Year: 1878

FROM DEATH TO LIFE.


There were six of US seated before
o blazing fire which cast generous
glare into the otherwise unlighted
room. Outside a winter storm bel
lowed over the chimneys, and beat
seriously at the window panes. Afar
off we could hear the gust roaming
among the naked hills, now plunging
sbrilly through the skeleton branches
of the trees, and again whirling over
head with weird shouting sound,
that might well have proceeded fro
the throats of evil things riding upon
the wind The ghostly spirit of the
storm seemed TO have penetrated
even into onr comfortable circle, for
we had got, / know not how, upon
the most dismal of all subjects
death.


We had canvassed the theme pref
ty thoroughly before we discovered
that two of our number, the profess
sor and the doctor, had taken no part
in the conversation. They were sit
ting a little removed from the rest of
US, gazing gloomily into the fire.
Their ordinarisly cheerful expression
of countenance had given place to q
sober, troubled look, and more than
once we had detected the exchange
of strangely-sIgnifcant glance be-
tween them.


AS may be readily supposed, We
were not slow to press them for an
explanation of their conduct. Bot
for a considerable time our efforts
were fruitless. At length, after
much persuasion, it was the profess
sor who spoke:


"Geh..emen," said he gravely, mo
man cares to gain for himself repu-
tation Of o liar or maniac. Yet
that is exactly what you are pressing
both of US to do. have no doubt
that the experience which ! am about
to relate, and in which my friend the
doctor bore no unimportant part,
will appear absolutely incredible to
persons of your advanced views"


There was q touch of sarcasm in
the worthy professors tone, but In
our eagerDess tG hear bis story We
found it convenient to disregard this.


However" be continued, 81 will
risk it. If you choose to disbelieve
it, why / shall try to have charity
for your ignorance and conceit.
Now, doctor, if you will hand me the
tobacco and one of the pipes-the
ranker and the blacker the better
l will proceed"


Having filed his pipe and settled
himself in his chair, be began thus:


at must be fully ten years ago the
doctor and myself were engaged up
on q geological survey OF the north
ern part of the State. We had la
bored diligently during the summer
and fall, when toward the close of a
November day, we shouldered our
knapsacks and turned our faces home
ward.


"Our way led through chain of
black and rugged hills toward from
tier town, twenty miles distant,
where We intended to take the rail-
road. A more forbidden region it
has never been my misfortune to see.
1t was perfect chaos, blackened and
wrapped by primeval tres, and desti-
tute of the smallest trace of vegeta-
ton. Tall cliffs lowered thousand
feet above cur heads, shutting out
the light of the dull November sky.
Sluggish streams filtered between the
crevices of the rocks, and poured
noiselessly into deep and motionless
turns. 1t seemed that the blight of
death had fallen upon the whole
country.


"Well knowing the peril of at
tempting to proceed through such
region after nightfall, We halted at
sunset, and building fire at the foot
of crag, disposed ourselves to rest
as well we might. Exhausted with
the tolls of the day, the doctor was
soon asleep, and was not long in
following his example.


How long had slumbered l knew
not, when l found myself sitting up
right, and peering pervously in the
darkness around me. 1t seemed to
me that some one had uttered q wild
appealing cry in tine very portals of
nv ears. For some moments / sat
so, wondering and anxious. Then
| reflected that as there could be no
human being in the neighborhood
besides ourselves, the sound that had
alarmed me must have been the
shrek of some bird or animal Ex-
planning the matter thus, / was on
the point Of lying down again when
| was arrested by repetition Of the
cry. This time there could be no
mistake. Wild, long, and it appear
ed to me, full of intolerable anguish,
it re-echoed among the crsgs with
fearful shrillness With an uncon-
trolable start, turned and shook the
doctor to awake him.


"'Be quiet be mutsered, i am
awa axe and heard it ALL


"'What can it be p asked anx-
lously. Surely. nothing human; no
one lives in This region for miles
around Perhaps it is wild cat


"'Nc,' be said, between his teeth,
such q sound never came from the
throat Of wild cat There it is
again. Listen


"Tbe cry was repeated. 1t was 9
woman's voice. but it expressed such
supreme misery as | believe woman
never felt before. 1t came ringing
up the gorge with q weird and
mournful intonation that chilled the
blood in my heart BY the doctors
quick breathing could tell that be
was as much affected as myself
Neither of Us spoke or moved; both
waited for renewal of the cry, in
the hope of arriving at some rational