The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-08-14

Noise!essly replenished the fire,
poured myself out large glass of wine,
and. drawing the curtain so that the fire.
light should not disturb the sleeper,
put myself in position to follow his ex.
ample. How long slept know not,
but suddenly l aroused with q start and
u thrill of horror.
Something-what, l knew not-seem.
cd near, something nameless, but unut-
terably awful.
The fire emitted faint blue glow
just sufficient to enable me to see that
the room was exactly the same as when
fell asleep, but that the long hand OF
the clock wanted but five minutes OF
the mysterious hour which was to be
the death moment of the "summoned'
man.
The silence was intense.
could not even hear breath from
the bed, and was about to rise and up.
proach. when again that awful horror
seized me, and at the same moment nv
eye fell upon the mirror opposite the
door, and l saw an awful shape-ghastly
mockery of what had been humanity!
1t stood there i'll visible death clothes
but the awful face was CHASTITY with cor.
ruption, and the sunlien eyes cleaned
with green, CLASSY glare which seemed
veritable blast from the Internal fires
below.
saw that horrid shape move slowly
toward the bed. What was the awful
scene enacted there know not. heard
nothing except a low, stitled, agonized
groan, and l saw the shadow of that
CHASTITY messenger bending over the bed
For an instant the shadow of n claw.
like hand, from which the third finge,
was missing, appeared extended oven
the doomed mans head, and then, as the
clock struck one clear silvcry stroke, il
fell, and a wild Shrek rang through the
room.
am not given to fainting, but Ger.
talnly confess that the next ten minutes
OF my existence was cold blank, and
even when did manage to stagger t.
my feet gazed around vainly endeav.
oring to understand the chilly horror
which still possessed me.
Thank God! the room was rid of thai
awful presence. saw that; SO, gulpinp
down some wine, lighted wax taper
and staggered toward the bed.
u,
Even as gazed the expression of the
face seemed to change, the blackness
faded into deathly whiteness, the con.
vulsed features relaxed and, even as il
the victim of that dread apparition still
lived, sad, solemn smile stole over the
pale lips.
was intensely Mortified, but still ]
retained sufficient self consciousness tc
be'struck professionally by such phe-
nomenon.
Again l scrutinized the dead face, and
even the throat and chest, but with the
exception of tiny pimple on one TEN.
pie beneath cluster of hair not a mark
appeared.
AS noiselessly as 1 could made INV
way out of the house. No one met me
on the private staircase; the little door
opening into the road was easily unfast-
ened. and thankful indeed was to feel
again the fresh wintry air as l hurried
along the road by the churchyard.
There was magnificent funeral soor
In that churchyard; and it was said that
the widow of the buried man was in.
consolable; and then rumors got abroad
of horrible apparition which had beer
seen on the night of the DEATH and il
was whispered the young widow was
terrified and insisted upon leaving he,
splendid mansion.
was too mystitied with the whole
affair to risk my reputation by saying
what | knew, and should have allowed
my share in it to be forever buried in oh.
hvion had not suddenly heard that the
widow, Directing to many of the legacies
in the last will of her husband, intended
to dispute it on the score Of insanity.
and then there gradually arose the
rumor of his belief in having received
mysterious summons
On this l went to the lawyer and sent
a message to the lady that, as the last
person who had attended her husband.
undertook to prove his sanity, and
besought her to grant me an interview.
The same evening 1 received an invita-.
ton to go to the mansion.
was ushered into splendid room,
and there, standing before the fire, was
tho most dazzlingly beautiful young
creature had ever seen.
She was very small, but exuuisitely
made. Had it not been for the dignity
of her carriage l should have believed
her q mere child.
II come on q strange GRAND" 1 be.
gan. and then started, for happened
to glance full into her eyes, and from
them down to the small right hand
grasping the chair. The wedding ring
was on that hand.
II conclude you are the Mr.. Read
who requested permission to tell me
some absurd ghost story, and whom my
late husband mentions here" And as
she spoke she stretcheu out her left