Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1892-12-11

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81 don't see any gas, Doctor" ~
''Gas, eh2 Why, you are pretty
chap 20 expect such thing In this part
Of the housed We should all be burnt
In our beds, or blown into next week.
no, no, best In the dark. You've got
matches? Yes, and q candle? All rightl
Goodnight again, and this time he was
really gone.
listened until the last sound OF bis
foot steps had died away, and then pro-
ceeded 20 make a survey OF my surround
ings. There was really nothing aWe-ln-
spring IN my new quarters. An inviting
bed, with gay silken eider-down
stretched across its white cOverlet, was
the reverse OF terrifying, but before
testing its good points decided to make
haSty investigation around. On M
Speeting the matchbox, TO begin with
experienced q slight shock; it contained
exactly three specimens, and, laying
them side by side, like the corpses on the
shining sands, within easy reach of my
hand, L fervently trusted they were
good OF their kind. 1 opened deep
cupboard in the corner, and elected an
enormous dressing-gOwn which con-
fronte0 me with Outstretched arms, and
made me feel little uncomfortable. No
resistance being offered to a series Of
Vicious pOker-thrusts which bestowed
under the bed, I manfully extlnguished
the candle There was only about an
inch and half Of 1t, and thought it
prudent to reserve it for possible emer-
gencies) and got between the sheets.
Here 1 lay for half an hour or so,
watching the antic shadows Of the fire.
light on wall and ceiling, tossing and
plunging round and round, and working
myself up into a state of restlessness
about as far removed from repoSe as can
be imagined. The demon of unrest had
got possession Of me. In vain l thumped
my pillow and turned from side to side;
/ was fairly on the Qui vive for some
thing TO happen, and, after ten minutes
more frUitless attempts to sleep, l
tumbled out of bed with a groan,
wrapped myself in the thick dressing
gown which had startled me short
time before, and, raking together the
dying fire into comfortable blaze,
settled myself in the easy chair before
it, aud, with my feet on another, re.
signed myself TO wakefulness.
On the table in front of me were few
bOOks-Odd volumes Of Waverley found
they were-and, opening one listlessly,
began to read. In five minutes, must
record, with due apologies to dear old
Sir Waiter, that q delicious sense Of
drOWsineSS began to steal over me; In
ten, the chaste Rebecca was pelting the
Templar with gingerbread nuts, while
her wounded knight gobbled up ven
sion pastry as II he liked it.
Alas, portentious dream! Hound my
self suddenly wide awake again, this
time with the appalling consciousness
that was ravenOusly hungry. On max
ing this discovery, sat bolt upright in
sheer desperation. 1 knew what it
meant well enough-that sleep was now
really out of the question for me till my
cravings were satisfied,
reflected that ! had eaten nothing
since midday, and that l had fully in
tended an attack on noble sirlOin
which had attracted my attention on the
dining-rOOm sideboard soOE after / had
entered the house. In the confusion
which followed my arrival, however, l
had forgotten my supper; and now, that
my mind had regained its normal condi-
ton Of calm. the pangs of hunger were
returning with renewed insistence.
My sufferings were now Of so practical
and matter-of-fact nature that | could
afford to laugh at my previous ado
about nothing;" and so utterly had my
imaginary alarms fed that found N.Y.
self calmly contemplating a prowl be-
low, in the hope that If the beef had
been removed, I might at least lay hands
on something eatable, which the tired
servants had left to be cleared away in
the morning.
Drawing my wrap closely about me,
and arming myself with a candle and
matches (Still, thank heaven! in the
DluraD, l opened my door, and peered
cautiously around before sallying forth
on my voyage of discovery. All was pro-
foundry still, and l ventured out, find
ing my way easily enough to the sliding
door. which, to my astonishment and
delight, was not so difficult to open asI
had fancied it might be. A little fun
bling and prodding, and by good luck, |
hit upon the spring at once, and passed
through. All was now plain sailing, and
1 pushed on; but how cherries and
changed everything was! How feeble
the light of my solitary candle compared
with the glare which had previously
frightened up the old hall, and shed its
luster on the crisp holly and evergreen
decorations that now doomed somber and
dark from its corners.
There was something oppressive In
the profound silence which renewed my
uneasy aualms; Silence, did l say?
What was that? 1 could have sworn 10
a distinct, though faint, rustling behind
me--nay, my excited fancy created for
me a stealthy football, as we'll as a
smotbered sigh. ! came to dead
standstil, peering breathlessly around,
nm the fancy died away again. What
follvl AN was still as death and l could
plainly hear my own heart humping ao-
surdly against my ribs. Once more my
fears Of 1 knew not what subsidized, and,
burrying on again, 1 gained the deserted
snDDer-room, there to behold my friend,
the beef. without loss OF time, and selz-
ING the carving-knife which lay by It's
side I looked round for a moment
among the Uttered glass and china Tor
resting-place for the candle.
While doing so 1 CHANGED to raise my
ewes 10 the long looking-glass behind
the sideboard, and remained frozen with
horror, gazing at the sight that there
met my view. Merciful Heaven! what
does il mean?
A woman stood there, clothed in a
long loose robe Of crimson, her beauu-
fuI hair in the widest confusion over
her shoulders, and her bare feet flashing
white against the red. But the face! 1t
wss exouisitely beautiful, but never bad
?. -. - Lot 70 Witness such q wild,