The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-08-28

TOR the street lamps tho town was
In complete darkness. and a melan-
choly and uninspr1ng sight II presented
But was glad to see the rain had stop
ped. fpr that had seemed to make the
dorkness more profound. IL was. how
ever. q melancholy outlook, and I set
forth feeling In a marked degree the In
siuence OF the night
passed never a soul upon that drea-
ry rosd Occasionally a bclafed light
shonc dimiy from a window The trees
lowered above me like gloomy phan-
toms; the wind whistled In an upcarry
manner through the hedgerows. / ran-
cied saw men ploddins before me In
the dark; i even thought / could hear
tho swish OF their boots as they rose
and fell In the mud. A thousand
strange thoughts kept me company.
and I have a vivid recollection OF re-
peating over and over 10 myself, keep
Ing time. as IL were. with the crunch
OF the wheels and the movement OF the
pedals. snatches Of that ballad which
tells how Horatius kept the bridge In
the brave days OF old. my favorite
stanza beginningi
He reeled. and on Herminius
He leant one breathing space,
Then, like q wildcat mad with wounds,
Sprang straight at AstuTs face.
I suppose most people have expert
enoed something akin 10 this. II was
verse OF poetry running through my
head while my mind was deeply en-
CROSSED with other matters.
In this manner I carefully pursued
my way. of necessity going slowly. un-
I'll I came within a mile and a half Of
Chichester. Then I began to breath
freely The way had seemed never end
ing. the miles multiplied by three. but
gradually I had reeled them on. and I
was beginning 10 dream of home and
warm rood and clothing, when q turn
In the road disclosed the lamps OF q
carrfase- ] saw by q glance that II was
coming swiftly and somewhat cratic
ally, and at once took my proper side
of the road. Fortunately my lamp was
burning brightly. so that had no fear
OF being run down--that Is, suppostng
that the driver was neither mad nor
drunk.
Presently the clatter OF hoofs pro-
claimed that the horses were coming at
gallop. and / edged over still nearer
10 the gutter. not that / had the least
fear OF being run down. but the bicy-
Gle, being the weaker vessel, always
goes TO the wall. However. the advano-
ing carriage, much TO my dismay, In
stead OF drawing aside. came toward
me. and instantly / realised my imme-
date danger. shouted, but my voice
was unheeded or was drowned In the
clatter OF hoofs. the noise OF the
wheels. Instant anihilation seemed
mine. There was no way Of escaping
that dreadful rush. The great eyes OF
the carriage glared into mine. / saw
tho figure OF a ma nrfse UP, and heard
the crack OF the whip as he lashed the
horses onward. Then when it seemed
as though the maddened animals must
bear me down, when I almost fancied
could see the hoofs raised to batter out
my brains. ! suddenly swerved To the
left drove hard on the pedals and
found myself flying headforemost into
the ditch.
IL was, q desperate move. but II saved
me. A few moments later the carriage
Numbered over the very spot which I
had so precipitately vacated, and as II
dashed by i caught the momt -tary
In the glare OF the lamp. II was but a
glance, inconccivablc rapid. but rapid
as II was II enabled me to distinguish
the outline OF the face. 1t was the yell
low man with the strange eyesl
Fortunately for me the occupant or oo-
cupants Of the carriage, which vehicle
was OF the phaeton order. did not walt to
sec what damage they had done, so,
bruised and shaking with cold and ex-
/ dragged myself out OF the
ditch and listened-listened until the
sound Of ths hoofa died away In the dis
tance. Then. like one In . dream.