The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1903-07-24
FARMvILLE, VA, FRIDAY, JULY u, 1903.

b OMs ahAlNA UtnliANnf fA"tNtHN
uncle, 81 must say you will run great
risk. The man who followed my /
niece and you is evidently insane. /
lie has conceived the idea, no doubt /
that he is I'm love with her, and now
looks upon you as his rival; 1 fear
for your life if you leave this house .
tonight"
This last remark had great weight .
with me. / was not armed, and even
II ! was, l could not bear the thought
that the blood Of a fellow being
should stain my hands. Nor did
fancy the idea that he might slay me
the moment l stepped into the dark
ness of that wretched night. there
fore. with undisguised reluctance
yielded TO their persistent entreaty'
She ran away up the stairs. Her
soft voice was heard in minute or
two calling ms TO come and we walked
side by side half the way up and
stopped.
"Nhcre are you, dear?" he asked.
Come on; am in the room but there
is no light. Have you a match?
I had a little silver match boz
which l placed in his hand. lie light
ed the gas in the hall, and we passed
ON quietly to the door of a small
room. which was feebly lighted by a
very small Jet i'm the corner near
miserable apology for a mantelpiecc.
"The room is rather small, he said
I'm a low voice, "but the house Is tuli
of company and every one but this
is occupied. The gas gives poor
light somehow, the plumbers never
come when you want them. But yon
will rest Good night, good night
they said and shut the door with
bang.
The light was so dim ] could hard
Iy see anything i'm the room. There
was not a chair nor table; not
piece Of furniture except the bed.
NV feeling was anything but pleas
amt. The conviction decpcned that
was In a trap, and in the hands oil
murdcrers and thieves. This opinion
was confirmed when ] examined the
door and found it was fastened by
spring lock ON the outside. There
was no knob nor key-holc. The
plain strong door perfectly fast was
/ there before me. was prisoner.
lifted the covering of the bed
which hung down to the floor and TO
my mcxprcssible horror saw the icet
of a man. Cold chills ran mp and
down mv back; the sweat broke out
over me and my hair seemed TO be-
rising upon my head. There was
nothing whatever with which to de-
fend myself and no possible way OF
escape.
Summoning al the courage WITHIN
me. said I'm a hoarse unnatural voice
which seemed to me as if it was some
one else speaking, the very sound OF
which frightened me more and more
Come out Of there." There was not
sound or a motion. This EN-
holden me a little. "Come out,
saw: I see youl Come out. or / VIII
pull YOU out.'
still not a sound. / caught him by
The ankles and dragged him from un-
der the bed. lie was lying face
downward. threw him over upon
his back. and saw by the dim light
the most CHASTITY and horrible spec
tacle my eyes ever beheld. The eyes
and mouth were wide open, and the
throat cut from ear To ear the
whole face and bosom fearful mass
Of blood.
Good God! What should l do9
I saw I'm that bloody, hideous corpse
INV own sure doom. realized thai
INV time was short, but determined
to sell my life as dearly as l could
Rolling the wretched looking thing
l,ocl, under the bed 1 commenced t'
trv the little posts and found they
could be taken apart. One OF theS'
secured and took it to the light t'
examine. II was about three fee
long. TWO and a half inches in diam
ctcr and Of oak wood, which made u
an effective club.
! turned of the light entirely and
found that 10y the street lamps
could barely outline any obJec
which might be in the room.
7 knew full well that when th'
madman had given me time TO fal
asleep he would return to do HI
deadly work.
Taking my stand beside the door
IN position which gave me com
nond of the situation, l held my cluI
convcnicntly, and waited for the frs
oi;ol. or movement Of the lock.
Two hours must have passed when
I hoard or felt rather, soft step in th
hall near the door.
Then the slow insertion Of a key int
J u,o snrinr lock. and the latch wen
. Locl, Softly the door opened. Slow
1vIlifted my club above my.head. Sud
J forrv q head was thrust in; the bac
towards me; a glittering blade was il
. tis hand. lie looked first at the bee
] where he expected to find me. 1t wa
his last look. Quick as a flash and ter
2 rible asa thunderbolt my club descend
ed The man fell limp and lifeless
Y INV feet. his head crushed into jelly
Y One sigh. q shudder and he was gon'
y Then an awful chilly, deatblike still
IA ness filed the air. a horror canno
" express swept through my soul. Jus
k then heard my friends key in the loe
Y at the front door Of our car, and woA
= from my dream.
a
what Killed Him.
4 n Wife with newspaper. To husnan'
p Here is another forciblc tempe
i ance lecture: (Reads) Young SpI