The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-06-21

steadily upon nc, q began slowly stalking
/ toward mA pillow
] ] confess that was now iu an agony 81
T terror I sprung from the couch ana fed
from the apartment The keeusightcd-
ness Of fear enabled me 20 discover an
open closet upon the other side OF The
] hall Springing into 10 closed the door
quickly after me 10 had neither lock
nor bolt. bat the closet was so narrow
4 that by placing my feet against the oppO-
/ site wall / could brace back against the
door. so as 10 hold il against any human
assailant who had only bis arms for a
lever
The perspiration Of mortal fear started
upon my forehead rs ] heard the super
natural tread of that strange visitant APP
proachinS the spot. II seemed an age
before the measured steps brought it 10
the door
II struck it; the blow was sullen and
hollow, as if dealt by the hand of a corpse.
II WAS like the dull sound Of its own feet
upon the floor
II struck the door again, and TO my in
tense relief, the sound was more feeble
than before. Surely. / thought, the hand
of no living man could produce such a
sound
| know not whether it struck again,
for now its thick breathing became so
loud that even the meanings, which were
mingled with the respirations, became
inaudible.
AT last its breathings subsidized entirely
becoming at first gradually weaker, and
then audible only in harsh, sudden sObs,
whose duration ! could not estimate, from
their miugling with the blast which
swept the hillsides,
The last sound that I remember hear
ing was the most terrible of all-the
sound which once heard can never be
let Frvt1 Of u the J rot 10
in human throat. 1t came with hor-
rible distinctness; it seemed in my very
ear. II appeared to me that the accumu-
lated horrors of the whole night had been
conoen ira ted in that sound-that audible
connection between life and death.
What might have been heard after that
! know not, for insensibility came to my
relief.
When came to knew that the morn
ing had come, and, scarcely knowing
whether or not it had been a hideous
dream, arose and opened the door.
What words can describe the awful
horror of that moment2 Before me stood
the specter, with the full light of day re-
Yealing its revolving features in all their
hideOus deformity The face was swollen
and livid, the tongue prOtruded from the
mouth, and its eyes, bursting from their
sockets, glared at me and froze the blood
In my veins.
All this is impressed upon my mind
with a terrible distinctness, although the 4
view | had was instantaneous, for the /
next instant. the apparition, whose arms \
were extended forward, fell upon me and 4
appeared to clasp me in a horrible en- 4
brace
gave a wild shrek and fell, with the 4
CHASTITY thing upon me.
Once more insensibility came to my re- |
lief
Therest of my story is soon told. The
household of the inn heard my cry, rushed |
into the hall and released me.
1t was the dead body of a guest of the !
inn. He was afflicted with some organic
affection of the system, and was subject
to grievous fits of nightmare, during
which he still preserved sufficient powers
of violation to move to the bed of his
servant, who being used to his attacks, |
would take the necessary means to re- 1
lieve him. The servant had that night |
remained out late, and when he returned
found his way in the dark TO the wrong
room and occupied the bed intended for
me, while l had stumbled into the room
occupied by his mater, and got into the
servants bed, The poor man had fallen
a victim to his malady and my coward
ice,