The Opelousas courier., 1905-04-29
The Travellers Dream

BY l.. I. DESLEIGH.

This is the tale of my friend. Wha
advice would you have given to him
had engaged myself to spend Chris
mas at Lanfair, and as | love to tfave
on foot l had informed John Lanfail
that would arrive on the 23d OF De
cembsr, after enjoying a short walk
Ing tour in his beautiful section.
On the morning of the day which
had named I was within twenty mile:
OF Mr.. Ianfair's residence, and doubt
ed not that | should reach it long ere
nishtfall. The day came on very
stormy, but | did not fear a strife
with the elements, and I swore that
would not yield.
Alone and on foot l had determined
to arrive, and in no other manner
would l accomplish my journeys end
But | was forced to go slowly; more
than once | missed the direct road
and night descended early, still further
delaying my progress. | struggled
forward, but at length I Vas sufficient
ly candid to own that my position
wa unpleasant. | had lost my way;
I seemed to be in the midst Of a des-
ert: I was pretty we'll soaked and the
wind was almost sweeping me off my
legs as its gusts ever increased in
violence.
I Was traversing a narrow road Of
the toughest description that ran
through a little piece Of wood, and
that would, I hoped, bring me to some
farmhouse, when for the space of an
instant the clouds were blown from
the face OF the moon, and my eyes
could see what lay before me-walls-
bare, ruined walls, standing upright
in naked ugliness, ard presenting in
the midst Of the tempest a picture of
desolation that was perfect. The
moonheams faded, and | was again
plunged into utter darkness.
So wretched was now my condition
that even In these miserable walls |
sought for shelter. I CROPPED along
them, guiding myself by my hands,
and my search vas not in vain. I
stumbled against a doorstep; the door
was open. passed through, and at
least l had a roof over my head. Such
a shrudder as l never remember to have
suffered before shook my limbs and
body as I crossed the threshold of
this chamber of refuge, but I needed
it not.
| am an experienced traveller, and |
know how to keep dry through all
weather my matches, my tiny lantern,
and my tobacco. l lighted my lamp
and ga2ed at my surroundings. Soon
! decided that | was in a cottage that
must have adjoined a larger house.
and that the larger house had been
burned down, while the cottage had
escaned: there was no pane of glass
in its windows, the door was Off it's
hinges, and the floor was covered with
the twigs and dead leaves that the
winds had strewn upon its surface.
Happily there was a fireplace in
which I was able to make a blaze,
using for the purpose broken bits of
wood, and thus / slowly dried my
damp clothing, while I refreshed N.Y.
self with some sandwiches which /
had brought for a possible emergency.
The tempest without reared wilder,
but the warmth stole over me, over
powered with fatigue, and at last /
dropped into an uneasy sleep.
My slumbers were disturbed by the
most vivid dream that | have in all
my life experienced. | heard a distant
clock strike three, and / felt myself
oppressed by a heavy sense of suffo-
cation. | saw the door of the room
In wehich lay open noiselessly, inch
by inch, and then as | watched there
appeared in my vision the face of a
a
1t was a face that will live with me
till the day / die, with it's black.
piercing eyes, its thin features, and a
mouth closely shut as if to retain it's
secrets. From the lips of the appari-
ton issued a laugh, hooking, derisive,
triumphant; then it turned away, and
the sound of the key revolving in the
lock was plainly audible.
Audible, too, were the footsteps Of
my visitor as he retreated; they were
those of I'M who trod heavily, and
who lirnped. | can swear that he
limped. The sense of suffocation over
came me nor and more, and 0 /
perceived that the room was filling
with smoke, which poured In through
nyrnrv, nnnn zahsnf> -, ao1,L -us
window.
A fash Of fame, and the full horror
OF. my state burst upon me. I was
about to be burned alive?
In my agony Of fear ! rushed to the
door! 1t was locked; it resisted all
my efforts. My enemy had doomed
me to destruction in this horrible man
ner with a cruelty too coldblooded for
a fend!
Now / understood the meaning of
his laugh. a to be swept from
path, and he knew that he had
achieved his murderous purpose.
aWoke trembling. / struck a light
and consulted my watch. / felt no
wonder when | found that it was a
few minutes after three o'clock in the
morning. remembered that I actual
" gazed around in nervous alarm, lest
the smoke and flames should be pres
ent. This was a chimera; still, so
painfully had my dream impressed me
| spent the hours that had to
before the day broke in con
tlnual apprehension of approaching
disaster. But nothing happened; the
storm abated, and then ceased, and
liz first plimnar Of aiohf inrr