The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1905-04-21

This is the tale of my friend What
advice would you have given to hin? ?
had engaged myself to spend Chris
mas at Lanfair, and as love to travel
on foot l had informed John Lanfair
that | would arrive on the 23d of De-
cember, after enjoying short walk
ing tour in his beautiful section.
On the morning of the day which
had named l was within twenty miles
of Mr.. Lanfair's residence, and doubt
ed not that | should reach it long ere
nightfall. The day came on very
stormy, but l did not fear strife
with the elements, and | swore that
would not yield.
Alone and on foot I had determined
would l accomplish my journeys end.
But was forced to go slowly; more
than once l missed the direct road,
and night descended early, still further
delaying my progress. | struggled
forward, but at length | was sufficient
ly candid to own that my position
was unpleasant. l had lost my way;
l seemed to be in the midst of des-
ert; | was pretty we'll soaked and the
wind was almost sweeping me off my
legs as it's gusts ever increased in
violence.
| was traverSing narrow road or
the toughest description that ran
through a little piece of wood, and
that would 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, and presenting in
the midst of the tempest picture of
desolation that was perfect. The
moonbeams faded, and | was again
plunged into utter darkness.
So wretched was now my condition
that even in these miserable walls
sought for shelter. | CROPPED along
them, guiding myself by my hands,
and my search was not in vain
stumbled against doorstep; the door
was open. l passed through, and at
least l had roof over my head. Such
a shrudder as never remember to have
suffered before shook my limbs and
body as | crossed the threshold Of
this chamber of refuge, but | needed
it not.
| am an experienced traveller, and l
weather my matches, my tiny lantern,
and my tobacco. | lighted my lamp
and gazed at my surroundings. Soon
/ decided that I was in a cottage that
must have adjoined a larger house,
and that the larger house had been
burned down, while the cottage had
escaped there was no pane of glass
in it's windows, the door was off its
hinges, and the floor was covered with
the twigs and dead leaves that the
winds had strewn upon its surface.
Happily there was fireplace in
which | was able to make a blaze,
using for the purpose broken bits of
damp clothing, while | refreshed my
self with some sandwiches which
had brought for possible emergency.
The tempest without roared wilder
but the warmth stole over me, over
powered with fatigue, and at Lass
cropped into an uneasy f9eep.
My slumbers were diG-,I&& - ;
most vivid dream that have in all
my life experienced. | heard 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 l watched there |
appeared in my vision the face of a
man.
1t was a face that will live with me |
till the day l die, with it's black,
piercing eyes, it's thin features, and a
mouth closely shut as if to retain it's
secrets. From the lips of the appari
ton issued 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
nv visitor as he retreated; they were
those of one who trod heavily, and
who limped. can swear that he
limped. The sense of suffocation over
came me more and more, and now l
perceived that the room was filling
with smoke, which poured in through !