The Forrest City times., 1899-09-29

Inc Taylor mouse, . tWO-StOry white
cottage, stood off by itself just at the
edge of the town limits. On one side
was an uneven looking hedge fence,
forming the boundary line between the
Taylor and the Brownson lands. A few
tall willow trees grew so close to the
house that their branches touched and
scraped upon the roof as they swayed
| back and forth by the breeze from
the prairie.
opened the front door and found my
way through the hall by the aid of a
lighted match. There were no curtains
on the windows, and as 1 assembled the
stairs l could see through, into the
empty rooms, where the moonlight
formed fantastic figures on the bare
floors as it fiickered in through the
branches of the trees outside.
AS stepped on the uncarpsted stairs
they creaked, and gave out a hollow
sound which echoed throughout the
house until it mingled with the noise
made by the doors and windows as they
were shaken and ratified by the wind.
When / reached the front room up
stairs / lighted the lamp, brought over
from the hotel by Jane In the morning,
and with cool bravery proceeded to take
| a survey of the place. 1 calmly took
note of the size and shape of the room
which had been the scene of the aw-
full dependency and grim despair
which resulted in the self-destruction
of old man Taylor.
There was evidence on all sides of
his occupancy. In one corner stood his
blackthorn cane, in another an an
tique sword. On the wall, near the bed,
hung picture of his dead wife. His
large, old-fashioned armchair was
drawn up alongside a marble-top CEN
ter table, on which now rested the lamp
which 1 had just lighted. The very at
mosphere seemed pervaded with his
presence.
fell to speculating on the awful deed
| and to wondering what were his sensa-
tions when he tied the fatal rope about
his neck and dropped to death. l took
late paper from my pocket and settled
myself to read, but the image of the dis
torted features of the suicide repeated
ly came between my eyes and the print
ed page.
II am nervous" muttered, as flung
the paper aside, then partially undress-
ing threw myself on the bed, first TAX
ing the precaution to place my revolver
close at hand.
The windows continued to rattle omi-
nously, the doors to slam, and at fire.
quent intervals the wind came beating
ha 0ft ho x-,e
the roof, moaning dismally as it died
| away in the distance.
tried in vain to sleep. counted up
to so, and then on to 100. l conjured up
images of sheep jumping over fences; I
had recourse to different expedients of
the wakeful in their efforts to WOO
slumber, but without success.
Sometimes my nerves would be set
vibrating by the loud, shrill whistle of
passing locomotive, as it whirled
through the town, and then again the
wind would resume it's furious TRADE
with the gables of the house.
"iTis strange" 1 said to myself, 81
have slept soundly at hotels in the midst
of the most populous districts of crowd
ed cities, with the din of the street
traffic in my ears, and yet here, in this
lonely old house, with no sound to dis
turb me, save that made by the blowing
of an ordinary prairie wind, 1 find sleep
utterly impossible"
/ was tempted to get up and return
to the hotel, but was restrained by the
thought that such an act would be
weak acknowledgment on my part of
TIE truth of the stories in circulation
about the house, and which 1 had so
ridiculed.
few strange chickens were roosting
on the branches of the tree near my win
dow, and their occasional fiuttering
was welcome, as it seemed companion
able.
AT last, thoroughly exhausted from
tossing about, l began to doze little;
but suddenly | awoke with start. Il
opened my eyes and looked directly in
front of me. | kept my eyes securely
fastened on an object standing at the
foot of the bed. The form was that of
man with CHASTITY pallid face, and
long, white beard. About him was
thrown what seemed to me a shrond,
SuSh as thdt III WHICH 1dIulet
sire was wont to parade when making
night hideous; but the other was white,
like his beard. l tried to speak, to
move; both were impossible. l seemed
to feel all my senses slowly ebbing away
as l gazed. My faculties became numb
and frozen; / was trembling with fear
in every member. l had my hand close
to my revolver, but l was powerless to
move it.
/ now became seized with horrible |
superstitious dread. My heart ceased
TO beat, my blood congealed in my
veins; l was almost as one in death.
My eyes never ceased for one instant |
to keep fastened on the apparition
which, immovable for so long time, at
length began to move slowly toward |
the door, through which it finally dis
appeared.
I lrpnu not hour 1oprr I Law 4ba.a