St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-10-23

savage leTOC-
ity. often dangerous for their owners
If approached after being loosened from
their chains at nightfall. For this rea-
son 1t was hazardous to travel after sun
set. so began an hour before shutdown
to find lodging place for the night, but
the Germans either could not or would
not understand me.
The shades of night were gathering
when l saw with pleasure the light OF
campfire shining on two white-covered
emigrant wagons in the woods down
below the road l was travelling. They
proved to be Americans. and when 1
told them how l was situated they gave
me friendly welcome, and we passed
pleasant evening by that campfire.
Alter we retired to rest, and perfect
quiet reigned in tie camp, there arose
on the still night air the most hideous,
dlabolical laughter that ever greeted the
ears of mortal man. The boy lying be-
side me made a fair imitation of the
sound. "What is it?' l asked. That"
said the father. lis laughing owl; the
boy is hooking it in his sleep.'
Some time after, still prospecting In
house and which was also tavern. on
the Usage river, in thinly populated
district. The house was filled with
mulattoeS and negroes of all shades.
from that of new saddle to pot black.
The ferryman was preparing for spring
work on his farm, so there was no room
for me. Two negroes rOwed me across
the river, and going up the bank | soon
found by the starlight road which l
followed but short distance when my
way was barred by fence. AS hoped
to strike the road again at another point,
L turned Off into an apparently new
woods n in hn n rly
ness lost my landmark, the fence, and
my way. too.
To stay IN the woods on a very cold
April night was not so desirable. so |
listened earnestly for some sound of
human habitatiOn, as the growing of a
cock or barking of dog, that would
lead me to house. Standing there in
that impressive silence of the woods at
night there came at length welcome
sound. low laugh as from distance,
from some negro hut. perhaps; but bet
Ter to sit up at night, even in negro
Shanty, than to stumble around in the
darkness in the strange depths of the
Usage woods. l started in the direc.
ton, travelled some distance and lis
tened again for a repetition of the sound,
when suddenly, right overhead, arose
that unearthly, blood-curdling, fiendish
laughter.
nave stood face to face with furi-
Gus maniac and looked on his glazing,
bloodshOt eyes, lips tiecked with foam,
face of a cadaverOus hue, and heard his
forced, soulless laughter until it seemed
as if mole in contact with with some
hIdeOus demon than a man; yet to me
that night that hOrrid laughter of the
laughing owl was a greater strain OH
the nerves than the demOniac laughter
of the maniac.
However, the laughing owl had done
| me good turn in bringing me back to
the road again, for his voice was the
low laughter in the distance | first
heard. climbed over the fence. fol-
lowed the road about mile, reused up
the inmates of farm house and was
comfortably lodged.
l have examined works on natural
history, but cannot find any description
or picture Of the laughing owl. AS l
never saw him, he exists in memory and
my Imagination only as some imp of
darkness.