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About The west shore. (Portland, Or.) 1875-1891 | View Entire Issue (July 1, 1887)
521 THE WEST SHORE. bloodshot In his eyes, was the dumb extremely sensitive, delicate organiza apathyof a long-known and ever-abid- tion only served to deepen and strength ing sorrow. He spoke with rapid, ex- en. And in nine cases out of ten, those plosive utterance, as though the words impressions, which came to me with such were forced from him, like a bullet from realistic force, were literally fulfilled, the muzzle of a gun. sooner or later. I gradually came to ex- " Wo bounded apart as if a bomb had pect that as a part of the visitation. As exploded between us, and stood gazing we descended through the narrow, busy into each other's horror-stricken faces, streets, to our lodging house, suddenly, as two well might between whom an im- and with the force of a ringing blow, passable chasm had suddenly yawned, there came to me an overwhelming sense I think tho demons of hell possessed me of brooding calamity. It might be near in that first moment Had he come out or remote; it might be for me or for then, I should have clutched his throat him, or for both of us; that I could not and strangled him. The demons hissed tell But I knew, beyond all doubting, ia my ears, 'Fly with her! Fly with that it was coming, surely coming to one her!' I fled out among the trees to of us. fight the battle alone. At last, reason Exhausted both in mind and body, I came back and told me there was only crept into bed, and dozed off into the one thing to do Ruth must go back to wildest fantasies. Now I was plunging her husband. I found her standing headlong down an awful precipice, and where I had left her. The moonlight now flying through space on the tail of was drifting over the tops of the trees a cornel Now I was gagged and bound, and falling softly on her still, white face, hand and foot, across a down-grade track, Ruth!' I said, 'there is but one thing with a locomotive rounding the curve, for both of us now to do-our duty.' She and now shot along an aerial telegraph slowly turned her face to mine and shiv- wire from planet to planet, making a geo crod. It touched me more than any praphical survey of the stars. I sat up word she could have uttered. ' Dear in bed and rubbed my eyes in utter wea girl, go in out of tho night chill; I must riness. What was it that drew my gaze not Icavo you till you are safe inside.' to that patch of moonlight on the floor ? She shivered again, but seemed unable A black coffin, long enough and wide to move, I knew the chill was in hei enough for either of us. A sickening heat I took her hand, to lead her to horror seized me. Impelled by a power tho door. Tho thrill maddened me, I outside of myself, I crept out of bed Ana ched her to my heart and kissed her softly, that I might not waken Reub. cold face again and again, then softly crept nearer and nearer, as a bird hops opened the door and pushed her in. And into the Jaws of the reptile that charms now for ten years I have drifted a it, till I looked down upon the face of a 7h t? H 4 m thltLer' but ffian 1 W Even n,th one thought constantly uppermost, now, I distinctly remember the dizzy llZZ faintness of the reaction, as I reeled' Ho ended There was a reverent si- backward against the bed. But again Ucoaswo both stocxl with bared heads I was impeUed forward. This time I under the qu,et stars. coffin-plate I must say here, that all my life I have lxen subject to presentiments, which an RATHBURN, 1832-1873.