Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1842-04-30


buried
Good will do So said Lawrence, and
he departed.
The glasses Of the remaininr trio were
replenshed, and The game resumed. He
by whom the bet was proposed was san
gune of winning it; the others. were conf
dent that Lawrence would return with a
lust claim to the sum deposited. And so
he did; as the clock struck one he returned
with the stake on which the initials OF
Frank Hamilton were rudeIy engraved.
There, have won the wager!' he cried;
sit was long walk on cold night, and !
had trouble to climb the wall which encIo.
ses the grave yard, but allow no man to
dispute my courage. ! offered to pay Frank
his money too, but as he did not appear
to claim it. consider that, having made
legal tender Of the amount, the debt is can
ceIled.
well, the money is yours, Ned. but
double or quits, that you dare not replace
the stake from where you removed it.
'What! tonight inquired Lawrence.
This very hourr
double or quits! I'll do it! first let me
swallow a glass of whiskey punch. Cor It's
internal cold, and is somewhat Of a walk
from here to Carmine street.
BY all means-we'll all pledge to you
safe return
The glasses were filled and drained
Ned Lawrence took up the stake he had
brought from the grave yard and again de-
parted.
Good night Ned, said one Of his thought,
less, gay companions, Frank Hamilton
will keep you this time; and challenge you
to take your revenge at crIbbage.'
'lt return not by daylight, you may con.
clude that such Is the fact replied Law
renee, as he closed the door.
A feeling Of unacceuntabIe gloom came
over the three remaining gamesterS, after
Ned Lawrence departed second time
In vain did they endeavor to rally their
spirits, or seek by increasing their bets. to
give additional excitement TO the game
Lawrence himself, as he again pursued his
way to the grave of the wretched suicide,
experienced a sensations dread,to which he
was previously stranger, and it increased
as the parting remark Of his friend required
to him. 'Psha he nvoIuntarily exclaimed
Il am fool to permit silly Jest like that
to affect me. II turn back, shall be
laughed at as a braggadocla. ii not COW
ard. Dbl it! that would be worse
than losing paItry hundred dollars
On he went, and at last reached tie burr
al place. The weather was intensely cold
and the stars shone brightly IN the cloud
less sky. Not soul was viSible--not ;
sound was to be heard, and Ned Lawrence
exclaming--I shall win! climbed over the
lower wall, and hurried to replace the stake
at the foot of the gamblers grave.
Long did his friends await his return a
the club house. Daylight came, but he
was still absent-ths was unaccountabe
They sought him at his odgings; he was not
there, and they at once determined to solve
the mystery, if possible, by visiting the bu
rial place.
Thther they FASTENED, and on the grave
of Frank Hamilton, they found him.
They were horror stricken! None spakc
but the countenance Of all, told the an.
guish and horror of their hearts. As soon
as they recovered the shock, sight so aw.
ful and unex pected had occasioned, they
proceeded to discover, if possible, the cause
of his death.
No marks of violence were on the body
no evidence could be obtained from a
scientific: examination, of injury or dis
ease but the inference that his death
was caused by terror, was irresistible.
The facts from which such inference was
drawn are soon related. In driving the
stake into the earth, it had caught IN the
the end Of his cloak, and when he attempted
to quit the grave. he found himself detained
by some invisible and unknown power.--
His Imagination was doubtless excited
his terror awakened--he had moi presence
of mind to disengage himself OF his cloak
by loosing its usual fastenings, but fancy.
ing himself hell by the disturbed spirit oil
the suicide, Ned Lawrence. the young, gay
and fashionable, sunk taintlng on the grave
and persisted from terror and exposure.
J. B. p.
NoTE.--The incidents, upon which the
above sketch is founded, actually occurred
and nearly in the manner in which the,
are related. lhave only changed the local
Ity.