The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1897-04-21

upon, DO COulu uhht OuJ Wy tuo ulu
light from the cobweb curtained win
dow. AS the cooling perspiration
broke out at every pore realized that
I had been thoroughly frightened. 1
jumped up and closed the door again
and then wrapped myself up in my
blanket.
The room was in darkness, except
for a gray streak from the window. l
tried to go to sleep, but in vain. Sleep
had entirely fed. l desperately drew
my arm across my eyes as if to shut out
even the darkness and tried to think of
nothing.
While was lying still as corpse,
hoping that by perfect physical mac
ton should hasten mental repose, an
awful incident occurred A something
dropped, as it seemed from the ceiling,
plump upon my chest, and the next in
slant felt two bony hands encircling
my throat, endeavoriDg to choke me.
am not naturally coward and am
possessed of considerable physical
strength. The suddenness of the at
tack, instead of stunning me, strung
every nerve and muscle to its highest
tension. My body acted from instinct
before my brain had time to realize
the terrors of my position. In an in
around the creature and squeezed it
with all the strength of despair against
my chest, and in few seconds the
bony hands that had fastened on my
throat loosened their hold, and l was
free to breathe once more.
Then commenced struggle of awful
intensity. Immersed in the most pro-
found darkness, totally ignorant of the
nature of the thing by which was so
suddenly attacked, finding my grasp
slipping every moment, by reason, it
seemed to me, of the entire nakedness
of my assailant; bitten with sharp
teeth in the shoulders, neck and chest;
having every moment to protect my
throat against pair of sinewy, agile
hands, which my utmost efforts could |
not cOnfine-these were combination |
of circumstances which required all the
strength, skill and courage that could
muster to overcome.
At last, after silent, deadly, ex-
hausting struggle, got my assailant
under by series of increditable efforts
of strength. Once pinned, with my
knee on what made out TO be its chest,
l knew myself to be the victor. AS l
rested for moment to catch my breath,
heard the creature beneath me pant
ing in the darkness and felt the violent |
of heart. 1t was appar-
emily as exhausted as was. That was
one comfort.
At this moment remembered that I
had removed my leathern belt when
1nvtr,r 20 a. nd hnI
across the foot of the cot. reached
out my hand in the direction l thought
the cot should be. Happily my judg-
ment was not at fault and the first thing
my hand grasped was the belt. In
few seconds more, l had, after fash
ion, piniened the creatures arms.
now felt tolerably secure. There
was nothing more to be done but to
light my taper, and having first seen
what my midnight assailant was like
arouse my friend. will confess to be-
ing actuated by certain pride in not
giving the alarm before. 1 wished to
make the capture alone and unaided.
Never losing my hold for an instant,
gradually made my way to the place
where 1 had set the candle, then re-
leased my grasp with one hand and as
quickly as possible under the circum-
stances struck match and lighted the
candle. Then l turned to look at my
prisoner.
cannot even attempt to give any
description of my sensations the in
slant looked. supposed 1 must have
with terror, but to this day
cannot recall clearly exactly how 1 be-
haved. l shudder even now as think
of that awful momentl
saw absolutely nothing
Yes, had one arm clasped around
breathing, painting, corporeal shape,
my other hand gripped with all its
strength throat as warm and appar-
emily fleshy as my own, and yet, with
this living substance in my grasp, with
its body pressed against my own, and
all within the circle of illumination of
the candle, 1 beheld literally nothingl
Not even an outline-not even vapor!
! wonder that did not faint or go
mad on the instant. Some wonderful
instinct must have sustained me, for,
instead of loosening my hold on the
terrible enigma, | seemed to gain an
additional strength in my moment of
horror and frightened my grasp with
such wonderful force that l felt the
creature shivering with agony.
Just then the captain rushed into the
cell As sOOn "a he haheld nv face