Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1838-09-07


tomb is in q delipated state, and the en-.
trance is easy. The wager shall be deci-
ded This very night"
Excellent! excellent" exclaimed Ro-
sambert; "and that we may know that you
have been there. take this ponard, and
stick it into coffin"
Placing his dagger in his bosom. he gaiIy
| turning to his friend, and said with smile.
Nov am ready-be sure you have the
Burgundy uncorked on my return!"
He left the inn, and as he wendell his
way through the village, now buried in
repose, the solemn silence that reigned
around dissipaled his gaiety, and his tho'ts
took more serious tone.-He felt as ii he
had acted wrong in having INDUCED in
unseemly levity on SO serious subject /;
and then the many r-nspiring tales
respecting the old miser, TO whose tomb he
| was journeying came rushing upon his mind
causing him almost TO repent his foolish
hardlhood; but to return without attaining
his object, would occasion the ridcule Of
his friends, and he dreaded being stigmaii-
zed as vain boaster and coward. He
therefore pushed quickly on, and in short
time reached the old church, which stood
at the extremity Of the village. He clam.
bered over the low paliDg that surrounded
the venerable building, and stood sin the
back ground of life" as Richter denomi-
mates the grave yard. All was silent save
the wind, which sighed mournfUlly through
the linden trees, scattering the scared
leaves far and wide The night was dark,
the sky overspread with murky clouds,
which sped rapidly along like giant spirits
of air, revealing here and there a twinklng
star. A feeling of awe came over him as
he stealhiy gded along the tomb. stones I;
and as he neared the m;ser's burial place.
the hour Of midnight toIed loudly from the
turret clock, breaking through the solemn
stiffness like the knel Of death. He started
at the sound, and almost quaked with fear.
But as the last stroke died away. he sum-
moned his ia,ering resolution, ard drawing
forth the dagger, rushed down the steps OF
the vault, and with a convulsve shudder,
stuck it into a damp and mouldy coffin,
which returned sound as it the skeleton
within it had fallen asnnder. and the bones
ratified against the coffin sides. Terrified
and agitated, Herman attempted to rush
from the vault, but he was held fast BY
some invisible agency, and uttering faint
cry fell senseess TO the ground.
"What can possibly de,ain Herman ?"
said Rosambert to his fellow Students
sit is now an hour since he departed. and
he should have returned ere :his. hope
no evil has befallen him"
Another hour elapsed-and still he came
not. At last it was proposed that they
should seek him. A lantern was procured.
and after proceeding at rapid pace, thew
arrived at the church yard, and descended
the gloomy vault, they discovered the
body OF the ilfafed Herman. lying upon his
face across the Threshold. The extremity of
his goarn fastened to The co6fn by The poniard.
1t would seem that in his fear and api,a
ton, his hand became entangled in the
folds of his gown and the dagger pinned it
to the coffin, and imagining he had fallen
into the hands of demons or spirits, he
sank li!eless to the grouod He was rails
ed and the expression ofterror upon his
coun'enance was truly horrible. His eyes
seemed starting from their sockets-his lips
were firmly compressed his hair stood
brlsiing upon his head He was conveyed
to the inn with all possible despatch, where
efforts were made to resuscirate him. bu,
in vain. The fright had been too much for
him-he was dead