Year: 1859

1


momentary lull of the tempest, made itsel


heard apparently behind and above him


1t was not strange, that at such moment i
sent thrill ofinexplicable emotion through
his frame. In a moment the feeling passed


away, and he turned, resolved to see, If pos
sible, by the illumination of the next flash O
lightning, what had caused the sound which


had startled him. 1t came--broad, fierce


red, and revealed to him in the choir form


a something that had life and motion, but a
Shape so underlined, so hideous that, with
involuntary terror, he covered his eyes with
his hands.


The place, the hour, the darkness, inter-
rupted only by the glare of the lightning
the sounds of the tempest raging without
the solitude and this vague consciousness of
unsuspected companionship, had, it must be
confessed, powerful effect on the mind of
a man, naturally ofthe firmest courage, and
nurtured in society where cowardice is
disgrace. A thousand wild coniectures rush
ed through his mind in that first momentarv
but irresistible onset of terror. Then his
well-tutored reason and his resolute will
contrived to make themselves heard over the
tumult of underlined fears and crowdinc fam
cies. And at length that most powerful of
all ideas To- soothe the mind, entered with its
elevating and controlling train. The thought
of the great Being to whom the place was
dedicated-of His serene supremacy above
all the woe and tumult of earth, above all the
forces of nature, and the spirit of man him
self, gave him degree of composure in his
present situation, which, he afterward owned,
he should, without this aid have wanted.


With restored calmness, he removed his
hands from his eyes and looked up once
more, hoping he had been the subject of
some strange delusions of the senses. No
there; another fash showed it nearer, plain
er than before--during those brief moments
it had descended the gallery stair with un-
heard lightness and swiftness, and was soon
on the same floor with himself. By this
time the violence of the storm was somewhat
abated. The flashes OF lightning came at
longer intervals. He had to wait some Sec
onds, straining LiS eyes upon the darkness.
The lightning came at last-dazzling and
white--it showed nearer yet. Still undis-
tinguishable, vague--a tangled mass Of dark
draperies and elf like looks and white CLEANS
of face and hands-human, and yet not
aohat was this? thus wild in form, thus steal
thy in its approaches? Could it indeed be
being from another world? He listened,
with ear strained to its utmost capacity, but
there was no sound, except that of the storm
without


To leave the church and encounter all the
fury of the elements without, now appeared
to him as blessed relief But to do so, he
must pass this unearthly figure. Another
flash oflightning, which showed his fearful
companion so near as to be almost within
reach, quickened his lingering resolution
With sudden summons of all his remaining
courage, he rushed from the spot on which
he had hitherto stood rooted, ran with his
utmost speed down the long aisle, and gave
long gasp of relief as he felt the damp
night-rir, and heard the door shut behind
HIM To unite the bride of his horse was
the work of moment; he spra9g into the
saddle--at that very moment he heard the
church door shut violently-the horse gave
wild leap-but wilder one had landed
the fearful form safe behind the rider, and
his waist was clutched by arms which held
it like an iron wise.


The horse, seeming to share the terror of
rider, reared and plunged, and then started
at his greatest speed. He instinctively took
the right road towards home. and went at
such rate as promised soon to terminate
this terrible journey. With the strength of
desperation, Mr. 7. tried to undo the rigid
clasp about his waist, but the feeling ofhands,
cold as ice, and bony as those of a skeleton,
was such an additional touch of horror, he
dared not repeat the attempt He spoke,
and adjured his companion to tell his name
and nature, but there was no answer, no
movement, not even, as it seemed to him.
the drawing Of the breath; and thus they
sped with wild swiftness, through the dark
forest path. Illuminated only by the fitful
lightning. He could never afterwards give
any clear account of his sensations during
ride which naturally seemed to him intermina-
BILE. That he retained his reason and his
life under the long continued stress of such
moral terror, was a matter of surprise to
himself and his friends. 1t was over at last.
Home was at hand. He saw its friendly
lights, and with a sense of relief and thank
fulness never before experienced, he stopped
at his own gate 1t was opened by faith
full servant who had sat up with the anxious
wife of Mr.. 7. to await his return But the
frightened horse did not give Peter time even
for an exclamation of surprise at seeing his
master return thus accompanied shot
past the gate, flew across the lawn, and only
stopped finally at the hall-door with shock