The San Francisco call., 1899-04-09

tn HE following events occurred on q
small island of isolated position
in a large Canadian lake, to
whose cool waters the wealthy
inhabitants of Montreal and To-
ronto flee for rest and recreation
in the hot months. 1t is only to
be regretted that events of such peculiar
interest to the genuine student of the
psychical should be entirely uncorrob-
GRATED. Such unfortunately. however, is
the case.
Our own party of nearly twenty had re-
turned TO Montreal that very day and
was left in solitary possession for a week
or two longer, in order to accomplish
some important reading of the law
which had foolishly neglected during the
summer
1t was late in September, and the big
trout and maskinonge were stirring them
selves in the depths Of the lake, and be-
ginning slowly TO move up to the surface
waters as the north winds and early frosts
lowered their temperature.
With a whole island to ones self, two
story cottage, a canoe, and only the chip
munks, and the farmers weekly visit with
eggs and bread, TO disturb one, the oppor-
tunties for hard reading might be very
great. 1t all depends
A thorough search of the house led me to
select as my own sleeping quarters a lit
tie room with a diminutive balcony over
the veranda roof. The room was very
small. but the bed was large, and had the
best mattress Of them all 1t was situ-
ated directly over the sitting room where
l should live and do my reading" and
the miniature window looked out to the
rising sun. With the exception of a mar
row path which led from the front door
and yeranda through the trees to the boat
landing the island was densely covered
with naples, hemlocks and cedars
A week passed by, and the reading
progressed favorably. On the tenth day
OF my solitude strange thing happened.
/ awoke after good nights sleep to find
myself possessed with marked repug
nance for my room. The air seemed to
stlfe me. The more l tried to define the
cause of this dislike the more unreason-
able it appeared. There was something
about the room that made me afraid.
The morning hours I spent in steady
reading; and when I broke oft In tho
middle of the day for a swim and
luncheon, 1 was very much surprised. If
not a little alarmed, to find that nv dis
like for the room had. If anything, grown
stronger. Going upstairs to get a book.
L experienced the most marked aversion
10 entering the room, and while within
was conscious all the time of an uncom.
Portable feeling that was half uneasiness
and half apprehension. The result Of II
was, that instead of reading, spent the
afternoon on the water, padding and
fishing,
AS sleep was an important matter IN
me at this time, had decided that If my
aversion TO the room was as strongly
marked on my return as 1t had been be-
fore. would move my bed down into the
sitting-room, and sleep there This was.
/ argued, in no sense a concession to an
absurd and fanciful fear. but simplv q
precaution to insure a good nights sleep.
/ accordingly moved my bed downstairs
into a corner of the sitting-room facing
the door, and was moreover uncommon
ly glad when the operation was completed
and the door Of the bedroom closed fin
ally upon the shadows, the silence and the
strange fear that shared the room with
them.
Outside the night was still and warm.
Not a breath of air was stirring: the
waves were silent, the trees motionIess:
and heavy clouds hung like an oppressive
curtain over the heavens. The darkness
seemed to have rolled up with unusual
swiftness, and not the faintest glow Of
color remained to show where the sun had
set. There was present in the atnos
phere that ominous and overwhelming
silence which so often precedes the most
violent storms.
AS the night wore on the silence deep
eHeu' Even the chipmunks were stillt
and the boards of the floors and walls
ceased creaking. I read on steadily til
from the gloomy shadows Of the kitchen
came the hoarse sound of the clock strik
Ing 3. How loud the strokes soundedI
There were like blows of a big hammer.
/ closed one book and opened another.
feeling that was just warming up to my
work
This, however. did not last long
presently found that l was reading the
same paragraphs over twice. simple
paragraphs that did not require such ef-
fort. Then I noticed that my mind be-