Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1913-04-03

began almost to run and continued
from the stalls on the left, they found
Fastening until she came TO the
church"
Q. Was the gate open?"
r. Yes. monsieur, and this sur
prised me, but did not seem to sur
prise Mile. Daae."
Q. Was there no one in the church
yard?"
R. I did not see any one; and, If
there had been, must have seen him
The moon was shining on the snow
and made the night quite light"
Q. Was it possible for any one to
hide behind the tombstones?"
r. No, monsieur They were quite
small. poor toni stones, partly hidden
under the snow, with their crosses
just above the level of the ground.
The only shadows were those of the
crosses and ourselves The church
stood out quite brightly. | never saw
so clear a night 1t was very fine
and very cold and one could see every.
thing"
Q. Are you at all superstfttous ?"
R. No. monsieur. am a practicing
Catholic
O In what condition of mind were
you?"
r. Very healthy and peaceful, | as
sure you Mile Daae's curious action
in going out al that hour had wor-
ried me at first; but, as soon as 1
saw her go to the churchyard,
thought that she meant to fulfil some
pious duty on her fathers grave and
I considered this so natural that 1
recovered all my calmness. | was
only surprised that she had not heard
me walking behind her, for my foot
steps were quite audible on the hard
snow. But she must have been taken
up with her intentions and | resolved
not to disturb her. She knelt down
by her fathers grave made the sign
OF the cross and began to pray. At
that moment, it struck midnight. At
the last stroke, | saw Mile. Daae lift
her eyes to the sky and stretch out
her arms as though in ecstasy. was
wondering what the reason could be,
when | myself raised my head and
everything within me seemed drawn
toward the invisible, which was play
ing the most perfect music! Chris
tine and | knew that music We had
heard it as children. But it had never
been executed with such divine art,
even by NJ Daae remembered all
that Christine had told me OF the An
gel of Music The air was The Resur-
Tection Of Lazarus, which old NJ Daae
used TO play to lis in his hours of
melancholy and of faith If Chris
/ tines Angel had existed, he could not
have played better, that night, on the
late musicians violin When the mu-
sic stopped, l seemed to hear a noise
from the skulls in the heap OF bones;
it was as though they were chuckling
aud l could not help shuddering.
Q. Did it not occur to you that
the musician might be hiding behind
that very heap of bones?'
r. 1t was the one thought that did
occur to me, monsieur, so much so
that | omitted to follow Mile. Daae
when she stood up and walked slowly
to the gate. She was so much alb
sorbed just then that I am not sur
prised that she did not see me-"
Q. Then what happened that you
/ we're found in the morning lying half
/ dead on the steps of the high altar"
r. First a skull rolled TO my feet.
then another then an
other 1t was as if | were
the mark Of that CHASTITY game of
bowls. And | had an idea that a false
step must have destroyed the balance
of the structure behind which our mu-
stefan was concealed. This surprise
seemed TO be confirmed when / saw
a shadow suddenly glide along the
sacristy wall | ran up. The shadow
had already pushed open the door and
entered the church. But l was quick
er than the shadow and caught hold
of q corner of its cloak. AT that mo-
ment, we were just in front OF the
high altar; and the moOnbeams fell
/ straight upon us through the stained
| glass windows of the apse. As | did
/ not let go OF the cloak, the shadow
! turned round; and / saw terrible
| deaths head, which darted look at
| me from a pair of scorching eyes. 1
| felt as If / were face to face with
/ Satan: and, In the presence OF this
/ unearthly apparition. my heart gave
| way, my courage failed me
| and | remember nothing more until |
| recovered consciousness at the Set
ting Sun