The Lamar register., 1901-09-04


In the silence Of night sudden noise
il rather difficult to locate. How often
the most common events, under un-
familiar circumstances, become inex-
plicable mysterissi
l am not OF . superstitious makeup,
and therefore Sarah's vague fears did
not produce in me q feeling of fright;
but there was a watchfulness about my
senses - though there were funny
things" 10 use Sarah's term. about the
house. which would become apparent
In due time.
Nesting my head down on the pill
low, redolent With The grateful health
giving aroma Of spruce, closed my
eyes.
Sleep did not come a. quickly as I had
boastsd TO my old nurse 1t would, and
1t was some time before my conscious
pess began to wander into the domain
Of vague fanciss and indistinct ideas
which characterize the period between
waking and sleeping.
Then, almost before my eyes could
open, I suddenly sat up in bed and
listensd with hearing sharpensd by the
sense OF expectancy which bad come
over me.
Out through the silence Of my room
there came stealing the sound Of q voice
but such . voice! Not possessed by
any human being. surely! Pitched on
9 high. quavering tone. and yet 80 soft
and small; 10 faint, as though borne
from . great distance; 90 plain, as
though right at my bedside; bearing no
Eemblance to human tones, but never
sheless undoubtedly q voice: for after
a time I could distinguish word now
and then.
II there were In the world weird, mis-
shapen little folks like fairies and
Rnomes, and We could hear their con.
versatlon, I imagine their voices would
sound like this one 70 which now wns
listening.
There was no wonder Mrs. Snyder
had been impressed by II, II this were
the voise shs had heard.
Strange indeed, and unnatural, ~
though not Of This world. 1t seemed to
me. A creeping sensation came over
me, not exactly like chat produced BY
fear; there was more of awe, OF SOL
emnity, about II. f
The sound Of the voice was intermit-
tent. Thsre would be . few words,
then . pause. and 20 on. could make
no sense OF the few diajointed sentences.
It lasted but few minutes. Indeed. no
brief was ths conversation, II that Is
what Il was, there was no time to make
an investigation.
After long period Of anxious listen
ing 1 settled down again for sleep. And
when At last slumber came, it was
troubled. Vague, shadowy dreams fit
ted across my consciousness, and
through them all was q sort of premo-
nition of future events, which seemed
to have . bearing upon the robbery.
The next morning I Twas awakened by
the sun shining in my face. Hardly
hsd got my eyes open and my senses
aroused TO my new surroundings, when
loud and long-continued humping
on the front door caused me TO spring
out Of bsd. Hastily donning . few gar
menAs, I went to The door and opened
t.
Mrs. snyder was standing there, and
an unmistakabls look OF relief came
over her face when she saw me.
Zach my! you schlesp 30 sount vas
afrait somesing de matter!" she said.
"Breakfas' vas rstty long dime alrstty."
"An right. I'll be right over and eat
IT," replied.
While was dressing the recollection
Of the strange voice of the last night
came to me. Now. in the broad glare OF
the forenoon, when all mystery takes
flight and the hallucinations of the
darkness become trivial, / wondered il
my Imagination had played me trick.
It seemed as though had heard the
voice in . dream, SO unreal did the cir
cumstAnce appear now.
was standing by the huge chimney.
when again, breaking in upon my
thoughts, came the sound of that mys-
terious small voice.
As on the night before, there were no
completed sentences; only . word be-
tween pauses of various duration. The
sounds were palmer, however; not loud
er, but more distinct.
Here was q mystery indeed, one which
did not choose only the shades of night
for its manifestations, but came in the
daytime, as though possessed Of such
subtle and unaccountable qualities that
it might defy research.
After the voice had ceased, and con-
tinued my toilet, the sound of talking.
coming from the walk outside, reached
me.
Iglanced out of the window, and saw
Sarah and Mrs. Snyder again In most
earnest conversation.
Somewhat surprised TO see my old
nurse 20 early In the day, called to
her:
Hello. Sarahi What's the trouble7
What brought you here at this timer"
Zach, Mel, bud I am glad to see you!"
shs exclaimed. II coNldp't schleep all
might"
"NoW, that was too bad. I said.