Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1825-05-17

so0I oTOOutu UVef night Jay. u
ton the wish she had not strength TO utter in words
and determining it should not be violated gave direc
IONS That she should be placed IN her coffin without
disturbing the locIet or her hand.
Ii will be readily imagined that affecting n cir
could not escape being much talked of and
as IN these particulars omitted. the
trnSet, which set round with brillants, found
place in the story.
The sexton of the church containing the family vault
was one of the persons to whom this anccdoe became
known, and he not long in conceivng a plan by
which he might possess himself of the buried Jewels
winch gIttered So tenptlngly IN his minds eve. do
not think he would have nectated common theft 4
theft capable ofnjuring living creatures nay although
he was III business he was never known practice any
of the usual tricks receptions of trade He WINS
charitable well-mcaniig man; but he could not com
Prehcud the sentiment which ordained those love tokens
10 lie IN halowed lWrnoveabily a dead breast II
was In ms opinion silly waste of trcasuIe no harm
Could come "a ms appiopriating and he hcrefor do
erned that on the night of the funeral Inc would en-
ter the vault, open the coffin, and remove the rwe
ne thurch was well situated for his purpose il stood
apart from the village 10 which il belonged and was
solitary edltce III the midst of fields
Behold him then in the darkness of the nimlt u, h
lantern at the lone church door. He unocs II and mas
SEES IN lie was at irst rather awe-struck y the dead
stiffness, the sudden cold smell SO different from, , no
MAI air without, and the vacant pcws stan,ur in co
shadow-lke melancholy and drear recesses The nature
OF MS ounce mad given hun familiarity with the build
'nS' out mad not worn away the idea his mind of its
sacredesS and he quaked TO think that il should be t
spot where he To perpetratc the frs; decd i'm m IiC
which he would be ashamed to own As he went oIony
the aisle with his lamp the white tunbstones on the walls
gaTed as were rcproactully upon him one v one and
ms perturbation was increased, by the dart of Dat close
to ms face lie almost regretted lac had come bu, m
went on nevertheless, and passed into e laIv' sepu!
chrc. Ni
Having laid down lis lamp upon = -,fr;,, ,ie, H. 49,
proceeded with his instruments take oil tie lid of lie
enc sought, whchwas soon effected This va, th, FIRST
moment OF real ir!esouon aud terror. The sight of
me corpse LAYING there by that Him light in the heavy
stiiue-S OF death, with 1t, white placid conienaucc
made his heart swell and his nerves pow,,rless The
subty OF the sight made hi, feel The ne,nness of his
actions with double force; he almost tainted and with
inc intention OF abandoning the business lac returned
INTO the body OF tic church. There he snpporcd him,
ser or tune, White the cnDncss OF the air refreshed
him, and he al eI,g Ia about t. ,enart when roc
iccting that The lid OF h coffin should be repacca he
summoned strong effort and went apain t tc va.
for that purpose
But the Sight OF the corpse not so awful TO him rs
before IHecuns has one lis utmost .r,r,
was an mperceptI bie return OF The. ,rrin ,,,i ~
MS mud and br quick edo. he led the body drew
Tue ci'd'n Owe uie head, d'>engaed the ocllet from
under the hand ami then lowered he cor,,sc a.,; into
It, pace a. lie hd tiis the wic before Law uDon
tie ofca't tii "iti strange lcxbility over the side of
uT CONN., anu taInt sigh came from the bottom
liad thunderclaP broken in upon the silence the
man would nOt have been more staprered Than no r,
at tis liIlie sight. He rushed hastily forth l tho
Pi'chre unc'0sed ava opened tic clurtl door TO oo
out "hen '' Ii to increase his bcwldcncnt the first
tblg WINCH! met lis eyes was the great r,onn If , T.
c'gc II sone right opposite and seemed looking al
ana coming 70 expose him. lie did dare TO lift his
%st'l' Dut without stopping to lock up the
church, he hew the fields pursued by his ears
II WAS az tins time about eleven O'clock, The donae
- a. " oo"'ey ran ad not yer rctIred ,ra;,
MINDS were agtatcd and unsettled by the funeral: ana
they found relief III sitting up together and taIn o
NE circumstances connected with their Iad,s illness
anu su'ich dea'H. W Itti hearts full, they could not
endure ''' silence OF their chambers. and il would have
"eh F 20 try c sleep therefore about the time have
just mentioned, they left their room and dull candles IN
q" out under the portico OF the house. ami emo, ty
balmy night air and tie bright moon
Inc subject of their talk continued ,I,o ear,o. ,b
youth ni their lady, her gcntIeness her mar,
Illness the sublime testimony the gave of her love cvnr
III 'lt grasp OF death; and then what would become of
eir heart-brollen who had been secluded in III.
room all day scarcely admitting any even TO hiring b,
hiGdiui rcffesmcnt, when of them with low voice
H''o;'" hat can that white thing be which i, flntter
ing ahoul me becci-trecs there she fatlest end of
TIE long walk" They looked, and notino was eco,,
1T was, however, only lea-idden for Zinc for ,r,s,n
" emerged altogether from tue obscurity of tIn ,tccs
and they saw it plainly enough
y, ne wax was ahont quarter Of mile in length
ne OBJECT advanced down, and soon fearful sipht "
seen by the company under the portico: an ,n,rctI
huah hSure' with long trailing white garments star
ScFing and stumbling across the open par at dat So
Tenn hour and under the keen moonlight
they did not stop to any more but ha.te,,,,. r.,
lhe masters room, told him what they had Witnessed
lie answered them with his faint voice from yyit;,
u" To rest, my friends, go to rest-YOur minds ere
~
nuch subdued just now 10 bear the hearing of sucl
t'''ngs' Shut up the house good night.n
nt' yey al persisted so strennousy in ayoucing the
ruin OF what they had stated, that Sir " ja,n carc
rom ms chamber and said he would go with them into
Tue park and see whether the apparion was ct visible
ooi man! ne was at THIS time i'll calculated to- oi.sipa
the terror which had taken hold of his servants. So
row. want Of food long Privaon OF Sleep tho dismal r
ses5 OF the day and then this phantom story had al
most bcWiideTed hIs faculties, and he m f
trembling and uncoecicd. '''''
Before they had reached The bottom ono Of tho sor
wants cried ont with wild voice. Look Sir Jook,n
Sir William cast his eyes downwards and 10, tJ,ero
upon the cold stone floor of the hail. lay figure enfan
ged nunseeHly clothes, moaning and soinc naturally,
he lace was partially exposed. Sir W ilIian saw Il
lis faculties seemed suddenly scattered Tor in con-
fused manner he dropped hi, knees bv the side Of tho
iIgnre and there remained few moments with cIaspcd
hands and vacant and imrnoveablc looks At length
weak fateriug voice was heard.
Il am afraid have done wrong" it said "but must
go :, W "a cream, 90 not be angry with me"
food God! my wifc!-JIow is tns3-No no no II
cannot be. She IS IN her tombi-and vet this counte