The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1898-03-29

l would probably have gone TO nay room
and procured candle had not this fear
some sensation come over me. laughed
at myself for experiencing it.
Testing every step before trusting
my whole weight upon it, lest the tim
bers rotted by the dampness might
give way and precipitate me headlOng
to the depths below, 1 went slowly
down into the Egyptian darkness. My
hand rested on the rude balustrade all
the way, and when it came to the end
1 knew was standing on the last step.
am probably no more of coward
than most men, and had never been
afraid of darkness; but this was the
blacklist night l had ever been i'm
mersed in. Really there was lesser
degree of darkness when closed my
eyes, for then the sensations of the
glowing western sky still fingered.
Standing there on the bottom step, an
unaccountable fear came over me.
Probably it has been perceived from
this history that Impotence regarding
things which seem to have bearing
on the supernatural is one of my char
acteristics. To feel a sensation of fear
gnen there is no apparent reason for
it, causes disgust at what consider
an objectionable weakness.
So then l determined to chastise my
| cowardice by keeping on and eXplor-
ing that dark hole. L would not allow
myself to beat an ignOminious retreat
simply because a sensation of fear in
! oIiDed me- 70 Such a course
[ took the last step, and my feet
rested on what seemed to be a loose
plank, which gave way few inches
under my weight. From the feeling
of insecurity this brought to me, ]
thrust out my foot to feel my way be-
fore proceeding farther.
Before 1 could take a step forward,
however, from somewhere in that tomb
like darkness, in deep, solemn tones,
sounded a voice:
i'Another step means death. Pause
before you take it,"
| To say that 1 was simply startled
would not be true. l was paralyzed
with fear. My hair bristled up, my
heart began a trip-hammer action, and
the blood surged to my head in fierce
tide.
Back, for your ife!" again sounded
the voice, this time in steTner tones.
Back, for"
But l stayed not to hear more. Never
had that stairway been assembled in
greater haste. 1 fairly tumbled up,
using my hands as well as my feet.
i Pausing not to close the cook-house
door, I made a wild rush for my room.
intent on the one only purpose of
escaping from the unknown terror of
that horrible voice. 1 closed my bed
room door after l had entered, and
bolted it, Then / threw myself into
the nearest chair and covered my face
with my hands.
For some time 1 remained so, limp,
powerless and completely unnerved.
The night had fallen when 1 again
looked up, and my room was shrouded
in gloom. Darkness was horrible; so,
staggering to my feet, 1 fumbled about
for some matches, and in feverish haste
lit the two lamps and the candle
which were in the room. The window
was open. [ closed the shutters and
bolted them. The door leading into the
parlor where my grandfather's body
had reposed in the coffin waiting fol
burial, so many years ago, was also
open, and in my wrought-up imagina,
ton specters of the dead seemed to pass
before it. There was no bolt to this
door and, not feeling satisfied in having
it simply latched, by great effort
showed a tall chest of drawers against it
Even thus barricaded there was NJ
/, feeling of safety. There was no know
ing what fearful mystery might come
up through the floor from the walled
up cellar beneath.
: The experience just passed through
was enough to brighten anyone. Blu
) it was not that alone which caused sucl
: a complete Generalization of my nerve!
r and so absolute a terrorism of all my
: faculties. There was something NOR,
than the demonstration just encOun
tered, something from within myself
t Looking back to the time now real
} ize how true it is that often coming
l events cast their shadows before.
r After awhile 1 began to realize NOR,
and more that the intensity of the fea
which had swept over me was no
t ! wholly caused by the sound of tn
: voice or the attendant circumstances
= L secuted all idea of a supernatural orr
} gin; but, then, what was it?
f The season of the year had arrived
e when the farmers had about completed
;, the garnering of an abundant harvest
= and therefore a feeling of conten
: abounded. The countryside was over
run by tramps, the members of the dus
= ty fraternity well knowing that fooC
i was never denied hungry man by tn,
1 well-provisioned farmers. Perhaps thu
cook-house cellar was rendezvous TO
e a number of tramps. 1 was so eager t.
), arrive at some explanation of the even
n which would have a wholly materialisti
f bearing that the absurdity of a MAJ
seeking resting-place in a damp fou
d cellar, when a much more comfortable
/ bed might be secured out at the barr