The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-03-26
A CHAMBER OF HORRORS.

of my honesty; proof of my love, but
know that fear, dread and actual coward
ice have left stain within me- Some
times when | contemplate the truth. II
seems that the supposed virtues OF my
character cruInble ard vanish; l Seem
liar, a hypocrite, and my love for her re-
proaches me.
We were married in the fall, and moved
to a house of our own. My mother, with
an old uncle, still lived in the house l
had left We were beginning TO expert
ence that second happiness that comes 10
men and women when they feel that
their lives are assuming sweet and per-
manent relation. We had been married
several months when | was notified one
morning that my uncle had died during
the night and that my mother wanted
me TO come TO her at once L hurried 10
nv old home. She had called my uncie
al the usual time that morning ana, re.
ceiving no reply. had gone 10 his room
and found him sleeping his last sleep.
OF course, there was nothing 10 20 ouI
make the necessary arrangements. and l
attended TO them, trying, meanwhile. TO
console my mother. Soon after l arriYeo
nv wife came accompanied by an ola
friend of my mothers. II was nnaiiy ar
ranged that my mother should spehu tile
night with her friend and that my wife
and 1 should stay in the old home untii
after the funeral.
1 left the Office at o'clock that even
ing and hurried home. The cold was IN
tense. l left the car and turned up the
street which led to the house. ana IL was
then that the first creeping fear came
over ne. Why, l do not know, nor is II
nv intention 10 speculate. As neafeo
the house it doomed dark and repellan''
no light cleaned from window or door;
all was wrapped in somber silence 1heh
my heart gave sudden bound, lot from
the shadow of the snow-capped neose
which inclosed the lawn munieo inquire
stepped. r
us that YOU. Tom?" asked voice l
knew.
Nv blood resumed its normal flow ana
| answered with more gayety than 'iie
presence of death warranted. sure IL IS
dear: but what on earth are you DOING
out here in the coldE r..
Mother left about o'clock, my wl1e
answered. land I went over 10 Mrs Rem
ington,s with her. 1 turned out the gas
in the hall when I left, and when | came
| back l was afraid TO go in alone
Honest wasn't 1t? There the woman
had heen for an hour or more, Walking
I'D and down disconsolately in the snow
| and cold. simply because she reared 10
| enter that lonesome house But Wheh
came all her fear vanished. AND l. now
| could laugh at her fears, the fears OIL
| girl alone in a strange house, when at the
! time she met me I was dreaolng TO enter
! the home of my own childnoou!
1 was hungry and We set about getting
lunch Then came the second evidence OF
NV fear. Winny started for the kitcnen'
| then turned. and. with a look in her eyes
which l fully comprehended, SAID:
'You come, too, Tom
| went and she took my hand in hers
and thanked me for understanding hef
| fear and for saying nothing nor Laughing
What would she have thought had she
| known that I had been afraid TO nave
| her leave me alone in the living room :
| what if she had known that in the mo-
ment she had turned her back TO me
had glanced apprehensively at the stair :
which led to the room where the dead
man lay?
| The little lunch was a merry one, ano
then we returned TO the glow OF the hre.
| come" she said. fill your pipe and
smoke while we chat"
II have no pipe 1 said. I was afraid
| to meet her eye. Afraid that she "ouio
read what I feared to own
There must be some of your old ones
around the house somewhere, she SAID,
'.you did not take many away with YOU
/ sure" | said, there must be dozen
| or more in my old room. III go ana ge'
one No, she had meant nothing. Hei
| ewes met mine as brightly, but at my
words they clouded with the same looK
they had held~when she had asked me &c
go with her to the kitchen.
"Oh. don't go up Inere, Tom" she
said
But would not have it so. Now that
had confessed that there were pipes IL
the house, l would have one. L iaugheo
as | turned to her.
why not. little one?" / said Surely
| YOU wouldn't have me afraid TO enter
the room I've slept in all my life because
of something we know cannot hurt us.
Take a candle with you, dear, sh'
said, as / left the room.
NO" 1 said. Il know where they are
and can put my hand right on them; i
| can't can light the gas when get vi
| there"
I'm the stairs / went and it seemed a!
il the thick carpet was sucking my zee
as a quicksand would draw down a vic
tim The little light which came IRON
below made the dear and familiar OBJ
iects assume new and grotesque forms
In the cross hall il was inky dark. and
went silently down il, the damp frigh
gripped me till IL seemed as II l wer'
struggling against heavy current M
hips ached my knees seemed scarce abb
10 bear the weight above them and m!
eyes peered restlessly into the rayles
gloom in search of l knew not what
II was a foolish, groundless, shamefu
fear that possessed me. and every eie
ment of nv reason diDned the fact with
In nv ears But I dared not return ant
confess this fear. | would enter tn
room and take what I wanted. and. a
for that upon the bed, it should be as /
| il were not there.
I opened the door and stepped into tn
rQrNs
steps and I could leave. I took the frs
and. as my body poised to take the sec
| ond. my knees came in contact with some
| thing. a chair ! thought. and l grasped ]
| quickly I'm the darkness 10 save mysel
| from falling.
But II was not a chair: twas he w
crashed together upon the floor II seem
! ed that ! grew old as / strove 10 sepa
rate myself from him and regain my feet
So cold, So cIamruy, So rigid he felt
The perspiratlon burst from my ever
pore and I leaned against the wall Il
helpless terror.
Pit eve, then. in the sweating. nerve
= less horror OF the moment. ! knew VIVA
had happened and how II had happened
The undertakers had come while ha
, hsen ct the office and had prepared tn
body for burial had removed Il from IN
bed and placed II on trestles near IN
door
: In a fash I knew all that. and I kneE
that he was lying as he had fahs-' on
! how7 How was he lving2 The darknes
was SO black, Could grope untti
found him and then he him again u IN
. roarJp II nut forth my hand wha
mart ~ hin, would meet NY tcuch2 Woui
feel his hair. his cold. palhd nesf
or would my fingers meet stony es'eea
staring Fl the dark
And .her. to light the Eas' Again. hot
] would he He2 Would his body ~ nea
p ne. twisted n some hideous ATTITUDE
s- 10 --f-~ rfr1ET-