Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1907-01-31
CHArTER V,
Copfin,Ied

"Ah." muttered Dexter, with sat
isfactory sigh, "that's all right. But
wonder what it wasv'
He walked slowly onward, some
what uncertain of his footsteps-there
was certainly something wrong with
the pavement; it seemed to be loose
when he experienced repetition of
his dizziness.
This time he sank to the ground, e
consequence of there being nothing
substantial within reach for him to
lay hold of, and crowd Immediately
gathered around him.
Their voices acted like charm upon
him.
He scrambled to his feet. and gazing
at the people in dazed condition,
pushed through them unceremoniously,
and in the course of half an hour sue
ceeded in reaching his shop in safety
while one of the Haunting women In
the crowd he had left behind him, said
with laugh:
"It's easy to see what's the matter
with him.'
DeXter's movements, when he was
in his shop, were guided by kind of
wise instinct.
The first thing he did was to put
up his shutters and lock his street
door.
The second thing. to place by his
bedside as much bread as he found in
his cupboard, and jug of water.
The third thing to make large pot
of tea.
The fourth thing, to undress himself
and 60 to bed.
"I'll have good long sleep" said
Dexter, speaking confdentially to him
self: "and l shall wake up in the
morning quite well'
Then he drank cup of hot tea.
Then he said again:
81 wonder what 1t was? l don't
think I've eaten anything to disagree
with me. 1t might be understandable
If it was summer and hot sun was
blazing on my hea-. But it's winter.
and precious dismal winter, too.
There was a frost setting in last night
when that Little Make-Believe was
running away with the pie. Rum idea
not to eat it herself. Almost as rum
as finding myself here in bed in tho
middle Of the day, instead Of the mid
die of the night Shouldn't wonder il
1t was rush of blood-yes. that's
what it was, rush of blood. OA.
Lord! here's my head going round
again!'
Then he gave his head a great many
shakes to bring it to proper sense of
its duty-he was really angry with it
for its bad behavor-but it went round
more than ever.
Then he looked at his fathers night
cap, hanging soldly down from the
rafters, and that was going round, too.
Then he looked at the little nest of
drawers in corner of the room. and
that was going round, too.
Then sle looked at the old armor,
old brasses, old cravings old lace, old
enamels, old furniture, with which the
room was crammed, and they were
going round, too
Then the ceiling went round. then
the floor went round, then his clothes
went round-how funny his muddy old
boots, with his socks stuffed in them,
looked, as they waltzed grave!y in and
out the goods.
A popularity of these proceedings
was that, although every article in the
small room was actually within his
reach they all seemed to be going
round at very long distance from
him-just as if he were gazing at them
through the thin eEl Of pair of op-
era glasses.
"Upon my SOUL" lie said, Il feel like
a teetotum.'
Suddenly. and evidently by some oc-
cult arrangement and understanding
between themselves, everything stood
stock still in its proper place and dis
tance--boots, socks, niglltcap, ceiling
floor, armor, brasses, carvings, cnam.
els-there they were ell of them as
steady as rock.
"This," said Dexter, with weak lit
tle laugh, reaching out his hand TO the
teapot to pour himself out cup of hot
tea, "is about the rumm!cst thing that
ever happened to me- Nobody would
believe it of me, and don't know-no,
upon my soul, don't cutie know if i
believe it of myself"
He was surprised to find that the
tea had got ice cold all in a minute.
Here's another funny thing | don't
quite believe" he said; "a minute ago
the tea was boiling hot and now it's
as cold as charity. But l mustn't for
yet it's winter; that's what's making
my fingers tremble so. Jolly cold
jolly cold. Yes, jolly cold as charity.
No; that can't be right. Jolly cold as
charity sounds topsy-turvy.
The cup ratified in the saucer, and
The spoon against both, as he held them
In his hands, and wondered why the
tea was so cold.
He did not know that day and
night and the best part Of another Gay
had passed since he went 70 bed.
With difficulty he replaced the cup
and saucer on the table.
Just In time, for everything began tc
70 round again, and there he was ly-
tng on the fat of his back, watching
the gyrations in kind Of stupid, con-
tented stupor.
Among the carvings were soma