St. Landry democrat., 1893-07-01

Journey to find out all about it. All, my
heart! 1t is all over with me this time"
The poor man started weakly as his
heart gave great bound-and stopped
A deadly languor, a horrible powerlcss
ness overwhelmed his frame; but, mem
tally clear to the last, he found himself
calmly observing the sensations of ceas-
ing to exist. Oblivion followed; and
thcn-horror of hcrrors-he was crawl
ing along ceiling on eight legs s-ol
thereabouts; it did not seem possible ts
count them accurately.
| He reached the corner and made az
exceptionable cobweb there, greatly adj,
miring his own proficiency in the art
and he was Just proceeding to breakfast
on fat little housefy which he had
caught in it, when chambermaid came
in with broom and swept him out OF
his coign of vantage.
He curled up all his legs and lay fol
dead on the floor; so the girl, who was
an ignorant young person, did not kill
him, thinking she had done SO already,
but merely brushed him into the dust
pan and carried him on to the next room
that she visited in the course of her
morning perambulations. Here he found
means to escape, and lay low until the
maid departed, when he Immediately
began to travel up toward the ceiling
again. He tried to calculate how many
times his own height he had fallen and
to realize the extraordinary fact that he
was quite uninjured; but he found him
self unable to think very conncctedly
about anything, and began to observe
the details Of the room, which seemed
| familiar
A middle-aged gentleman in dress
ing-gow entered presently from an adj
joining bedroom, took up a little can of
hot water which the hostile maid had
left there, and set about shaving him
self.
DR.. Edwards, in his new body, stood
on the ceiling directly over the looking
glass, and was able to take note of a
small bald spot on the top Of this gentle
mans head. 1t possessed some mysteri
Gus attraction for him, and he could no
longer give his attention to anything
else. All his faculties became absorbed
in a great desire to reach the little bald
spot, and stand on it. There was
nothing to hinder him. If he wanted
a rope to let himself down by, he could
make it; and he did so.
Very gradually he descended, pausing
sometimes to make sure that he was un-
observed; but the owner Of the bald spot
was completely taken up with his shay
ing, and noticed nothing higher than his
own, chin. The rope heightened, the
spider doctor dropped lower and lower,
and finally reached the goal of his am
bition. He stood on a little pink oasis
in desert of sandy hair, and was con-
scious of ridiculous aspiration for
feathers. He wanted to clap his wings
and crow, he was SO delighted.
Then he made gentle, movement
with his various legs, the bead jerked,
the razor madea cash, the man cried out,
brought his hand to bear on the bald
spot with much violence; and-again
oblivion.
A little later he was sitting on a shelf
in storeroom that he had certainly seen
before. This time he had only four
legs-with tail thrown in-and he was
eating the end of tallow candle.
''Horrible" he thought. "Langley
was right, though l always thought him
such an ass. | am rat. And | en- joy
tallOw."
lie made a good meal and modestly
retired when he heard the key turn in
the lock- 1t was his sisters voice that
broke on the silence of that capacio us
storeroom, and he knew he had heard
words very like these from her once
before.
The servants candles are all gnawcd
and spoilt again." she cried. THAT
rats keep costs me three shilIings a
week at the very least. Do help me to
hunt him out, John.'
"Not H. answered Mr. Langley's
voice from without. "Better call your
brother. | dare say he does not mind
that sort of thing
"What meanness - reflected the hidden
listener. Langley does not want to be
rat himself, but he does not mind
letting another fellow in for it."
He travelled sadly through thick
wall, perforated by narrow passage
which finally conducted him to a cellar
into the darkness of which he peered,
with his head thrust out of small hole
in the corner.
Again the grating of key.
There was plenty of time for retreat,
but he remained obstinately still, scorn-
ing to fly from his fate He knew it was
coming, for he had acted in this scene
before, only performing q different part.
The door was thrown open he scurried
across the floor of the cellar as flood of
light burst into it; there was loud re-
port, and
'If you please, sir, would you be good
enough to wake? That's Mrs. Gold
smiths coachman aknocking down the
door, The old lady must be took lad
again, and you not SO much as dressed" "
''Sleep we'll last night?' inquired Mr..
Langley at the breakfast table.
Eight solid hours. Only dreamed a
little toward morning. answered the
doctor. 'But l saw a patient before
you were out of bed. Nothing the
matter with the old lady except nerves;
and shall be suffering from the same
complaint myself if | don't take holi-
day; so shall just leave the patients to
Finch, and run down to Eleanor for a
week."
And Mr.. Langley told his wife private
ly that it was indeed time her poor
brother took rest, for there could be
little doubt that his mind was suffering.
"Suppose you both take rest," said
Eleanor. II am sure you need it, too,
my dear" -LCassell's Family Magazine.