The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1906-02-10

When the clock had quite finishe,
striking ten ! decided to go to bed
NO one who has not slept alone in E
house. just an ordinary house, will
appreciate my feelings. | was afraid
OF the interior of the house, and OF
the silence and the emptiness and the
solitude, and of the dark corners. and
OF everything and Of nothing | heard
sounds when there was no sound, and
| had sensations like caterpillars glid-
Ing down my spine. However, being
brave and determined and a success
ful barrister | rose from my chair.
gathered up my briefs, extinguished
the gas In the parlor. went out. shut
the door, bolted the front door. lit a
candle. extinguished the gas in the
nall, climbed the stairs (ugh, the
snadows). entered my bedroom, shut
the bedroom door, and retired TO rest
l always read by briefs in bed, when
on circuit, and | tried to read them
then. But my eyes wandered over the
page. struggling vainly for the sense.
was thinking all the time of all the
other rooms in the little house, and
or burglars, ghosts, strange appari-
tons and sudden deaths-in short. 7
went through the usual experiences
| thought l could hear something
creeping about in the bathroom over
head, and then l thought could hear
the clock ticking And l whispered,
suppose (Suppose what?
couldn't tell you). At length I drop
ped the briefs and blew out the can
die, and resolved not to be a silly ass.
but to go to sleep The next house
was scarcely fifty yards off, and two
respectfully large towns were within
a mile on east and west.
| really believe | was succeeding
when my sensitive ear caught the vi
bration OF dreadful thud-thud be-
meath the floor. 1t was the clock
striking eleven. merely that. could
not hear the ring of the gong. but the
heavy impact of the hammer on the
metal affected all my body. THAT
confounded machine will wake me I'D |
every hour" | reflected Il must stop |
it. And lighting the candle again. I |
the clock, which was ticking as calm |
~ and leisurely as though nothing had |
happened. Instead of stopping it, l
merely detached the right hand weight
land mighty piece of lead it wasD
SO that the clock would continue to
show the time without striking. |
rled to deposit the weight in the bot
ON OF the case, but there was an OBJ
box or something and so
laid it on the floor against the skirt
ng, behind my aunt's hassock. | said
would get up early and replace it be-
ore her arrival. Then l went to bed
gain. little treasured by my brav-
ry, and essayed to sleep.
But | could not sleep. At least |
ould only doze, unpleasantly. And
'hen latter about century and a
alD the doze was merging into a
leep, | was jerked into a perfect and
xcruciating wakefulness by most
lstlnct observation-disclosures, a long
'ay on. | did the natural thing; |
ulled the clothes over my ear (my
cart was beating like an engine), but
could still hear the knock-knock-
mock. | was determined to take no
Office. mo power. earthly or I'M
arthly,' l said, shall draw me out
de this room again" But l could
Ill hear the knock-knock-knoc
The front door, My aunt return
T." This idea seized me suddenly,
IN vice, and then l know that I l
lould be compelled to rise and go to
le front door. !
And, having donned some clothes,
q go to the front door, and the
hooking went on with gentle regular :
as | descended the stairs. and set
e candle on the hall table, and
'ened the front door with the cour-
'e worthy of barrister And a DO
'eman and young woman stood on .
e white step; the policeman was
pporting the woman.
The subsequent episode passed with :,
e rapidly of dream She's in a
hitting condition." said the police b
an. Can you give her some -
andy?' Before speaking he had :,
ared at me. In a moment he had =;
shed the young woman into the q
II. y
Come in I said lamely, and | "
lped her into the parlor, taking the fc
ndle. The front door closed, leaving
: policeman outside. a,
perceived, as allowed her to sink
IN my arms into chair. that the m
ing woman was very pretty young
man, though plainly dressed. She