The St. Johns herald., 1900-10-13
A ManiaC's Freak
The Terrible Experience That Blanehsd
 n Hair

4AsAA@As
 hT HAVE heard of persons whose
 hair was whitened through ex
 cessive fear, but, as never saw my.
 self anyone so affected, am disposed
 to be incredulous on the subject
 The above remark was made to Dr.
 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
 eai7. -s7=z=s----
 Helen. will you please relate to my
 old friend the incident within your
 own experience? 1t is the tost con-
 vincing argument can advance.s
 I looked at Mrs. Maynard in sur
 prise. I had observed that her hair,
 which was luxuriant, and dressed very
 becomingly, was purely colorless; but,
 as she was a young woman, and also
 8 very pretty one, surmised that it
 was powdered to heighten the bril-
 liancy of her fine dark eyes.
 The doctor and I had been fellow
 students, but, after leaving college, we had drifted apart; to commence practice in an eastern ely, he to pur- sue his profession in growing town in Che 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 incredulity, smiled as she shook her snowy tresses over her shoulders, and, seating her self by her husbands side, related the following interesting episode:
 It 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 wake in the vicinity, the dead man being a relative of one of our serving wom- en. Thus I 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 I 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 if should fall asleep before his re- turn, he would enter without arousing me. I 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 12, so I deter mined to wait a few moments more, feeling that he would be home very soon.- I 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. onged for the sharp click of the gate atch and the well-known step on the gravel walk. I did not dare to break he hush myself by moving or singing, was so oppressed with the deep still ness. The human mind is a strange torturer of itself. I began to conjure ID vivid fancies about ghostly visit .nts, in the midst of which occurred 70 me the stories I had heard from people about the troubled spirits of those who had died sudden y, like the man whom my servants lad gone to wake" who had been <illed by an accident at the sawmill. In the midst of these terrifying re- iections, was startled by stealthy 'ootfall on the piazza. listened be- tween fear and hope. It might be he doctor. But no, he would not read like that; the step was too soft md cautious for anything less willy han eat. As listened again, my ,yes fixed on the window-blind, saw he slats move slowly and cautious y, and then the rays of the moon dis ,losed a thin, cadaverous face, and bright, glittering eyes, peering at me. Horror! Who was it? or what was te felt the cold precipitation start 1t every pore. I seemed to be frozen n my chair. could not move; I ;ould not cry out; my tongue seemed ylued to the roof of my mouth. while he deathly white face pressed closer, md the great sunken eyes wandered n their gaze about the room. In a ew moments the blind closed as as it had been opened. and he cautious footsteps came toward he door. "Merciful heavens!" I cried n a horror-stricken whisper, as I heard the key turn in the lock, "the loctor, in his haste, must have for rotten to withdraw the key"
 I heard the front door open, the tep in the hall, and, helpless as 6 tatue. sat riveted to my chair. The 'arlor door was open, and in it stood tall, thin man, whom I meyer before 'eheld. He was dressed in long, oose robe. sort of gaberdine, and ! black velvet skull-cap partially con- ealed broad forehead, under which cleaned black eyes, bright as living