The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-11-30
KLEGG'S WHITE SKIN

Before I tell my story wish to ask this
question, Can one man look through an
other mans eyesP Because saw a thing
that no other living soul has seen, they
have Gagged me behind the iron network of
this window and have called me mad.
When it all happened was young Now
! look down at the dry hands on my arms
and say to myself: nicholas Klegg, is
this you? Old, sapless, shriveled you who
only yesterday was firm of flesh and juicy
as a winter applet" But the story-my
mind wanders now, sliding from every
thing before it has time to grasp. Once it
was different. Then my brain had claws,
talons. 1 could not shake myself loose
from my thoughts And my story?
I was a peddler. Not that started So
far from it-but only after had tried
many and worse professions. Nor did I
peddle glass jewelry and ribbons. My
stock in trade was hides-great, stiff hides
ready for tanning. I bought these Of ST.
mon the Jew, and beaked vulture he
was. He could turn the very clouds to
ooppers.
It happened one October evening. had
walked 20 miles that day over hard roads,
with my pack of skins, and was tired, SO
I stopped awhile to rest myself. The ledge
of rock on which was sitting ran along
the crest Of hill. Over it the road hung,
bent and yellow as broken straw, bright
where had come up and dark where
was to go down. The thought came to me
to look again at my bundle of skins. I'M
rolled them and spread them out in front
of me. Then saw what I had not noticed
before-that one of them was quite differ
ent from the rest and different from any
had ever seen. 1t had been cut here and
there till it had no particular shape, and
it was white-disgustingly white and fine
to be mixed in with that dirty COW leather.
examined it closer and found sticking to
it long, light hair. I did not like that.
Still hairs will blow lightly hither and
thither, but nevertheless I was uncomfort-
able
AS rose to go glanced about me and
saw hanging opposite each other the sun
and moon-the sun small and rudy and
the great moon white about tho tree tops.
That is sign of i'll luck and it troubled
me, SO 1 said to myself: "For shame,
Nicholas KIeggI A man feet tall and
strong to boot afraid of a bit of dry skin!'
shouldered my pack and began to de-
scend the valley road, still scared, but
standing very straight and whistling. The
trees by the roadside had shaken off the
rotten splendor of their autumn covering,
and beneath them the frost glittered on
the ground, salt white and brittle. Where
I walked there was not much light, only
the tips of the trees being plated with
gold. A little SILVER of wind came up be-
hind and with it the sound of footsteps.
turned. There was no one in sight
'FWhistle louder, Nicholas Klegg," said
/, but my lips were too dry to pucker.
Again came that sound-scratch, scratch,
scratch-as if the feet that made it were
dragging and bony. Then 1 wheeled
around so swiftly that nothing human
could have escaped me. There lay the road
bare, empty, except for lapful of col
ored sky that showed through the trees
Now, l was no coward, but my nerves
pricked with terror. I was afraid to go on
and afraid to turn tail, so 1 backed toward
the woods, thinking to hide there until the
thing passed me. had not moved two
steps when 1 felt hot breath on the nape
of my neck. Again wheeled and-Mother
of hrist!-there behind me, almost upon
me, stood woman-a woman who had
no skin from her great, white rolling eye
balls to her red feet
And they told me 1 did not see her
when even now see her, with her SO big
teeth naked of lips and the muscles string
ing her body like punches of crimson cords
She raised her arm and pointed at me, and
though she did not touch me felt her I'm
gers between my brows.
''GiYe me my skin, thief!' she cried
over and over until the wind and the trees
and the ringing in my own ears took up
the refrain. My skin, my beautiful white
skin, tied up with the leather in that
packr'
Then by some hidden force within me
spoke-me whose very hair bristled and
whose lids had snapped back in my horror
until my stare was as wide as hers:
81 bought it Of Simon the jew. knew
nothing of it until l saw it yonder.''
threw my pack on the ground and tore
off the ropes. Out rolled the accursed hide
and the woman leaped at it. There was a
moments silence then n yell of rage.
''It has been cut! It is not all herel''
was never a praying man, but drop
ped on my knees, for the woman's veins
pulsed with her angry blood like soft scar
let snakes, and she bent her hairless head
close to my face, kissing:
"Give me the rest of it'll Give me the
rest of it!''
81 cannot" groaned.
"Then, Nicholas Klegg, I will take
your own" and she threw herself on me.
I fought frantically, but she was slippery
and wet. 1 felt her nails grind into my
breast. wrenched at her hands, kicked
her with my great hobnailed boots, I
howled in my furious fear, until the thick
twilight shook and the moon stared
through it with a blanched face. Sudden
" the woman loosened her grasp; some
thing dark was rushing toward US; heard
a voice hallooing. Nearer and nearer it
came. What happened then I do not re-
member I only know that 1 was lying
on the ground, with man bending over
me. Near by stood a horse, the steam
squirting from his nostrils, and the foam
smeared on his neck.
"In Gods name, what is the matter?"
cried the man, but could only sob like a
child awakened from nightmare.
His face grew pale when told him my
story, and a grewsome tale it was to hear
from the lips of SO wild and trembling a
wretch as l was on that lonesome road,
with only the blood colored sky behind the
trees. I tried to rise, and at that instant
L !. 81 .,fh