The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1897-04-21
SELECTED STORY.
An Invisible Thing.

Some years ago, in company with Cap
tain Hill of theIUnion army i determined
to take trip through the northwestern
part of South America and spend few
months in visiting the country where a
dozen volcanoes may be seen at one
time.
We visited Chimborazo, Cotopaxi,
Pinchincha and others, and then went
to see the wonderful lava bed of Cay
ambi, ten miles long and at least 500
feet deep.
While at the latter place we learned
of an old monastery which, 80 tradition
has it, was deserted at the eruption of
Cayambi in 1891. We determined to
see it. 1t lies way up the mountain
side, 1900 feet above sea level, and
was accessible only by the most tortu.
GUS of bride paths it had ever been my
fortune to travel over. However, with
the assistance of guide secured at the
were staying, the ascent was success
fully made.
At the close OF the second day our
tired mules turned the last bend in the
steep mountain path, aud there before
US lay the ruins of the old convent
toward which we had been climbing for
two days, hardly distinguishable from
the rough and rugged cliffs and rock
heaps appearing on every hand.
We dismounted and sent the guide
forward with the beasts and luggage.
When we reached the convent gate,
the guide was talking to an old man,
who at once made place for us. The
old fellow was bent and wrinkled, the
skin of his face looking like an old piece
of crumpled parchment which had been
put aside after a fruitless attempt to
smooth it out. he must have been at
least one hundred years old.
We asked if we might spend the night
there, after telling him the object with
which the journey had been made.
From his reply we made out that no
one had lived in the convent for nearly
200 years, but that about 20 years be-
fore party of travellers had visited
there and had remained few weeks
sketching and hunting, and that they
had occupied the rooms at the south
end, which were then in better condi-
ton than the others. All the rooms
had long since become roohess except
these, which were directly underneath
the low tower.
On our signifying our willingness to
be shown the rooms in the old convent,
the old man went into his hut and
brought out rude wax taper, and with
out word led the way to the north end
of the ruin, where made out massive
black door which opened inward. En-
tering, he lighted his primitive candle,
turned to the left and led the way down
a stone floored corridor which the cob
webs made almost impossible.
AT last our pilot came to a standstill
at the last doorway, the door, remark
ably well preserved, standing half open.
AS he entered, monster bat whisked
by my head, then another and another.
Doubtless they had been interrupted in
their nocturnal forage.
Inside the little room there was a
rude rustic cot frame made of poles
with the bark still on-the only furni.
ture of any description. The window,
a small square hole, was closed with
iron bars almost rusted away. Instead
of panes of glass the spiders had SUBJ
stituted network which almost shut
out the stars.
Communicating with this cell by
means of short passageway, nearly
closed up with rubbish, was another
room differing in no essential point
from the first, except, perhaps, that it
was, if possible, more dusty and cob
webby.
We informed the old man that we
would spend the night in these old
rooms. He looked at US moment as
if astonished; then shook his head and
muttered something which 1 took to
mean God keep you SAFE" He set
the candle down on the floor and left us
to ourselves.
We lit our cigars and sat down on the
pile of blankets, ETC., which we had
brought in with US and carried into the
inner room, and entered into converse
ton. But strange perversity domi-
mated the current of our thoughts. In
sensibly we yielded to the occult force
that swayed us and INDUCED in Gloomy
speculation.
After some time spent in this sort of
we retired to rest, the
captain going out into the outer room
and l remaining where was, after an
unsuccessful attempt to remove the cot
frame from the inner room to the
outer. I spread my blankets on the
cot frame and closed the door of my
cell, which creaked on its old rusty
hinges with noise unearthly. II
would not entirely close, so worked |
it back and forth until all the rust
dropped off and it shut quite easily,
making scarcely sound. shot the
bolt, taking no notice in the feeble
light whether or not there was loop
to receive it.
For time felt much easier that the
door was fast and lay down and drew
the blankets up around me. had just
begun to feel drowsy when a slight
noise startled me and 1 sat up.
The door stood open!
My blood seemed to freeze in my
veins. My heart stood still; then it
started to beat 30 rapidly that could
hardly breathe. / had surely closed