Los Angeles herald., 1892-08-07


II come" said Mr.. E, and mental,
ly imploring the protection of heaven
against all violence. he grasped a candle
and placing his Bible under his arm
opened the door.
A grim, gigantic figure, habited in
black from head to foot, stood without,
who, motioning him to follow, led the
way to the same splendid apartment in
which he had been in the earlier part of
the evening. The door was thrown
wide open by his sable guide and he
was ushered in. The master of the
revels received him with silent bow
and escorted him to the table, which
was covered with sumptuous banquet
and entirely surrounded by guests, with
the exception of one seat which had
been reserved for him.
AS he seated himself burst Of laugh
ter pealed out and died away in the dis
tance. He glanced at the company;
they were all robed in unrelieved black,
and from countenances of livid ghastli-
ness the hollow eyes shot forth gloomy
flashes of fire as they glared upon him.
All was silence-dead silepcel 1t was
appalling. He felt the blood curdle in
his veins.
The host helped him first and then
the other guests. Demoriac grins
wreathed their thin lips as they
watched to see him eat. But he no
longer doubted as to the nature of the
company and touched not the unhal-
lowed food. A dead weight hung upon
the atmosphere, almost crushing him
to the earth; dense sulphurous vapors
foated around, and the lowering brows
of the company knit into deeper scowls
as they burst out into another fit of
Mephistopheleslike mirth.
A moment of fearful trial, it is said,
occurs in the lifetime of every mortal.
Mr.. E shuddered as he felt that his
had arrived; and what q tremendous or
deal it was--no less than personal con-
hict with the powers of darknessl The
host signed peremptorily to him to bc-
gin. With great effort-for he well
knew That each fiendish eye was riveted
upon him-he exclaimed:
II have never been in the habit of
eating without having first asked a
blessing"
So saying, he bowed his head on his
Bible, and cried with loud voice:
'sOh, Lord, thou hast often fed mo
with the bread of heaven; suffer me not
now to feast with devils"
A fearful shriek--a peal of thunder
that shook the castle to its deep founda-
tions-and, raising his head, Mr.. E.
discovered that he was alone in the sup
per room, sitting in the same place, with
only his own candle, out of the score Of |
lights, burning ON the table beside him.
For awhile he was stunned, his senses
were overpowered; but soon recovering
his self command he retraced his way
to his room, where, as may well be i'm
agined, he slept not. That night was
one prolonged vigil.
1t did on him the work of years of
agony. At a reasonable hour in the
morning he left the castle and went to
the house of the agent, who welcomed
him very cordially, inquiring with much
solicitude how he had rested and
whether he had been molested or dis
turbed. Mr.. E. answered him in
composed manner, which did not convey
tho SLIGHTEST intinnation of the occurren-
ces of the past night. Not wishing to
excite suspicion by a precipitate depart
ure, he awaited breakfast, and thanking
Mr.. D. for his politeness, asked for
his horse, which had received benevolent
care, and rode away. III.
The instant he reached his home he
became violently i'll. He never over
came the terrors of that night, and in
few weeks he was dead. Augusta
Browne in Romance.