The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-02-22
HIS OWN IMAGE.

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NY friend oharies DAILY, an impscunious
actor, having got an engagement 10 3D.
Louis, made the journey there from New
York and stopped at q hotel 10 back
street. Az he wps being shown to bis
room he was startled by most demoniao
yell, succeeded by the most horrid laugh
tor, apparently from some one In room
on the corridor they were approaching.
The servant hastened to explain that II
was gentleman who had been drinking
too much and was suffering with delirium
tremens. Not relishing such neighbor,
my friend hesitated about proceeding far
ther; but, on the assurance Of the servant
that this was the first time that the sick
man had made any noise, and that he was
In charge Of two friends who had yolun-
teered to sit up with him, Charley con-
cluded to proceed.
1t was with much misgiving that he de-
posted his valise on the small table in the
room, and prepared to take possession of
his quarters. The wind was bowling
mournfully around the house, and the
rain beat wildly on the window panes. He
would have liked fire II he could have
afforded 1t, for the weather was chilly and
the room damp. Hastily disrobing himself
and extinguishing the candle he enjoyed
the luxury Of the first stretch In 4S hours.
No one appreciates that luxury better
than he who has been confined In the ex-
asperating limits Of o scat In railroad
car for two nights In succession.
He fell asleep almost instantly. How
long he remained so he could not tell; but
some time during the night he was awak-
ened, by quick, sharp noise at his bed
side, embling the overthrow of piece
Of furniture, or the bursting open Of
door. Starting up In his bed he was hor-
rifed to see standing near him figure in
white, with glaring eyes and disheveled
hair, apparently about to spring upon him.
He at once realized the situation. The
victim of mania potu had escaped from
his watchers and obtained admission to
his room. The thought passed like light
ming through his brain, and his heart
stood still with alright. Almost as sud-
denly, however, the apparition vanished.
The disappearance affected him no less
seriously, for he knew not from what
quarter to expect an attack. Anything
was preferable to such uncertainty, and,
momentarily expecting to encounter the
maniac, he CROPPED his way In the dark to
the table where he had left the candle.
Never will he forget the horror Of that
situation. It seemed an age to him be-
fore no succeeded In obtaining a light.
When, It's feeble glimmer penetrated the
room, to his astonishment 1t was empty.
Aiming himself with his cane, he COM
menced search, but without discovering
the intruder The door was looked on the
inside and the windows secured. There
was but one closet In the room, and that
was empty.
After looking everywhere that 1t was
possible or impossible for any one to Sc
crete himself he drew q long breath. in
the assurance that he was the only occu-
pant of the room. Could no have been
mistaken Could 1t have been dreamS
At all events, there was no more sleep
for him that night. After dressing him
self he was about to go to the Office of the
hotel and apply for another room, when it
occurred to him that IL would be rather
embarrassing to explain his reason for do
handing a change. And In the hope that ID
was near morning, for he had no watch,
he wrapped the bedclothes around him and
sat in a chair awaiting the break of day
The candle burned to its socket before day
dawned. Its first feeble glmmer had
hardly made Its appearance when he de-
scended to the office and awaited his
breakfast, with the determination of seek
Ing other quarters afterward.
He had decided to say nothing Of bis
scare But when the clerk, surprised nc
his early appearance inquired II he had
not rested comfortably, he determined to
conflde in him, with the hope of obtaining
an explanation Of the mystery
The clerk, after hearing all the circum-
stances evidently believed that 1T was
nothing but q dream; but, to satisfy my
friend, he sent to inquire if the sick man
had left his room during the night.
He received the positive assurance Of
both the watchers that he had rested very
quietly and that such thing was impossi-
BILE, as neither of them had closed his eyes,
Strong as this testimony undoubtedly
was It failed to shake my friends belief
that some one had visited his room. In tho
hope Of setting his mind at rest, the clerk
suggested that he should sit near the door
of the breakfast room and inspect the faces
of the guests to identify, II possible, the
intruder.
The arrangement was carried out, and
after the last guest had breakfasted my
friond was forced to believe that none Of
them could have been the intruder, but
the impression yet remained that he could
not have been deceived
The clerk, surprised at his irmness in
his belief, determined to go up stairs and
make an examination of the room. This
wasdone in the presence of my friend, who
accompanied him, without discovering any
possible means of exit other than the door
and windows, all of which he confessed
were secured when he had examined them
after his surprise in the night. Vexed ard
annoyed with himself for having invited,
by his confession, the i'll concealed amuse-
ment of the clerk, he sat upon the edge Of
the bed, endeavoring to recall all the cir.
eumstances of the case. While In this posi-
ton he slowly raised his head, when his
eyes encountered what seemed to be the up.
partition that had previously presented it.
self. A second glance Redeemed his checks
with shame when he recognized himself in
% mirror.
The explanation flashed upon him In a
moment, and with this clew to guide him
he discovered that the noise which had
awakened him was made by the porter of
the hotel, who overturned chair in an at
tempt to extinguish lamp which was
burning In the corridor. Starting in sur
prise from heavy sleep, my friend beheld
by the brief light of the lamp which shone
through the transom of the door his own
reflection in the glass, which disappeared,
Of course, when the light was extinguisbed
This is the veracious history of n man
who was frightened by his own shadow
New York News.
A Ruse on Trath.
DEMONSTRATING n ruse IN truth,' Ia what