The Utah County Democrat. [volume] (Provo City, Utah) 1898-1909, 1908-10-27

The coloncIs young wire nad sur
fered a bereavement that left her In
that state OF melancholia which Is the
first stage OF insanity. Nothing could
rouse her from her dull, llstless brood
ing. The surgeon OF the post. of course,
advised complete change of scene; but
that was out Of the question.
While pondering deeply on this ur'
gent problem. a chance word sug-
gested TO the colonel a desperate ex-
pedient. Would II succeed? Might
not the remedy prove more dangerous
than the disease? Anything. he felt,
would be better than that alarming
lethargy.
Seating himself by his wlfe's couch,
he with difficulty secured her wan
dering attention, and this is the story
he told:
At the close OF hot sultry after
noon, threatening a thunderstorm, a
young lieutenant of engineers, In
charge OF a government surveying
party, had gone on some distance In
advance OF his men to select a camp
ing place for the night Emerging
from the forest, he entered a glade OF
considerable size, bounded on one side
by perpendicular ledge of rock, 10
or 20 feet In height. Following the
ledge, he came upon a decaying log
cabin. built against the rock.
Startled by the loneliness of this
wreck OF human shelter In the dense
wilderness, the lieutenant pushed open
the door, hung on wooden pins, which
creaked dismally as II stiffly yielded.
The earthen floor was Uttered with
fragments of the broken roof and
few rusty cooking utensils,
As the young engineer stood there
gazing around the Wondering ruin, he
wondered vaguely why he should care
to waste a moment in such a desolate
and uninvlting spot. Yet he could not
make up his mind to go The daylight
seemed to fade away, and was re.
placed by strange, dull. yellowish
glare. Several times he resolved to
leave. but still he stayed. In a little
while he felt sensation OF numbness
in his feet. His eyellds grew heavy
and drowsiness stole over him. bring.
ing with 1t the terrible paralysis OF
nightmare. He felt that he could not
move II he tried-and he dared not try.
Just then a distant shout came to
his ears. II drew nearer and nearer.
and the surveyors, crossing the glade
in search of him, reached the open
door, hanging on one of its pegs. With
feet as heavy as lead he stepped over
its threshold and almost with effusion
greeted Sergt. Lawson, the hardest
headed man In the party, who came up
first. The sergeant stared at him and
into the gloomy hut, and fingered,
looking curiously after the lieutenant,
as with ever-lightening feet he led the
men away from the cabin to a camp
ing spot at some distance.
When camp was pitched. the lieuten.
ant gave orders that the men should
be walked and camp broken at half
past three In the morning, for a long
march before breakfast In the cool
OF the day. As they sat about the fire
after supper, enjoying a short smoke
before turning in. the lieutenant could
not keep his thoughts from the de.
serted cabin and his strange expert.
ence there. Pointing with his pipe
stem. he said to Lawson:
Queer old shack over there"
The sergeant nodded and continued
TO look at him steadily with such an
expression that the officer felt impelled
to relate what had happened to him.
Again Lawson nodded, knocked the
ashes from his own pipe and said:
II went in myself and had exactly
the same sensations"
Each continued to look steadily into
the others face. They were men OF
action, not words. At length the lieu.
tenant said;
There's n moon for an hour before
daylight, and on hours sleep won't be
missed-even II we can sleep. What
do you say TO an exploration OF the
ruined cabin before we march?"
II was so agreed.
When they stood again in the moon
light before the old hut, half buried
In its NOISY shroud an unaccountable
depression crept over them, like a
miasmatic fog. Entering silently, they
! sat honh tAit btntn, ana looked
about as their eyes became accus.
toned to the darkness
At that moment they were startled
by an awful sight. AT the point among
the logs of the rear wall where the
lieutenant had noticed the charred
streaks, a straight, dagger,shaped dart
of flame shot downward toward the
floor and remained there qulvering.
Then a second flashed AMI wavered be.
side the first. They gave out a lurid.
sulphurous light, like flames seen
through a dense fog or smoke. Ran.
idly this smoky light. pouring through
the crevices, shaped itself. until there
appeared before them, nebulous but
distinct, towering form In the sem.
blance OF humanity. II seemed TO glow
with fiercest heat yet. far from giving
warmth, It only added to the deathly
chill. As the lieutenant saw that fear
full shape, solidifying out OF the fiery
vapor, he was assalled by an unreason.
ing overwhelming unconouaroht 4.