El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-01-16
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On the 9Th of November, 1870 Ga day
marked in Exeter. England, by riot and
confusion), Miss E., lady0of that city,
went to pay an evening visit to- the
bishops family at the palace. She re-
manned rather later than usual, and felt
uneasy at the thought of returning home
ON foot through the streets, which were
crowded with drunken people discharg-
ing fireworks and behaving Criotously.
She therefore requested that a servant
might be sent to let her pass through
the cathedral by private passage which
was always left open until a late hour,
thinking that she could cross the aisle
into a lane and thus avoid the annoyance
she so much dreaded. . -
The servant attended her to the en-
trance and returned. The great clock
chimed 10 o'clock as she passed hastily
to the opposite door, which she was
startled to see closed; still more so to
find it barred and locked.
She proceeded to the gates which clos
ed the side aisle from the opposite choir;
they were also fastened, and she saw
dimly the perspective of the cathedral
unoccupied by any human being. The
vergers, eager to enjoy their share of the
nights festivity, had shut up the church
unusually early. Terrified at her TN
pleasant situation, Miss E. fastened back
feeble hope that the servant might still
be within hearing; but, though she made
great efforts to call attention, they We're
fruitless, and, indeed, a moments re-
Election upon the long suit of unused
and empty apartments which she had
passed through convinced her that all
expectation of assistance from that quar-
ter was in vain. After an interval of
doubt, terror and distress she seated her
ia nd 1oo ff,
compose herself to endure with fortitude
what was unavoidable, looking for pro-
lection to that Being in whose peculiar
abode she was detained, though against
her will. a~f
The night grew darker and she had
reasoned herself into tolerable composure
to meet its gloom, when the moon, rising,
threw its brilliant beams down through
the roof of the building, and, as they
stole along the aisle, she often started
at the reflection on the sculptured tombs
of mailed chiefs long wrapped in the
oblivion of the grave, and. agitated as
her nerves were, she could not avoid
admiring the beautiful and magical eff
feet of the lights and shades.
But as she was gazing listlessly at the
shades upon the wall she was startled
as she traced in one the resemblance to
human form. Her eyes were riveted
she plainly saw the shadow of face
extending its jaws in the act of -yawn-
ing. She looked-thought it an illusion;
but, no, the form was there, and in the
moonlight it appeared to rise slowly from
q tomb in the opposite aisle. While this
amazing and frightful spectacle fascinat-
ed her gaze to the light CLEAN which
rendered its profile visible the moon sank
suddenly behind a cloud, and again I'll
rlyn no IN CT DIV
her mind and examine how she might
have been deceived-perhaps it was
shade reflected from monument-bnt
the exertion of yawning- eohfutea~ that
idea and made her willing to ascribe the
whole to the powerful workings of her
agitated Imagination. 2"79srT 10 p
She had now been confined some hours.
and her distress had somewhat abatfd
when she was again thrown into alarm
by distinctly hearing loud breathing, then
footsteps at the end of the aisle in which
she sat. The darkness was unbroken.
Agonized to the highest pitch of terror.
riveted to her seat, deprived of the pow
er of speech, her senses only remained
to point out more acutely the horrors of
her situation.
A very light echo brought the footsteps
nearer, and the equal pace of the being
who walked through the aisle and its
gradual approach led her to fear that
her presence was known to a form her
eyes vainly sought to behold
After enduring some minutes agony
(which she would hardly suffer again to
purchase existence) a hand was placed
upon her head, and at the same moment
an idiotic noise informed her that it was
a lunatic of Exeter who, as was after
ward discovered, would use every means
to remain in the cathedral and sleep
among the tombs. Her mind, wrought
so highly, relaxed at once, and, being re-
lieved from her fears of a ghOstly pres |
ence she was induced to think lightly of !
her lonely state, although she knew her |
self to be in the power of a being who |
had often committed very serious out |
RACES.
Controlling her feelings as best she |
could, she talked to and soothed the hap |
less maniac.
Soon after the door from the bishops |
palace opened and servants entered with !
lights. calling Miss E. Great was their |
surprise to find her sitting by man.
md that man so well known as a dan
yerous lunatic. She joyfully left her I'M
happy associate, but for years after she |
suffered from what she had that night |
endured.
Miss Els servant had called for her
1t the given time and was told she had
zone home. Returning and not finding
Ter there, he conjectured she had called