The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-12-11

/ N
.',ndow II were preferable to walt anc
secretlv retire than TO have my Ameri-
can enterprise laughed at or risk peine
ssaponed a church breaker. And then
| feared TO startle the primitive nina owe,
| NV seeming dissertations ana oreaueu
80 shock its sensibiities to the extent
| - committing myself TO possible scratches
vnon that table In the little room IL !,
sbould prove 20 be the sexton couIu
| not no sure how severely ne might Iesen'
| INV secret intrusion, but IL was muir
| gence of mere pride and vanity Whiel,
| forced me 10 drop upon my HANDS ana
knees AZ the bottom Of darkened pew
and hold my breath for fear of detection
listened intently, hoping to hear foot
atens enter and then Immediately retire
| n again leave me in happy seelusion.
| 2ut the same profound silence ensued
| as greeted me upon my entrance into the
| church.
determined to vacte this one without de-
Law. What a fool / was TO have added
TO the compromising aspect OF my posi-
ton by secreting myself in this suspl-
cious manner! If should be discovered
now the difficulty OF explanation was
more than doubled. / certainly might
better have boldly faced whoever entered,
and with the dignity Of man OF i'm
portance and the excuse that | was
Tourist" have calmly and majestically
walked through the great door when
opened 10 me.
Indignant with myself and ashamed OF
nv weakness, cautiously and noiselessly
I raised myself up on the cushioned
seat. while facing the buck Of the church,
desiring to attain a Tess questionable
attitude in the house Of God before dis
covering myself to a possible stranger.
Suddenly lifting up my head and bringing
my eyes above the pew line with the in
tention Of taking a peep about, l fell
back. precipitately, after having stared
perhaps almost fercely while still in
STOPPING posture into eyes which were
certainly set i'm a human face only
few inches from mine. The bonnetless
head Of woman seemed 10 have sud
denly arisen Immediately in front Of me
to meet my gaze.
/ was stunned! Half stupefied ] gazed
UP into that face above me as l crouched
back upon the darkened floor There had
also been black gloved hands clinging
TO the top Of the seat, but before my
mind could again act normally all had
disappeared The person or vision be-
fore me vanished mysteriously.
Gathering sufficient force Of will again
raised myself and with nerves at highest
tension scanned the church in all direc-
lions through what little light remained.
No one could be seen! / was certainly
alone. No visible or material person
could be there!
/ leaned over into the next pew. My
eyes discovered no one now
Dare / stink into the now dark little
room off the altar and strive to again
force myself through that slit In the
wall? Would there be some one near
to capture me the first time / again
became fastened as in vice and treat
me as an entrapped thief? II not by
material hands dragged outside and be-
fore a magistrate might l not by unseen
hands be dragged back within and down
into the cellar to follow the apparition
which before my eyes had apparently
sunk out Of sight through the floor?
Such speculations rushed through my
mind with fevered rapidity despised
my fears and yet wondered whittier my
knees would hold me if 1 attempted TO
rush down the aisle and throw myself
against the door. Could it have been UNI
locked?
Calling up all my common sense and
ordinary fearlessness l boldly stepped
out into the aisle and, ready to shout
defiance to roaming spirits or turn to
ridicule any trick with which mere hu-
mans might be trying to brighten me
started toward the door with determina-
ton.
The door was still securely fastened!
stood leaning with my back against 1t.
tapped my head, thinking to pursuade
myself that ] had just awakened from a
sudden fit of dreaming, wherein some
distorted imagination had been disport-
ing itself.
For some minutes 1 searchingly watch
ed every nook and corner in the fast
fading, ghostly light. If ones mind hes
itates and communes with silence under
such circumstances and in such sur
roundings in response or echo to every
sound wave it may itself create its ears
will soon begin to hear indistinct yet dole
full whisperings emanating from wherever
the Imagination is aroused TO centre in
nervous intensity. Whether / was the
victim Of fancy or not / had seen
enough of that church, and my mind
was concentrated upon my only hope OF
escape. / sped swiftly back up the aisle.
my feet not seeming TO make the least
noise on the thick, heavy carpet with
which moderns in luxurious mood had
furnished the old vault.