Martinsburgh gazette. [volume] (Martinsburgh, Va. [W. Va.]) 1810-1825, 1823-03-13
A BUDGET OF BLUNDERS

a BIZ DUET OE Blu NDERS
Two English noblemcn on their ira.
vels arrived in Paris, put up at house
in which a German Count bad lately
died, and at that time lay a corpse
In the middle of the night one of the
two not being able 10 sleep, and grow
Ing weary of his bed, arose in order
to amuse himselfin the Kitchen, where
he heard some people talking. He
had diverted himself for some time,
when being willing to return from
whence he came, he again went up
stairs but instead of entering his own
chamber, went into that ofthc decea.
sed Count, over whose head had been
thrown cloth. The Lngsishman, af-
ter having put out bis candle lay down
by the side of the defunct, when cree
ping close to him as possible, in order
TO warm himself, and finding his bed.
fellow very cold, he began to muiter,
What the devils the matter, my friend,
said he, you are as cold as ice. III
bet you any thing, dumb as you arc,
you would have been warm enough,
if you had seen the pretty girl below
STAIRS. Come come, you may take
my word for it, added he, and pulling
hum by the arm, come, POUNDS, sir /!
what is the matter with YOU. While
he was holding this fine conversation
with the dead who detached from the
things of this world did not give him.
self the trouble of making a reply, bis
chamber doorwa opened, which made
him raise his head from the pillow
to see what was coming in. Judge
what must have been his surprise,
when he saw a servaff, iSIting a joiner
who carried coffin on his shoulder (!
He at first thought he had been in
dream but looking about and seeing
the visage ofone who had not spoked
awork, "a vlsage overspread with NOR
tai paleness, he made but one spring
from the bed into the middle of the
chamber, The joiner and the maid,
Immediately persuaded that it was the
corps, who being unwilling to be shut
up in the coffin was now playing its
gambols, their legs were unable to
move with swiitness proportionable
to their fear, and joiner, maid, coffin
and candIestick rolled over from the
top of the stairs into the Kitchen
Zo9udsS what 9Ac>yeu about ? cried
the Iandsese W. th6evil flying away
with the man ? Mercy on us +! cried
the maid, it is rather the dead man fly.
ing away with US. III be hanged,
said the joiner, If the dead fellow has
any more occasion for coffin than
have why he has got up in the mid.
die of the room. and has just struck up
a hornpipe. Has he :? said he land
lord, (and taking Light faith we'll
see that.
While the family were tumbling.
and getting up to follow the master of
the house, the Englishman, who had
found his chamber, stepped into bed
quite out of breath and his friend hav-
ing asked him where he had been, he
said he had just been lying with a
dead body. 'Sblood a dead body ! |
it had perhaps the plague, cried he, |
jumping in his turn out of bed, and run |
ming TO the door TO call for a light
The landlord, landlady, and servants, |
who were passing through the gallery, |
no sooner saw him than imagined him |
to be the dead man who had appeared |
again; down they came much faster
than they went up, head over heels |
from the top to bottom, with the can
dlestick rolling after them. At this |
joined with their shriekj and |
the Englishman, terrified at
he hideOus noise, soon made for his
room; and stepped into bed with his
companion, without the least fear of
the plague. In the mean
time an honest country priest, who lod-
ged in the inn, got up & appeared ar
med with long broom instead of |
little brush. He made his aspcrsions |
and the COMPUTATIONS prescribed blythe !
Roman church and conducted by way |
OF procession The terrified people into !
the chamber OF the delunct, who think |
ing no harm lay quietly in bed. The !
priest was instantly regarded as saint,
and they all cried upthe miracle, which |
had abound that corpse TO its good be-
haviour, and prevented its being frac- |
tory.