ven-
tured as yet beyond its lair; but it
seemed to be fully aroused, and glided
stealthily this way and that l felt sure
it meditated an immediate attack.
IL resolved to be first. Setting my
teeth, and swinging aloft my club Of iron,
bore down on the foe.
"My action was the signal for new
freak on its part, more strange, moro ap.
palling, than anything that had yet trans
pired. 1t now began revolving with
amazing velocity, round and round,
round and round, in ever contracting
circles.
"My heart beat like death watch the
moisture drenched my brow but on, on
strobe, and faster, faster it flew.
"The crisis had come, and-whiz!-
straight at my head! struck savagely.
missed, lodged; lurid light was about
me; yell"
Here O great crash drowned Uncle
Dawes voice. The children clung to him,
panic-stricken.
whats that?" they cried. Then.
Bessie, reproachfully, "Uncle Dave! did
you kick over those library steps?"
Clarence sat up with jerk.
ats sell !" he CALCULATED. "But the
evil genius, the apparition, the eyei
What was it, uncle?"
Punk" Uncle Dave answered.
"Punk!"
"Punk; your father had stumbled on q
rare piece in the woods, and not finding
the wild turkies, FASTENED home TO make
game of two precious geese.
"And Herr Boltz, did he never come
back?" queried Bessie.
Comeback" he was back in less than
ten minutes, with half the town at his
heels. Poor fellow!" added Uncle Dave,
retrospectively. "The nickname Of Punk
stuck to him until 40, when, with many
another, he was carried off by the Cali
fornia fever"
$50 papa was Satan, Clarence unused.
Look here, my boy" objected Uncle
Dave, II didn't say that. Come to think
of it, though, the theory accounts for
your being so impish."
~ Il