Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1905-01-13
CHAPTER II.


without falling I cannot understand; my
hands and limbs shook as with palsy,
and my head swan as with a deathly
sickness. When I reached the ground
1 was SO faint that Josiah had to support
me for several seconds. When I recov-
cred, he helped me over the garden wall.
The whole way, Josiah never ceased
talking; but was too bewildered to heed
his words. I was only reused to atten-
tion when, upon halting before an ex-
tremely gloomy, solitary looking build
ing, my companion cried, "Here we are"
We plunged down a narrow passage, Jo-
siah presented a small slip of paper to
a man who stood behind half-door, and
we entered the pit Of the theater.
1t was really Hall Of Dazzling Light.
The play, l have since ascertained, was
Shakspeare's Romeo and Juliet" Sit
ting in that little country theater, wit
Messing what was, perhaps, only third
rate provincial performance, new world
was opened to me-the glorious world
of poetry and imagination. 1 trembled
with a dazed delight at the soft beauty
of the love scenes; my heart swelled with
kindred fire at the passionate outbursts;
and / sobbed at seeing the lovers die in
me, but a reality, beautiful almost be-
yond realization. yet painful almost be-
yond endurance.
When the curtain fell, l fell with it
from my Elysian heights. With a shiver
1 awoke to the dull realization of myself.
My first action was to turn to Josiah,
and grasp his hand in silent gratitude.
l did not wish to see any more;
wished to get away now. to dream over
| what 1 had seen. Josiah had to 60 be-
hind the scenes to get the proof Of the
| next nights bill, and 1 waited outside
the stage door until he returned. In q
few moments he came out In a great
furry.
"Look here, Silas," he said: IT can't
go back with you. must get home di
| rectly, or there'll be an awful kick up
Come along; I'll put you in the road, sc
that you can't miss your way"
shall never forget the sense Of desc
lation that fell upon me when l found
myself alone in the street. All the direc
tions Josiah had given me vanished IL
an instant from my memory, and I stoot
helpless, not knowing which way to turn
l was in the outskirts of the town, it wa
nearly eleven o'clock, and not a soul wa
about. / walked straight on, ferventl.
hoping that it might be in the right direc
ton.
Finally I was in the middle of a lon
street, one side of which was occupie
by ordinary houses. but that on whic
/ found myself was distinguished by
line of vast. gloomy looking buildings
t turreted walls hung with ivy, and broke
ruins. 1. felt awe-struck at the might
piles of masonry that lowered above m,
I was standing right before an archwa
i Of grand Norman tower. I walked tin
0 idly beneath its black, vaulted roof,
b the iron gate at its further end, and pee
8 ed at the line Of crumbling ruins tn,
rose among the trees and shrubs, whit
o and ghastly, in the moonlight.
n As stood thus, heard rusu
+ Chilled with a sense Of fear. turne
n quickly round. Through a rent in Il
y wall many yards above my head, can
n broad ray of white light. As turne
o it was falling upon an object that fase
Is mated my gaze. It was the head AZ