Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1901-01-31

mOspneTe Setmtu peFsaueu Win MI
presence.
fell TO specializing on the awful deed
and to wondering what were his sensa
tions when he tied the fatal rope about
his neck and dropped to death. / took
late paper from my pocket and settled
myself to read, but the image of the dis
torted features of the suicide repeated
ly came between my eyes and the print
ed page.
Il am nervous" ] muttered, as flung
the paper aside, then partially undress-
ing threw myself on the bed, first TAX
ing the precaution to place my revolver
close at hand.
The windows continued to rattle omi-
nously, the doors TO slam, and at fire.
quent intervals the wind came beating
the tops of the trees vigorously against
the roof, moaning dismally as it died
away in the distance.
tried in vain to sleep. ! counted up
TO so, and then on TO 100. conjured up
images of sheep jumping over fences; /
had recourse TO different expedients of
the wakeful in their efforts to WOO
slumber, but without success.
Sometimes my nerves would be set
vibrating by the loud, shrill whistle of
a passing locomotive, as it whirled
through the town, and then again the
wind would resume its furious TRADE
with the gables of the house.
Ills strange" | said to myself, 81
have slept soundly at hotels in the midst
of the most populous districts of crowd
ed cities. with the din of the street |
traffic in my ears, and yet here, in this !
lonely old house, with no sound to dis |
turb me, save that made by the blowing
of an ordinary prairie wind, find sleep |
utterly impossible"
] was tempted 10 get up and return
TO the hotel, but was restrained by the
thought that such an act would be a
weak acknowledgment on my part of
the truth of the stories in circulation
about the house, and which l had so
ridiculed.
A few strange chickens were roosting
IN the branches Of the tree near my win
low, and their occasional tiuttering
Vas welcome, as it seemed companion
lble.
At last, thoroughly exhausted from
ossing about, began to doze a little;
'ut suddenly / awoke with a start. |
'pened my eyes and looked directly in
ront of me. l kept my eyes securely
astened on an object standing at the j
DOT of the bed. The form was that of
man with CHASTITY, pallid face, and
ong, white beard. About him was
brown what seemed to me a shrond.
UGH as that in which Hamlet's departed
ire was won't TO parade when making
light hideous; but the other was white,
Ike bis beard. | tried to speak, to
move; both were impossible. seemed
o feel all my senses slowly ebbing away
S | gazed. My faculties became numb
nd frozen; ! was trembling with fear
. every member. had my hand close Z
? my revolver, but | was powerless TO q
love it.
! now became seized with horrible T
nperstitious dread. My heart ceased /
beat, my blood CONCEALED in my
ems; was almost as one in death.
My eyes never ceased for one instant
} keep fastened on the apparition
hich, immovable for so long time, at
myth began TO move slowly toward
ie door, through which it finally dis
ppeared.
| know not how long lay there, in a
ate of semiunconsciousness when a
'ud, piercing noise broke the spell and
I my nerves quivering. 1t was only
le growing of the rooster on the tree,
ose TO the open window, but ii filled
ne room with familiar, earthly sound
lat reused one TO life and action.
jumped quickly out of bed, in a sort
excitement born of wild terror. |
as controlled by one of those wild i'm
ulses of fright which causes an animal
} rush back into the flames from which
Is keeper has rescued him. | grasped
y revolver and ran out of the door
trough which / had seen the appar-
on glide, then down the stairs, three
cps at time, and pulled open the door
the foot of the landing.
As opened it my attention was in
antly arrested by the sight of an OBJ a
CT crawling low through the hedge n
nee. Mechanically / took aim and
red. There was a convulsive shaking v,
the branches and bushes, a report. a "
roam, and then-silence B
| dropped my smoking revolver and
'ed across the prairie to the hotel, .,
'oused the sleeping landlord and clerk,
Id told my adventure. Great excite b
ent followed The whole town seemed
} learn the news simultaneously. I'm
ediate investigation resulted in find.
e John Brownson, lying wounded and
lconseious, in the garden of the Tay- a,
r farm. Medical skin was summoned,
I'd il developed that painful, but not II
.cessarily fatal, bullet wound in his ii.
g would compel his confinement in his
'om for some time.
The Morning Item contained the fol-
wing account of the occurrence: &C
Iohn Brownson. farmer living near