Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1910-09-26
DAILY SHORT STORIES

OF comfort. The wound had been
stanched. but the low Of blood had
not been stopped. There were no
means at hand OF determining what
Internal part the weapon had pierced
or how deep was the stab. Besides. not
being surgeon. had ! possessed In
struments l should scarcely have dared
TO use them.
My mind was-so far ms the mind
can be-on two subjects-first. the
scenes before me; second. the fact that
l was In the house over which had
been dreaming. Indeed. I was in n
state OF mental confusion. An old man
came TO the door. wrung his hands.
turned and went away. The view l
got OF him was only for second or
two. and the light where he stood was
dim. for only candles were used in the
house. but IL seemed to me that he was
dressed very strangely. and as he turn
ed his back saw that either his hair
was long or something like cue hung
down behind. The young man stand
Ing opposite me was also dressed odd.
ly. and the girl appeared to have put
o.
81 have It," said to myself. ''rhese
people have been to a fancy dress en-.
tertainment OF some kind, und n trag-
edy has occurred there. The wound.
ed man has been brought home. and
the costumes have not been changed"
There stood those two young people.
each hanging on me for n word of en-
couragement. while I. knowing but lit.
tie more about the outcome than they.
confused at being thus brought to a
house that some unexplained means OF
communication had caused me to feel
contained a story. knew not what to
say to them.
Relief came when suddenly an ashen
hue came upon the patients face as
though n white powder had been
thrown upon It Both those standing
with me knew that 1t meant death
The girl sank down on her knees.
with a sob. while the man opposite
bent over the dying man and in voice
OF agony cried:
Come back! My God-I have killed
my brother!"
L have vague remembrance OF
people rushing into the room. among
them the old man who had come 10
the door, who wrung his hands and
turned away. Then there was an elder
ly lady I'm cap and brond lace col
lar. The last scene l can recall Is one
OF oil these people. some looking Mt the
corpse on the bed. others mt the man
who had cried out I'm his remorse and
pointing to his victim. The last sound
was a wall from the girl.
awoke from sleep with start
j was sitting in a wicker chair on
the porch of the house in which was
living, looking out over the little bay
Mt the house OF the overhanging bal
cony. Dawn was breaking. and. facing
east as the house did. what light there
was shone upon II and enabled me TO
see II. The morning WINS serene-not
leaf stirring on the trees. not rip
pie on the water. j felt just rs ~ |
had passed through such scene as
have described. wns not inordi-
nately disturbed. / had no feeling OF
having experienced anything super
natural.
True to the instincts OF an investi-
gator, began at once to think OF what
had really happened might have
dreamed IL all. walking IN my sleep
and finally sitting on the porch. or
bad really been called up and visited
patient without having entirely
thrown off slumber? My opinion was
that ! had passed through the scene
! have described. If bad there must
nave been some foundation for that
scene.
Creeping upstairs, went 10 bed and
to sleep. In the morning my first i'm
preston on awaking was what I had
passed through. and IL was ms vivid
as III i bad but Just awakened from A.
said nothing about my experience.
but after breakfast set out TO walk
around the waters edge 10 the house
with the overhanging balcony.
When ] reached II found IL locked
Not n person was on the premises. II
was. at least on the outside. I'm good
repair and bore evidence Of having
been lately occupied. walked ON 10
the next house. An old man was I'm
the yard splitting firewood. J asked
him about the deserted house. begin.
ming by inquiring how old It was
Dunno" he replied II been Twin
here fifty years. and # was fhorc
when i came. They say Il was built
about 40 years ago. It's fun o. old
furniture that's been there ever since
the place was new"
HAS IT since been occupiedY"
Its sometimes rented 20 city folks
for the summer season"
Are there any stories connected
with IT,
None as ! ever heered."
Has anybody ever complained Of
ghostsT
Not that I know"
/ spent some time endeavoring 10
elicit information that would indicate