Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1892-02-26
,cessary for the low. moist Louisiana

>>ON~-0-->--,-
lands.
''They were found at your door this
morning." she told me, where you usuai--
" place them to be cleaned"
1t was odd. to be sure, and for many
weeks remained to me an enigma. My
mother, was sure, believed was telling
her deliberate falsehood, inasmuch as
the very next morning the boots were
found in the same place and in precisely
the same condition.
At length my mother removed the boots
to her own closet. and locking the dsSs1
put the key in her pocket. saying az she
did SO: "NOw we will see who it is/thats
in the habit of wearing your shoes No
body knows where the key of The closet
door is hid except yourself, Elsa"
must explain that by this time, owing
to my vehement denial as to having worn
the boots. suspicion had fallen upon Louis
my mothers housemaid, a quadroon girl
about my own size and age.
That night my dreams were terrible
the boots played no inconsiderable part Il.
my nervous and excited fancies. First
imagined that must have them, and n
order to get them it was necessary to OF
tain the closet key, hidden in the POCKET
my mothers blue chintz gown that always
hung at night upon chair Immediately
behind her bed.
dreamed that had seen her forget to
Hasten the door leading into her bedroom,
and that arose. and tiptoeing across the
hall went down the stairs, and, sure
enough. found the door unfastened. |
went in. and cropping in the darkness found
the blue chintz removed the key and with
the utmost ease found-and fitted it in
ho nj I r. o f,1l1
easily. locked the door. returned the key to
its place and went out as nOiselessly as
had entered.
sat down upon the doorstep in the
moonlight, drew the shoes upon my bare
feet and started out as rapidly as 1 knew
how toward the graveyard, across the rice
field, through the white looking lagoon
and into the horrid shades of the Dismal
Swamp. All night long in my dreams
followed the wild birds or fed from the
hiss of the serpents which made their home
in the deadly morass. The plover, startled
from it's nest, brushed by me with a
shrek, and once fancied long serpent
swung from swamp willow and planted
its fsangs in my cheek But when | put
out my hand to brush it aside found that
a branch of trumpet vine had swept
across my face. the rich red blossoms drop
ping the dew from their cups into my lips,
which were parched and dry. was not
in the least frightened, but plunged on
deeper and deeper into the vast wilderness.
Once l heard the bloodhounds baying, and
knew they were on the track, of some run
away slave who had ded to the protecting
jungles of the Dismal Swamp
At last grew weary and turned home
ward. crossed the lagoon, lying still and
white in the gray dawn, and traversed
again the rice field and the lonely path
across the graveyard; then | sat down
upon the doorstep 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 moth
ing more until noon. when awoke to find
my mother bending over me with heavy,
troubled eyes as had seen her many
time when some of us were i'll.
yawned YEARLY.
Mother" said, '1 went through the
Dismal Swamp again in my dreams last
night
And the Graysville ghost was seen
again last night" she replied hesitatingly,
as if afraid to tell me.
who saw it this timer" l asked.
81"
MOCnerP
sat up in bed startled and pale with
great fear | brushed my hand across my
temples 20 make my thoughts clear.
And as | did SO felt a long, deep cut
upon my cheek.
"Motherr' tried to say. "Mother!''
And throwing off the bedcovers sprang
out upon the floor.
Ny long nightdress was spattered and
draggled with mire; my knees were torn
and bleeding. Cookie burrs and marsh
moses were clinging 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
somnambulist who had. night after night,
plunged deeper and deeper in the jungles
of the Dismal Swamp.
They followed my tracks as far as they
dared penetrate into that dreary morass.
How did it remains a mystery, but GER
tain it is that, asleep, had wandered alone
through the deadly swamp which even in
the day shuddered to think of.-William
Allen Dromgoole in Romance.