Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1840-05-01

dIiS"Ci " us IU'tIliOn. Dul Hc was ulSdI)-
pointed; the jew, having heard him out,
coolIy replied, that ''hc could lend no
no monies on u child--it was no good !
pledge"
Win bitter cxccrations on the uslrer's |
| llard-hoartedncss, poor Bolt rushed from
his door; when, to aggravatc his situation
the first snow of the season began to fall,
and that so thick and fast, that, in a very
short time, the housc-tops presented a
single field of white. Immersed in his |
grief, he missed his way across the market
place, a"f. VIXEN he least expected such |
a thing, lyur,! himself in the front of tic
cathedral. The great clock chimed three
quarters--t wanted then a quarter to
twelve. Where was he to look for assis-
lance at such an hour-or, indeed, at
any hour He had already applied to the
rich prclatcs, and got from them all that |
their charity was likely to give. Sud-
denly, thought struck him like lightcn-
ing : he saw his little Maria Crying for
the food he could not give her--hs sick
wife, lying in bed, with the infant on her
exhausted bosom-and then Adelaide, in
her splendid coffin, and her hand glittcrng
with Jewels that it could not grasp. "Of
what use are diamonds to her now % said
he to himself els there any sin in rob-
bing the dead to give to the living 4? |
would not do such thing for myself if
were starving-no, Heaven forbid But
for my wife and child-ah that's quite
another mattcr.'
Quleting his conscience as well as he
could with this opiat, he hurried home to
get tile necessary implements; but by the
time he reached his own door, his reso-
luton began to wavcr. The sight, ho-
viewer, of his wile's distress wrought him
up again to the sticking-place and hav-
ing provided himself with a dark lantern,
the church-keys, and crow to break
open the coffin, he set out for the cathe-
dral. On the way, all manner Of strange
iancies crossed him: the earth seemed to
shake beneath hint was the lettering
OF his own limbs figure seemed to
sign him back--it was the shade thrown
from some column, that waved to and
fro as the lamp-light 0ickcred in the nigt-
wind. But still the thought Of home drove
him on ; and even the badness of the
weather carried tins consolation with it
he was the more likely to find the streets
clear, and escape detection.
lie had now reached the cathedral.
For d moment he paused on the steps, sand
then, taxing heart, put the huge key into
the lock. To his fancy, it had never
opened with such readiness before. The
bolt shot back at the light touch of the
key, and he TODD alone in the church,
trembling from head to foot-Still it was
requisite TO close the door behind him,
lest its being open should be noticed by
any one passing by, and give rise to sus-
picion? and, as lie did so, the story came
across his mind of the man who visited a
, church at midnight to show his couregc.
For "A sign that lie had really been there
he was to stick his knife into coffin but
in his hurry and trepidation, he struck it
, through the skirt Of his coat without being
aware of 1t, and surprising himself held
back by some supernatural agency, dropt
down dead from terror.
Full Of these unpleasant rccollcctions,
he tottcred up the nave and as the light
successfully flashed upon the sculpturcd
marbles, it seemed as if the pale figures
> irowncd ominous y upon him. But des-
> peration supplied the place of courage
lie kept on his way to the choir-des-
: cended the stcps-passed through the
- long, narrow passage, with the dead
:, heaped on either sidc-opcnod Adelaide
), chapel, and stood at once before her cof-
" fin. There she lay, stiff and palette
, wreath in her hair, and the Jewels on hcl
!, fingers, cleaning strangely in the dim light
). Of the lantern. lie even fanccd that he
y already snelt the pcstlcntal breth o
decay, though it was full carly for cor
= rupton to have begun his work. a sick
t. ness seized him at the thought; and hi
Is leaned for support against one of the co
10 lumns, with his eyes fixed on the coffin
&c when-was it real or was it illusion o.
1t change came over the face the dead! lit
G, started back and that change, so indis
t. cribable, had passed away in an instant
TT leaving darker shadow on the features
- eff had only time" he said to him
20 sclf--"if had only time, would rathe
W break open one of the other collins, an
10 leave the lady Adelaide in quiet. Ag
~ has destroyed all that is human in thes
~ ~ mummies: they have lost that resem
80 80 blancc to life which makes the dead S
~ terrible, and should no more mind hand
:. ing them than SO many dry bones. 1t
80 80 all nonsense, though one is as Harmless
y. as the other, and since the lad y Adelaide
~ house is the easiest for my work, | mus
~ cen set about it,
Rut tho cn(iin ,l,1 not o0or tho f., r Hi,