Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1900-07-06
s ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
5 A ManiaC's Freak !
The Terrible Experience That Bianched y
" aWomans Hair Al:
SASA~'ASASsA4,AH,a.1A1saS n
HAVE heard of persons whose

10 be lncredulous on the subject"
Inc above remark was made to DIR.
Maynard, as we sat on the piazza of
his pretty villa, discussing the differ
ent effects of terror on dissimilar tenn
peraments. Without replying to me,
the doctor turned to his wife. and
said:
Helen, will you please relate to nv
old friend the incident within your
own experience? 1t is the most con-
vincing argument can advance"
looked at Mrs, Maynard in sur
prise. had observed that her hair,
which was luxuriant, and dressed very
becomingly, was purely colorless; but,
as she was young woman, and also
a very pretty one, surmised that it
was powdered to heighten the bril-
liancy of her fine dark eyes.
The doctor and l had been fellow
students, but, after leaving college,
we had drifted apart; to commence
practice in an eastern city, he to pur-
sue his profession in a growing town
in the west. | was now on a visit to
him for the first time since his mar
riage..
Mrs. Maynard, no doubt reading my
supposition by my look of incredulty,
smiled as she shook her snowy tresses
over her shoulders, and, seating her
self by her husbands side, related the
following interesting episode:
1t was nearly two years ago since
my husband was called on one evening
to visit patient several miles away.
Our domestics had all gone to a wake
in the vicinity, the dead man being
relative of one of our serving wom-
en-. Thus | was left alone. But felt
no fear, for we never had heard OF
burglars or any sort of desperadoes
in our quiet village, then consisting of
. a few scattered houses. The windows
leading out on the piazza were open
as now, but / secured the blinds be-
fore my husbands departure, and
locked the inside doors, all except the
front one, which left for the doc
tor to lock after going out, so that.
IL l should fall asleep before his re-
turn, he would enter without arousing
me. heard the doctors rapid foot
steps on the gravel, quickened by the
urgent tones of messenger who
awaited him; and, after the sharp
rattle of the carriage wheels had be-
come but an echo, I seated myself
by the parlor astral, and very soon
became absorbed in the book ! had
been reading before being disturbed
by the summons.
But after time my interest sue
cumbed to drowsiness, and thought
of retiring. Then the clock in the
doctors study struck ~, so | deter
mined to wait few moments more,
feeling that he would be home very
soon. l closed my book, donned a
robe de chambre, let down my hair,
and then returned to my seat to pa
tiently wait and listen. not the faint
est sound disturbed the stiffness Of
the night. Not breath of air stirred
the leaves. The silence was so pro-
found that it became oppressive. l
longed for the sharp click OF the gate
latch and the well-known step on the
gravel walk. / did not dare to break
the hush myself by moving or singing,
i was so oppressed with the deep still
ness. The human mind is strange
torturer of itself. began to conjure
up vivid fancies about ghostly visit
ants, in the midst OF which occurred
to me the stories | had heard from
superstitious people about the troubled
spirits of those who had died sudden
ly, like the man whom my servants
had gone to wake" who had been
killed by an accident at the sawmill
In the midst Of these terrifying re-
Elections, | was startled by stealthy
football on the piazza. / listened be-
tween fear and hope. II might be
the doctor But no, he would not
tread like that; the step was too soft
and cautious for anything less willy
than cat. AS listened again, my
ewes fixed on the ,window-blind, saw
the Stats move slowly and cautious
w. and then the rays of the moon dis
closed n thin. cadaverous face, and
bright, glittering eyes, peering at me.
Norrorl Who was it? or what was
It? I felt the cold perspiration start
at every pore. ] seemed to be frozen
IN nv chair. I could not move;
could not cry out; my tongue seemed
clued to the roof OF my mouth, while
the deathly white face pressed closer,
and the great sunken eyes wandered
in their gaze about the room. In a
few moments the blind closed as
noiselessly as it had been opened, and
the cautious footsteps came toward
tbe door. "Merciful heavens!" / cried
IN a borror;stricken whisper, as
heard the key turn in the lock, the
doctor, in his haste, must have for
gotten TO withdraw the key
heard the front door open, the
sten in the hail. and, helpless as
statue. I sat riveted to my chair. The
narlor door was open, and in it stood
q tall, thin man, whom meyer before
hebe,d He was dressed in long,
,oose robe. a sort OF gaberdine, and
black velvet skull-cap partially con-
ocaIod n broad forehead, under which
cleaned black eyes, bright as living
Goals. and placed so near together
that their gaze was preternatural in
tho;r distinctness; heavy, gri1zled
arehrows hung over them like the
.sar,ed name of a lion; the nose was
nrominent: the chin was
overgrown with white hair, which
hung down in locks as weird d as t the e
Ancient Mariners. He politely dotted
his can. bowed, replaced it, and then
..;d /. slightly foreign accent:
af,ds m. It is not necessary for me
10 stand on any further ceremony as
hnsband, DR.. Maynard" here he