The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1899-07-22

Again, that Wierd, muffled, unearth-
ly wailing! Was there actually some
lost, wandering spirit, escaped from
purgatory, inhabiting the house! l lis
tened for many minutes; and then,
above the bowling wind, a sound re-
verbrated through the house which L
shall never forget. 1t vas like the pitc
GUS expiring cry of some poor soul IN
dircst agony. 1t was no blast OF wind,
nor knell from the bell above, nor gliD.
behring's and mutterings OF o anu
COLLINS. 1t was human!
NV blood ran cold; my teeth chatter-
ed; / trembled from head to foot. "A
oresentiment of an approaching encoun
ter with a creature of appalling aspect
unnerved me.
II was now 9 o'clock. Six u
more of this horrible suspense!
There was a noise of footsteps over
hea l. followed by an cutlery, like n dog
having Mt the moon. The wind ut In
teryals. still dashed against the house;
and at every gust 1 thought my II
had come. =,
T law down and wrapped myself IN
the blankets, hoping to dispcl the slnv-
cring sensation that ran through me.
A prolonged wall and loud sobs!
T must make an effort to search the
house. and find from whom these
noises came.
Nerciful powers! I could not move.
I was losing the use Of my limbs! l
fell into a semi-unconsciOus state. 1t
was not sleep, it was more like Il rear.
full nightmare without sleep. All
strength forsook me. I felt utterly
powerless paralyzed in every limb.
The sense of hearing vanished. MY
ewes were closed against my will; l
could not open them. All that l was
conscious of vas a sensation of the ut
most terror. l thought I wa dying, or
passing into another state or another
world. Presently I felt something
touching nv neck, like cold, icy fin
gers or cold steel. Then, before my
closed eve there seemed to he a glow
ing light. I tried to speak; but M
tongue clave to my mouth. Again
those icy fingers Mt my neck! My coat
and linen about my neck were being
unfastened! 1 suddenly emerged fro;a
my torpid condition saw the candle
falling to the floor and the figure of a
gaunt, whitening creature leaving the
room. The figure vas clothed, as 1t
seemed, In a tattered gray garment,
and over her shoulders long, white
hair streamed. 1t was but a moment
airy glance 1 had, for the candle was
extinguished as it touched the floor.
l sprang to my feet. The bell again
rang thrice. Then all was silent, save
for the fitful wind. I CROPPED about
for the matches but could not find
them. I raised my hand to MY neck,
expecting to find trickling blood; but
there were no signs Of any wound.
At that moment l heard Il low plain
tive voice on the landing-'"That wound
that scar, it is thcre!" 1 felt again at
my neck, but with the anne result as
before. I CROPPED about frantically for
the matches, but in vain.
After a few minutes the voice spoke
a second time on the landing or on the
stairs. 1t muttcred two words, &c
peated thrice at intervals:-"Tle Res
direction! The Resurrection! The Res
urrection!"
The words rose and fell with Il
mournful cadanCc, mingled with terror
and helplessness. and gradually died
away as the speaker withdrew to a
distance.
1 stepped softly to the landing. 1t
was in pitch darkness. 1 dared not
move either to the upper or lower
rooms without a light to guide me.
1 returned to my chamber sat on the
side Of the bed, and listened for fur
Their sounds. Surely. I thought. l was
strong enough to cope with the ap-
paraticr, however murderous its inten-
lions might be. Why should l succumb
to coWardice?
I heard the boards creak in the room
above me, then low mutterings, as II
coming from two or thrae voices-neXt,
a steady footstep pacing to and FRO.
ceasing for Il moment, and renewed on
The stairs. nearer and nearer the foot
steps advanced. Horror! that torpid
sensation was stealthily creeping over
me again, which I felt powerless to
resist, There was a glimmer of a light
through the half-open door, tho foot
steps abruptly stopped, a loud though
tremulous voice. pealed and echoeu
through the house: "Richard, Richard,
Richard Dudley!'
The voice recalled my ebbing senses.
A thousand thoughts surged my brain
Was I really a ilu a being, or had i
passed into a transition state, border
on the world of spirits?
Again that voice "R1chard, klcnaro,
Richard Dudley"
I started to my feet and made my
way to the landing; and there, at the
foot of the stairs, stood the woman
clad in gray, a candle held aloft in one
hand and a framed portrait Of a youth
in the other. I gazed In speeches.,
awe-struck amazement, for I beheld
in that ashen .withered face-my own
mother!
1 was, indeed. Richard Dudley, the
elder son Of the squire.
The meeting was, indeed. like a res
direction to both Of us. 1 prefer to
draw a veil over much that passed be-
tween us from the moment Of recogni-
ton to the time my friends returned.
NV mother led the way to q small at
tic chamber, lighted by a window In
the roof. Out of boxes and other lum-
her. left behind by the creditors, she
had contrived to form a table and a
rough bedstead. And here, secreted
from the world, she had lived in soil
tude, as I afterwars learned, for sew
tn or eight years. 1t was many days
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