New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1893-07-12

and are repugnant to me.
And as I think know myself pretty
we'll, I was surprised and bored by
state of mind SO contrary to my habits
and nature. Evidently my physio-psy-
Geological system was in moment Of
crisis.
How could 1 get out Of it-be cured?
Must l, too, take the first train and go
into the country? Perhaps that would
he the best way. But unfortunately !
tould not. had an important engage
ment to supply some work, and could
net run away and leave it for whi,ns Of
a dreamer fit for hysterical woman.
''Per bacco!' L told myself, Pay no
attention to the thing! Let us be man
what, the deuce!'' t..
And returned home that evening as
usual. after having dined and visited the
cafe.
had planned to work hard that even
ing, in order to make haste to finish.
Having entered the house l made as
usual an inspection of the apartment
and found everything as before. Not
even a chair out of place. Then I went
into my study and lighted the gas. to be-
gin work.
But as soon as | seated myself at the
desk and cast glance upon the manu-
script where l had left off writing,
marvellous. amazing surprise awaited
me.
You must know that I was writing
novel-oh, what a novel! Something
fine. exceptionally fine! A romance like
that surely no one ever wrote. The
real and the fanciful, the romantic, the
classic, the naturalistic, were skillfully
mingled in it.
Now that day when 1 went out I had
interrupted the story at very interest
ing point, and the period ended thus:
HE burst into sonorous laugh of
scorn; he was very sure that the time Of
phantoms and specters was long past!
That apparition then gave him no fear.
It must be trick"
/ had left it there.
Taking up the pen in order to con-
tinue. with my good cigar lighted in my
mouth, | cast my eyes on the paper, and
what did [ see?
q uot lied GLIB. w udG l1lOcSu!
Directly below the last line written by
me had been written one word only:
Fool! There it was, ironical and men
acing, in Gothic letters, which showed
the handwriting of former age.
Who had traced this scornful and
hooking word? You can imagine wheth.
er remained amazed. l will say even
al Of
My servant did not know how to read or
write. No one had come into the house
during the day. Then by whom had the
words been written?
grew ivid and felt myself shudder.
sprang to my feet. felt the hair
stand on end upon my head and a cold
perspiration trickle down my forehead!
Tic, the accursed stuffed cat, looked
ixedly at me, and his green eyes seemed
to dilate and become variegated with
thousand colors. But was that cat
really stuffed? Or was he not rather
alive by virtue of some witchcraft?
All at once reused myself. had a
feeling Of shame and rage; and furious.
striking with a heavy fist on the writing
desk, exclaimed:
But who is the demon who has writ
ten this word? l would like to know
him to twist his neck?'
If were to live thousand years, !
shall never forget what happened then.
Ihad hardly finished speaking those
words when the study resounded with
hooking laughter dry, strident, infer
nal.
Then the wall opened suddenly, and
there came forth woman wrapped in
great black MANTLE And Tic, the &C.
cursed cat, made leap from his pillar,
and mewing as he had never mewed in
his lifetime went to rub himself against
that mysterious being
drew back more dead than alive
Still, had enough presence Of. mind to
stretch hand behind me, open drawer
Of the desk and take out loaded re-
volver. AS soon as I had seized the
weapon I'felt safer.
1 raised my arm and pointed the re-
volver at that being, with the exclama-
ton:
Nov, we will see who you are!'
Alas! Once, twice, thrice touched the
trigger, but the revolver was no longer
obedient.
The mysterious figure made two steps
toward me- The black mantle that en-
folded her fell to the floor
What a fearful sight! 1t was not
man nor woman. twas a skeleton-a
skeleton with two lights flaming in it's
empty, cavernous eye sockets-a skeleton
that laughed satanically, while the cat
Tic made fantastic and wild leaps.
It vast was Death!
In the morning they found me insensi-
BILE in my den. The servant ran to call
a physician. who found me in high
fever. My family fastened from the
country. Twas taken care of, treated
and cured. But the fact remains, my
hair had turned gray. ~.
When was able to return to my den,
the cat Tic was no longer there. Ny
wife had made coup d'etat and sent it
to be thrown into the river The column