Year: 1859

From the Family Journal.
A STRANGE STORY.


BY JOHN B. WILLIAMS.


! What / am about to relate is so extraor.
binary, SO mixed up with mystery, and SC
fraught with terror, that I feel doubtful as
to the propriety Of making it public
In perusing some extraordinary relation,
we are all Of us tempted at once to disbe-
lieve H--and yet it is very unphiIosophical
for us to do so. five interrogate ourselves
as to the cause of our scepticism, the only
cause we can give is that the occurrence re-
lated is beyond the range of our personal
experience.


Let one of our ancestors rise from his
grave, and pay you dear reader quiet visit
in your home. You begin to converse with
him of vehicles borne on iron roads at the
rate of forty and five miles an hour, without
the aid of any living power-of the sewing
machine--or of the lighting of cities with
gas-or the wonders of the electric telegraph
and the said ancestors would utterly dis
believe it, and think you mailman or an
idiot. Why then should we disbelieve a
matter because it is improbable? Howev-
er, [ will d1gress no further, but relate at
once the fearful history I have to tell
About a year ago I was .journeying from
New York to Baltimore The cars, as is
very often the case, missed the connection
at Philadelphia, and I was obliged to wait
IN the latter city for the next train, which
Having several hours before me, conclud-
left Philadelphia at ten o'clock at night
ed to take up my stay at La Pierre House
satisfied at all events, that at that hotel I
should get good dinner to console me in
some measure for the disappointment of not
reaching home as early as I expected.


The dinner hour was five O'clock In the
meantime being much in want of rest, I
went to bed, and was awaked by the sound
ing of the gong-which informed me that
the meal was served Making hasty tot
let, descended to the dining room, and was
soon enaged in satisfying the inner man. I


e zs ss, eaH these minor affairs
as every detail of that day stands out in
bold relief in my memory, and l feel that |
ought not to omit the slightest occurrences.
any way bearing on the terrible events of
which have to speak.


After dinner adjourned to the smoking
room, and while indulging in a fragrant
Havana, amused myself by perusing the va
rious newspapers which were lying on the
tables. [ might have been engaged in this
way two hours. when began to get tired.
and thought would take a stroll in the
city [ looked at my watch and found that
it was exactly eight o'clock, The reader
will remember this fact, as he will find bye
and-bye, that it is very important one.


[ strolled out into the street, and soon be-
came bewiIdered in maze of fthoroughfarcs.
knew nothing of Philadelphia, and it was
not long before lost myself. However, [
continued to walk up one street and down
another. and sort of pride prevented me
from asking my way. At last l found L
was in the outskirts of the city. remem-
Der distinctly seeing the river through an
opening in the houses. 1t was cool, pleas
ant night, and I rather enjoyed heing out of
the hustle and noise Of the great town. and
I strolled on until had left every house be-
hind me- have a distinct recollection of
examining the country around me. It was
very peculiar, such as had never seen be-
fore There was no moon, and had moth
ing but the stars to guide me; these, how
ever, shone very brilliantly.


[ found that [ was standing on kind of
heath or moor-it is certain the ground was
covered with the heather shrub. [ had
wandered SO far that the lights of the city
were entirely invisible; and yet according
to my computation of time, it did not appear
to have been more than quarter of an hour
since I left the hotel.


A peculiar feeling gradually crept over
me-its was not fear or terror. but a kind
of superstitious awe, and with which vain
ly endeavored to combat. [ seemed to be
under the influence of some invisible power.
I felt inclined to return to the city, but
something superior to my will made me ad-
vance. I continued to press forward. For
short time there was kind of struggle
between my own inclination and the unseen
power; my feet were pushed forward, not in
a walk, but it appeared as if I was skim.
ming along the surface of the ground.
soon saw that it was useless to contend fur.
ther, and resigned myself to my fate. Their
my progress became much more rapid d-ano
J hedges and trees fitted by me as if -thes
were moving and l was stationary.
I do not know how long this continued
;. for my mind was so bewildered that hae
no means of computing time. Suddenly
found myself in front Of large white house
> This mansion was entirely isolated. [
was huge roomy building Of peculia


kind of architecture, such as [ have neve
seen before or since. It consisted of innu
merable gables, and many pointed towers
7 the windows were very small, and the uppe


ones we're all barred.