The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-09-03

DrSdCn OF treSn ar. Inc moonlight SilL-
tered on the stone doorstep beneath me.
and every object was clear cut and dis
tlnct No one was visible. either up or
down the street. The human race might
have vanished from the face Of the Garth
for all the evidence there was of II.
At this instant my doorbell reverberat-
ed through the entire house. ] was ex-
tremely surprised and startled. l knew
by the manner of sound that It had not
been done by human agency. ! caught
up light and ran down through the low
er part Of the house TO the kitchen. where
in a corner of the ceiling the bell was
hung. The clapper was still moving
slightly. to and fro. The nurse who was
in the sick room was extremely annoy
ed, knowing that on account Of the ex-
treme nervousness OF cur patient a no.
tice had been posted TO that effect and re-
quested that the bell should not be rung.
She supposed some one had disregarded
1t. The house was old and when 1 rent
ed 1t had been provided with only brass
knockers. had the bell put in and the
wire crossed the ceiling, exposed It's en-
tire length; therefore It was impossible
that either rats or mice could have caus-
ed Il.
The incident completely unnerved the
nurse. She was convinced that the dread
angel stood without. AS the time drew
near for the patients medicine 10 be
given I went down. not wishing to trust
the somewhat hysterical woman. The
prescription had not been used for some
days. the conditions not requiring It All
the medicines were kept on a tall chif-
fonier, in the ante-room, where I went
for the desired drug. while CROSSING the
floor my foot came in contact with an
object which found upon examination
to be small cork. When I reached for
the bottle 1t was open and the contents
frothing over the sides. I looked up and
directly over head the exposed bell wire
ran along the ceiling. Fermentation had
blown out the cork. which struck the
wire and produced what manywould have
considered IA supernatural manifestation.
A friend OF mine, on a hot summer
night, after retiring, found It impossible
to sleep, and concluded that cold bath
might soothe his faded nerves and make
him more comfortable. He refrained
from striking light, not wishing TO add
mosquitoes to his already miserable con-
dition. Besides there was enough came
in from the street lamps to make the OBJ
jects in the room dimly visible He
arose, went into the bath room and af-
ter a. refreshing plunge CROPPED his way
back to bed. and his eye was suddenly
arrested by the form OF a man, seated at
his private desk, leaning over the open
drawer.
q. -
tiously crept up behind the silent visi
itor and dealt him tremendous blow in
the body. Such a thrust meant certain
death, but in this case a ruined suit Of
an overturned inkstand. and a
deep and vicious gouge in the top OF the
table was the only result. He had forgot
ten that the evening before. when hts
suit came home from the tailor's. he had
thrown IT on the chair to preserve it
from wrinkles.
Pure Imagination is the cause of making
everyday occurrences ap-
pear supernatural. I think all Of us have
been startled by a curtain or simple
shadow, resembling some other object.
One night / sat up into the wee small
hours, absorbed in a book of WIIke Col
Inns. Our family had long since retired,
and our big, black cat. which lay curled !
up asleep on the fur mat at my feet, was
my only companion. The reading lamp |
was out OF order. and had lighted four
burners in the chandelier, which pro-
duced such a flood of light It gave shad-
ows or dark recesses no chance to exist
1 had jpust approached one of those
places in the story ''that thick mems
blood with cold" when out of the cor
ner Of my eye distinctly saw the high
backed leather chair in front Of me
move My vision glued to 1t. Then
what an absurd trick my
nerves played upon me. On
" few minutes before a loud crack be- |
hind the bookcase had given me quite n
start. In the stiffness Of the night the
sound made by contracting woodwork Is
always ghostly. while in the day time we
give 1t no consideration whatever.
I continued my story, but kept a sharp
lookout on the chair It stood upon the !
parquetry border. which ran around the
room next the wall. Immediately in front |
OF the window, its back against the sash
curtain. This was the only piece Of
drapery. if such It could be called. on
times was almost sure I saw the chair
tremble. but so slightly could not be
Finally I fixed the exact posi- !
ton OF its legs upon the pattern OF the |
wooden flooring. where II Il moved a
hairs breadth 1 could see II. but Il did |
not made up nv mind that the jarr- !
Ina was produced by own hear:. thuma. |
ing against my ribs and determined to /
finish my book and go to bed. had al /
most forgot the incident so perewfully /
had the tale absorbed me. when the cat
at my feet began to make stealthv !
I looked at the foor-the I
chair had advanced toward me from the /
wall. three inches beyond the spot where |
It previously stood I could SO II move. !
The dashboard beyond was plainly vlsi- |
bic for anyone to he concealed behind I
the short. fiimsy sash curtain.
Slowly but surely the legs sid forward !
over the polished floor. while I mark a
their PROCESS with viveted gaze. The cat
had arisen from the fur robe. and SO ID |
with arched hack ard br!stlci tai. sill /
ent spectator. Presently the forward legs F.
touched the edge Of the carpet. and tod /.
short. no longer having a slippery sur !
face to glide upon. The chair began - I
bob back and forth. first on one leg. tHen /
on the other: It executed quite dance {,
and wen through succession of bows /.
and antics which wight have been anus
ing under different circumstances, but 5
which were not appreciated by either /,
the cat or myself
At last driven frantic by these wild 4
gestures. I jumped w and with all my
pushed the chair back against
the window. = cry from outside. and +