The Virginia enterprise., 1907-06-14

DOuDklcSS tcdueFS VI lllc udlly pd
pers recall the mysterious death OF
Jack Varney, which occurred three
years ago Althouch the mystery oil
his death has neve" been solved and
never can BE-, |. the only person who
knows the subsequent events which
led up to his death, have decided to
disclose my knowledge to the public
I came TO know Jack Narney
through an advertisement which he
had inserted in the Herald. He wanted
cheerful con-enal companion So
I, being at that time out Of employ
ment, answered the advertisement.
found him big. clean type Of
young American manhood: but didn't
like the expression of his face. His
eyes were continually shifting and
i,eering arornd beside and behind him
as if in fear. and there were dark cir.
Giles under the lower lids that told OF
sleepless nights. However, there was
something in the man that awoke my
curiosity and interest. so I decided to
accept the position OF companion, if
suited.
After a little conversation he said
he was certain that | would be per.
fectly satisfactory. but before he en-.
gagged me he wanted to tell me some
thing of himself and the reason why
he had advertised for a companion.
1t seemed that he was medica!
student, and somewhat Of a collector
of c'lrios OF different kinds In his
capacity Of collector he had obtained
after much trouble. a piece Of human
skin, from which he had had a purse
made The skin had been taken from
the left hip Of one Of their most inter.
esting subjects. an old Hindoo, who
had been found dead in the steets
and whose body had been left un.
claimed.
From the time that the purse had
been made Jack Earney's life had
been haunted. He lived in constant
dread of some unknown evil He had
the sensation OF Being followed by an
unseen being. His sleep was uneasy
broken by horrible dreams. His very
soul seemed to be possessed by some
evil spirit.
l thought he might be mentally de-
ranged, but I humored his delusions
and assured him that was not afraid
to accompany him anywhere to be
with him at all times So l was en-
gagged
For week he seemed to improve
He slept we'll and lost the deep cir
!cles around his eyes, and | felt as
sured that he had only been af
flicted with some mild form of in
somnia. Then the trouble began
again, worse than before
/, We were at dinner at a downtown
cafe, when the attack came upon him
We were discussing some event of the
day, when suddenly his eyes dilateC
and that wild, hunted look returned tc
his face
: Look" he gasped, hoarsely. Gar
you see anyone behind my chair
That same feeling comes back to me-
the sensation Of some one close tt
me! I almost feel some ones breath
on my neck"
why, there is no one there" I as
sured him. Your Imagination is run
ming away with you tonight Yo,
have probably got bad attack of in
digestion l added jokingly. But he
was i'll at ease during the remainder
of the evening.
That night he did ..o;' sleep, bu1
walked the floor insisting that he fell
some unseen presence in the room. Al
times he would tremble violently, anc
half cry out. saying tkAa some one
had touched his arm At last |. in
!huenced by his terror could almos
feel the presence. Rut l did not admi
this to him.
The next morning. while at his bath
he discovered that the skin on hi:
left hip for space of about four o.
five inches in diameter was badly dis
colored, and it seemed then a remark
able coincidence that this spot wa;
the exact location from which thu
skin for the purse had been take1
from the Hindoo's body.
Varney was almost paralyzed will
terror. In vain l tried to quiet hi
fears by telling him that it was onl,
"a flesh brrise which would be gone il
a few days. he would not listen to- me
land the wild glitter in his eyes in
creased
: The following day the discoloratio,
had become Of dark purplish hue.
Though l knew that medical sci
;ence could not explain that peculia
spot, I called in physician thinkin:
that this would at least prevent m,
own fear from becoming apparent t,
Varney.
, I had talk with the physician nv
self before I took him to see my pa
tient, and told him the unnatural cir
cumstances. asking him to treat tn,
matter in an apparently light name
in Varney's presence, and to tell hin
that the discoloration was flesl
,bruise, as had done.
However. in spite of his assurances
Varney shook him head