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The Evil Eye; Or, The Black Spector - The Works of William Carleton, Volume One by William Carleton
page 31 of 516 (06%)
sorely tried woman this miserable night!"

He then bent his steps to Beech Grove, his master's residence, the hour
being between twelve and one o'clock.

The night, as we have already said, had been calm, but gloomy and
oppressive. Now, however, the wind had sprung up, and, by the time
Kennedy commenced his journey home, it was not only tempestuous but
increasing in strength and fury every moment. This, however, was not
all;--the rain came down in torrents, and was battered against his
person with such force that in a few moments he was drenched to the
skin. So far, it was wind and rain--dreadful and tempestuous as they
were. The storm, however, was only half opened. Distant flashes of
lightning and sullen growls of thunder proceeded from the cloud masses
to the right, but it was obvious that the thunderings above them were
only commencing their deep and terrible pealings. In a short time they
increased in violence and fury, and resembled, in fact, a West Indian
hurricane more than those storms which are peculiar to our milder
climates. The tempest-voice of the wind was now in dreadful accordance!
with its power. Poor Kennedy, who fortunately knew every step of the
rugged road along which he struggled and staggered, was frequently
obliged to crouch himself and hold by the projecting crags about him,
lest the strength of the blast might hurl him over the rocky precipices
by the edges of which the road went. With great difficulty, however, and
not less danger, he succeeded in getting into the open highway below,
and into a thickly inhabited country. Here a new scene of terror and
confusion awaited him. The whole neighborhood around him were up and in
alarm. The shoutings of men, the screams of women and children, all in
a state of the utmost dread and consternation, pierced his ears, even
through the united rage and roaring of the wind and thunder. The
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