The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1894-11-24

Jerry pOMbEtGa1-pAIaA 1o4 ~ 80!
limb. The sense OF bearing vanished:
Ny eyes were closed against my will l
could not open them. Ali that wa
conscious Of Was 4 sensation Of the at.
most terror. I thongnt / was dying. or
passing into another state or another
world. Presently l felt something
touching my neck. like cold, lev fingers.
or cold steel. Then, before my closed
eyes, there seemed 70 be q glowing
light. strive TO speak. but my tongue
clays to the roof Of my mouth. Again
those icy fingers at my neckl Ny coat
and linen about my neck were being
unfastened! suddenly emerged from
my torpid condition. saw the candle
falling 70 the floor, and the figure Of q
gaunt, whitening creature leaving the
room. The figure was clothed, as II
seemed, In q tattered gray garment, and
over her shoulders long white hair
stIeamed. II was but o momentary
glance had, for the candle was extin.
guished as il touched the floor.
Ispraug 10 my feet. The bell again
rang thrice. Then all was silent, save
for the fttul wind. Igroped about for
the matches. but could not find them.
! raised my hand TO my neck, expecting
to find trickling blood; but there were
no signs OF any wound. At that mo-
ment / heard low, plaintive voice on
the landing-'That wound, that scar, 1t
is there" felt again at my neck. but
with the same result q, before. l
CROPPED about franticallyfor the matches,
but in vain.
After few minutes the voice spoke
q second time on the landing or on the
stairs. Il muttered TWO words. repeated
thrice at intervals: "The Resurrection
The Resurrectionl The Resurrection"
The words rose and fell with q
mournful cadence, mingled with terror
and helpiulnes., and gradually died.
away as the speaker withdrew to dis
lance.
l stepped softly to the landing. It
was in pitch darkness. ! dared not
move either to the upper or lower rooms
without light to guide me.
| returned to my chamber, sat on tho
side OF the bed and listened for further
sounds. Surely, thought, was strong
enough TO cope with the apparition,
however murderous its intentions might
be. Why should l succumb to coward.
ice?
heard the boards creak in the room
above me, the low mutteriugs, as II
coming from two or three voicss-next,
steady footstep pacing to and fro,
ceasing for moment. and renewed on
the stairs, nearer and nearer the foot
steps advanced. Horror! that torpid
sensation was stealthily creeping over
me again, which l felt powerless to re-
sist! There was a glimmer OF light
through the half-open door. and foot
steps abruptly stopped, loud though
tremulous voice pealed and echoed
through tho house: Richard, Rich
ard, Richard Dudleyp
The voice recalled my ebbing senses.
A thousand thoughts urged my brain.
Was really human being, or had l
passed into transition state, bordering
on the world OF spirits?"
. Again that voice: "Richard, Richard,
Richard Dudleyl"
l started to my feet aud made my
way to the landing; and there, at the
foot OF the stairs, stood the woman clad
in gray, a candle held aloft in one hand
and framed portrait OF youth in the
other. l gazed in speechless, awe
struck amazement, for beheld in that
ashen withersd face-my own mother!
Twas. indeed, Richard Dudley, the
elder son OF the squire.
The meeting was, indeed, like n
resurrection to both OF US. prefer to
L., . all ovar r,,1,h thaf paoaad ha-
tween us from the moment OF rccogni-
ton to the time my friends returned.
My mother led the way to small attic
chamber lighted by window in the
roof. Out Of boxes and other lumber,
left behind by the creditors, she had
contrived to form a table and rough
bedstead. And here. secreted from the
world, she had lived in solitude, as l
afterwards learned, for seven or eight
years. 1t was many day before l could
obtain q coherent outline OF her sad
history. She had gone to the south with
my father-both OF them broken down
in health and fortune. When every
avenue for finding means Of livelihood
seemed shut out, my father destroyed
himself.
Then my mother, friendless, dis
tracted with grief, and her mental fac
ulties undermined. conceived longing
to return to the old house and die there.
At length, unknown to any one, she
managed to find her way down to the
Grange, and settled down in that attic
chamber.
About once month, on Saturday
night, my mother was in the habit OF
going thickly yelled to Holberton to pro-
cure provisions. Her mode Of egress
was down narrow staircase, outside
the attic, leading to the stable yard, and
which must have been constructed alter
my departure from home. Avoiding
the main road, and never entering into
conversation with any one, she con.
triyed To preserve her place OF retreat
profound secret. TO evade observation,
she had always prepared her food dur.
ing the night, sleeping in the daytime.
no that the smoking chimney might not
betray her presence. The fuel she used
was woodwork, broken away from the
house itself.
My mother suffered from alterations
aud delusions; and after nightfall she
usually gave vent to her inoonsolable
grief at the loss OF her husband, chill
dren and worldly goods, in piteous cries
and lamentations. When she awoke
from her slumbers that Christmas Eve,
she suspected some one had intruded
into the house. After search, she dis
covered mo in the very room where l
was born!-7he Westminster Budget.