The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1905-03-01

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lamps shone dbnly through the cir.
cling fakes, but they were bright com
pared with the black road into which
| plunged beyond the town limits. My
four acetylene lamps forced n circular
hole In the darkness, ana there would
have been no difficulty in my getting
on had not the snow increased, while
the wind, rising to fury. blew 1t into
drifts. My pace grew slower, and
with each drift was in danger of be-
ing stalled. The cold was intense, and
| began to grow sleepy.
At last / was stalled. My lamps
showed me, not fifty yards ahead, n
stone bridge beyond which the road
forked at the foot of large tree. Be
You'd on the left fork ! thought saw
q light. Putting on all the force there
was in my machine, | plowed through
the snow and drew up in front Of a
massive stone house, with pillars rising
the whole height OF the building, such
a house as was In vogue about 1910.
raped with the brass knocker, and
a man opened the door. He was not a
servant, but a well to do looking per
son Of the country class.
told him my story, and he invited
me to take my automobile around to a
shed in the rear and to spend the night
in his house. When returned from the
shed, he met me at back door, brush
ed the snow off me and led me into the
living room. where his wife and chill
dren were sitting about a blazing wood
fire.
There was something uncanny about
these people, and for my life | couldn't
tell what 1t was. They were all az
white as If they had been long III and
seemed hungry, not for food, for they
gave me supper, never touching Il
morsel themselves, but for something
the nature of which could not guess.
The wife and mot<er spread her hands
before the fire to warm them. and |
could see the flame behind. not through
red blood, but white flesh. The chill
dren. too, had blue white look about
them that made me cold | attempted
to caress little girl Of six years, seiz-
ing her hand, but she quickly drew 1t
away, and | was glad she did, for IT
was cold and stiff, not the least Of that
warm softness In II usual to childhood.
| was glad when my host showed me
to sleeping room.
In the night | awoke suddenly with
suffocation. A mouth was glued TO
mine, and some one was drawing my
breath from my body. | was just liz
time to place my hands upon pair OF
shoulders and hurl the figure away,
In another moment | would have been
powerless. Gasping, awaited the per
sons return, but when ne one came
listened. There was no sound, and aft
er time wondered II had not had
spasmodic closing at the mouth of the
windpipe and dreamed the rest. | was
all in a tremor and resolved to remain
awake for the rest of the night. Never
theless | became drowsy, and the last
/ remember was struggling with sleep.
l was awakened by some one shak-
ing me, the mouth of flask put be-
tween my lips and liquor in my mouth.
| swallowed considerable draft, after
which l opened my eyes to be blinded
by powerful light, the light from an
automobile. Two men were chatting
me. When assured that was alive
they told me that they were passing in
their automobile and had found me In
mine apparently frozen. They had
reached me just in time to save me-
Ahead Of me was the stone bridge !
had seen, beyond which the road
fOrked at the foot Of the oak tree. |
was still stuck in the drift from which
/ thought had gone to the house far
Their on. | said nothing to my rescuers
about this, and after they had turned
my machine / went with them back to
the village, where l spent the remain
der Of the night.
The next morning was bright, cold
and still, and after hot breakfast |
proceeded on my way, passed the point
where | had been stalled and pushed
on by the left fork. What was my as.
constituent to see that the house at
which had stayed the night before
was where thought it. But instead OF
being occupied it was deserted.
was paralyzed with ,frightful
dread. Fortunately | had nothing to
do but hold the steering wheel to put
the horrible place behind me. Reaching
a farm house short distance beyond
! stopped and, leaving my automobile
knocked. A woman came to the door.
You know the house half a mile
back on this side Of the road-stone
house, big pillars?'
yes"
ANY one lived there latelyT
Not since few years after 1t was
built"
How SOL"
1--WE heard the family that lived in
n oil dind ~ rholara cnmaw hpra In tha