The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-01-07
THE LATCH CLICK.

It was about dusk Carl and Nora were
sitting by the glowing fire, with bright,
happy faces, talking of their prospects,
when they distinctly heard the latch rise
and fall Nora turned pale and sank back
IN her chair faint and trembling.
''What ails you, darling?" asked Carl
anxiously
Carl" she gasped, ego to the door
70 if there is any one there-quick,
quickl''
the hall, but there was nothing to be seen,
and he returned to her, saying:
''There is nothing there, dearest Did
it brighten you''-
Before he could finish the sentence the
click of the latch was heard again.
Nora sprang to her feet and, with a
shrek, fell to the floor, swooning Carl
soon brought the family to his aid and ex-
planned all that he knew of the cause of
her fainting. When he told of the strange
clicking of the door the father exclaimed
vehemently:
"What new danger now hangs over my
unfortunate house? What have L done to
merit it?''
The old man wept, while Rina and
Carl, with white, scared faces, attempted
to rouse Nora from her deathlike swoon,
and after time succeeded.
what is it, Nora?'' repeated Carl, who
was greatly mystifed at the unaccountable
DehaV1Or or NOra ana 16r 1aGler.
81 can't tell you now. Come tomorrow
and 1 will explain.
Carl bent and kissed her, and then he
went away.
"Oh, father, what do you think it
means?''
81 do not know, but something dreadful
is going to happen. We have never had
the warning without a calamity. You
will hear it again, - moaned the wretched
Tatha fFVOu will hear if aCaiT
1t was a miserable night for the father
and daughter, and morning found them
looking haggard and worn. The day pass
! ed, and the fatal click was not heard again.
In the evening Carl came, impatient to
| hear of the strange event.
MIR. Rive began:
cit has been a legend in our family for
| ages and ages that when any one connected
| with us was going to die or some accident
happen warming was invariably given by
the sign which you have heard. My grand
| father heard it, and the next day he was
drowned My elder brother was forewarned
! In the same manner of his approaching dis
solution. In fact, from time immemorial
we have known of near death by the click
ing of the latch.
''Mr. Rive, such superstitious stories
ought not to be credited by an educated
| gentleman like yourself exclaimed Carl.
II am not superstitious, but this know
| w bS OIuS IL has A0NoE Adl4S0, anu tI1
convinced that some terrible peril over
shadows Nora, and on her wedding day it
will appear. We know it, and 1 am re-
signed
Carl was deeply impressed with the story,
| though he strove to cheer the father and
| divert his attention from the painful sub
| ject. He had distinctly heard the click
and knew that no visible person had made
! 1t, for he had himself searched the premises
and found no trace of any one. Mr.. Rive
attributed it to supernatural agencies and
was positive in his assertion that some
danger threatened Nora, and that the
warning would be fulfilled on her wedding
day. $50 s4 90
The day dawned bright, and the we'd
ding was celebrated in the little chapel.
The breakfast eaten the young couple
! were ready to start. Friends remarked on
the paleness of the lovely bride, but sup
/ posed it was due to excitement. They did
not know of the worm which was eating
! her life away with what terrible sua-
pense she waited for the click which she
| knew would come sooner or later.
The father stood by with clouded face,
for his tho lights were not of the happy
scene around him, but of the awful warn
! ing He loved his Nora as father loves
his only child, and to lose her, SO young
/ and fair, was almost maddening to him.
He was convinced that she was doomed to
an early death, for that 'click'' meant
nothing else.
What made the young wife suddenly
SILVER and utter half suppressed shrek?
Alas, that fatal sound After the first in
| voluntary cry she made no exclamation,
but Stood pale and calm.
At last the farewells were spoken, and
the young couple were in the train speed
ing away from friends and home.
Carl" said Nora, the latch clicked
for the third and last time. Did you not
hear it?''
'No, dear, I did not. You must have
been mistaken-at least, hope you were.
Cheer up. Try and forget this strange af-
fair. l was by your side, and if you had
heard that latch 1 certainly, too, must have
heard it
II cannot feel cheerful, - she replied "It
keeps sounding in my ears, and know
that we shall meet with some terrible mis-
fortune. -
s'Don't talk so, Nora dear, and don t
keep thinking of evil presentiments. I
have no faith in them. Your ancestors
might have supposed such thing to be
the forerunner of death, but you will he
spared to me, L hope and trust, for many
years.
''Wait, - said the firm voice of Nora. AMI
that one word uttered in SO stern tone,
struck u chill to the husbands heart
A shrek of the whistle, terrible shock,
and Carl knew no more.
On coming to his senses he found him.
self on a cot in little cabin and heard tbs
groans of the sufferers around him. IIe
was weak, and his arm ached violently.
He found himself unable to rise. His 1fEf
words were:
mora, Nora!''
But Nora did not reply, and her fore
boding came to him wildly. A man an-
swered his agonized cry by lifting him uI
and pointing to small figure lying m"
tionless on a couch. The face was ASH
| ,nnla hlnnd trickled down from q