The morning call., 1892-04-30
ENocH MoRcAN'S SONS CO.. New York.

boots played no ineonsderate part in my
nervous and excited fancies. First l
imagined that / must have them, and 10
order TO get them 1t was necessary to obtain
the closet key hidden In the pocket Of my
mothers blue chintz gown that always
hung at night upon a chair Immediately be-
hind her bed.
/ dreamed that / had seen her forget to
fasten the door leading into her bedroom,
and that l arose, and tiptoeing across the
hall. went down the stairs, and sure enough
found the door unfastened. i went in. and
cropping in the darkness. found the blue
chntZ, removed the key and with the
utmost ease found and fitted it In the closet
door. l found the boots full as easily.
locked the door, returned the key to
Its place and went out as noiseleSsly as /
had entered.
sat down uron the doorstep In the moon
light drew the shoes upon my bare feet
and started out as rapidly as l knew bow
toward the graveyard, across the riceheld,
through the WITHHOLDING lagoon and into
the horrid shades or the Dismal Swamp.
All night long in my dreams followed the
wild birds or fed from the hiss Of the ser
penis which made their home in the deadly
morass. The plover, startled from its nest,
brushed by me with shrek, and once /
fancied long serpent swung from swamp
willow and planted its fangs in my cheeks.
But when put out my hand to brush it
aside found that a branch of trumpet vine
SONS dropping the dew from their cups into
my lips, W hich were parched and dry. /
was not in the least frightened. but plunged
on deeper and deeper into the vast wilder
ness. Once l heard the bloodhounds bayng
and knew they were on the track of some
runaway slave who had fled to the protect
Ing jungleS of the Dismal Swamp.
At last l grew weary and turned home
ward. / crossed the lagoon. lying still and
white in the gray dawn, and traversed again
the rieefield and the lonely path across the
graveyard; then L eat down upon the door
step and removed my long boots, carrying
them up to my door, where | left them for
Louise to have cleaned. Then ] crept TO
bed and remembered nothing more until
noon, when ! awoke to fud my mother
bending over me with heavy. troubled eyes,
as l had seen her many a time when some
OF US were i'll.
/ yawned YEARLY,
Mother" l said, II went through the
Dismal Swamp again in my dreams last
night"
And the Grsysville ghost was seen again
last night" she replied hesitatingly, as if
afraid to tell me.
Who saw it this timer" asked.
sat up in bed. startled and pale with
great fear i brushed my hand across my
temples to make my thoughts clear
Ana as L did so felt a long, deep cut
upon my cheek
"Motherp' / tried to say. Mother
And throwing off the bed covers / sprang
out upon the floor.
My long night dress was spattered and
dragged with mire; my knees were torn and
bleeding Cookie bnrTs and marsh MOSES
were elinglng to my hair, but my feet were
white and clean.
Instantly l understood it all and fell
with shrek into my mothers arms
was the Graysville ghost and | was the
somnambuilst who had, nightfafter night.
plunged deeper and deeper In the jungles
Of the Dismal Swamp,
They followed my tracks as far as they
CARED penetrate into that dreary morass.
how did 1t is mystery, but certain il is
that, asleep, | had waded alone through
the deadly swamp which even in the day
shuddered to think of.-W. A. Drumyoola
in Romance.