Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1914-11-14


and a thunderstorm at an old
inn In the forest. Thick branches of
pine, hemlock, oak and beech met
above the decaying and sunken
roof, and a luxuriant growth Of ivy
framed the small dingy panes Of the
Bhutterless windows. A decrepit old
woman with a candle met them at
the door and served supper in the
tow-ceiled, smoke-begrimed room
termed by courtesy the parlor, and
afterward escorted them along the
bare echoing passages to tiny bed
chambers under the sloping caves.
The party consisted of young wo
man noted for her beauty and CO.
quetry, "a lady of mature years dis
tinguished for her love of dress, an
elderly man devoted to amassing
gold by any and every means in his
power, and the chauffeur, who was
part Of his machine, and lived,
breathed and moved to the impulse
Of speed.
They all met next morning at the
door Of the inn to continue their
Journey. None had desired any
breakfast, and all were pale and
silent, and had apparently rested i'll,
No one spoke until the car was NOV
ing slowly forward on the lonely
road, and the inn was lost to sight
among the trees.
'How did you sleep?" dueried the
elderly financier Of the ladies.
81 had horrible Dreams" they
ehorused in reply,
IL, too" echoed the chaffeur,
Then each in turn proceeded to
tell his or her experience, begin
ming with the youthful coquette,
~ was no sooner between the
Bheets," she said, "than l was sud
denly transported to a region where
tnutterable silence reigned, and it
was very cold. / was entirely with
but clothes--not so much as the ira
hitional fig leaf hid my nakedness,
and was literally starving, while in
addition to the pangs Of hunger |
suffered burning thirst. A dish was
get before me by unseen hands. II
consisted Of human hearts, each one
broken in half, and still quiyering
with remnants Of life. l turned
from 1t, shuddering with horror,
and reached for golden goblet
which stood beside it,
"The goblet was brimming with
blood. The cold grew more intense,
and shook with icy tremors, when
. cloak was cast across my bare
knees, now violet-tinted where they
wero plnched by the bitter winds
Tho cloak was made Of human skins.
Rtill raw and bleeding, and starving,
thirsting, shlvering, / awoke"
Her story was received without re-
mark, and the woman Of fashion
next spoke.
"The moon" she said, twas a
great flashing mirror, and / stood
before 1t, surrounded by towering
piles of dresses Of every color, cut
and fabric, which was engaged In
trying on. AS soon as dark,
Bhadowy form, which was always be-
bind me, but which l could never see
face to face, had fastened one gown
into place on me It was Immediate
U whisked Off and another was
hooked, tied, buttoned and pinned
upon my weary body. My limbs tot
tered, my back and head achod ex-
0ruciatingiy, was faint and dizzy,
but still that awful trying-on process
never ceased, and still the great piles
M frocks instead of diminishing
Eoro piled up around me by invisible
hands until tho mass OF finery seem
Vd about to fall upon and smother
no. l started up in bed suffused
from head to foot with n cold sweaI
pG agony, and breathed prayer oI
thRnkfulness as saw the gray
dawn filtoring through tho iyieC
window"
The flnancler told tho next tale o
woe;
"I tolled through the ether will
4 great bag OF gold on my back
Othor bags were In my bulging pock
ots, and l carried one in each hand
myery star that glittered in the flr