Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1847-06-24
lAY MORNING, JUNE "a. 1917.

AT first thought one of the students was
/ playing prank on me, aud knelt down and
looked under the tables, but could see moth
ing but fragments of dissected limbs arose
and gazed on a beautiful brunette girl lying
/ on the table next to me, whose cheeks and
! lips still bore the traces of roses, but she
moved not; she was cold and still. Opposite
was stretched out little boy. fair as Hebe.
but he moved not; he was 10 the deep sleep
of death. What could il be- ] listened again
and heard the breathing still more distinctly
4 1t was the same stererous breathing | had
heard at the grave. My hat rose up on my
! head
! "AnJ each particular hair did stand on end,
Like quilts upon the freiful porcuPne I"
God Of Heaven could ii be man coming TO
/ life? And then asked myself why should
| be so alarmed atthe idea Of man coming
1 to life when was alone, and not the least
alarmed at the grave. ncompany with others.
Still heard that mysterious breathing. ]
started toward the door that led to the long
dark winding, narrow stairway, but hesitat-
| ed. III leave the room without discovering
the cause Of my fright, shall never be able
TO enter it again at night alone; and then if |
start down the stairway shall go faster and
/ faster, and may fall over the banister, four
]
| idea Of flying. But what should do Streams
OF perspiration were bursting from every pore
in nv body. My eyes glared with demoni-
&C brightness on every thing around-while
the myterous breathing fell on my quicken
ed ear, Ike the hollow sound of the grave.
! | ran from one side of the room to the other,
and then into the dissector's room adjoining; but
kind of magic influence drew me back, and
chained me TO the spot. Ipuckered my mouth
to whistle for company; as the boy does when
he passes country church-yard at night, but
no sound proceeded thence. | tried to sing,
| but the notes died away upon my lips. Colds
mi,h's language did not apply 10 me. | did
not
| ''Whistle as went for want OF thought"
for al that time had too many thoughts, and
agonizng ones too. God OF Mercyi thought
| I, shall be frightened to death? A man
coming to life and alone Oh, | could not
bear the idea. had read Of a German no.
blenan who was condemned to die on the
morrow for some State offence, and his fear
was so great, that when the jaor entered in
the morning, be did not know his prisoner
his hair that was black the day before, was
perfectly white. had read of many such
cases on record, ana | was certain that if |
1 lived 10 get out Of the room, my auburn locks
would be gray. Oh! whittier should | fly
for refuge from man coming to litel ! ran
between the tables and gazed upon one OF the
subjects. | imagined could see, by the faint
light of the stove, his lips move and his breast
lheaying with agony, while his awful eyes
'Ywere glaring upon me. Then heard a rat
Ting in his throat, and groan of angusih.--
In perfect state of phrenZy | ran TO the stove
seized the iron poker, and struck it upon the
stove plate with allmy strength. At that mo-
ment OF leaped man from a table in the far
corner Of the room, crying out-''For Gods
sake, what's the matter2o sprang two feet
from the floor, and screamed out with terror
And now, gentle reader. would you know
what my bug boo was2 will crafty you
One Of the resurrection men, who had been
out ali night. had walked into the dissectne
room with the frozen body spoken Of, and
finding no student there. he stretched himself
on the only unoccupied table in the room, and
was snoring ii off goriously. trembled FOL
some time after, though at the present day
such a circumstance would not frighten me
in the least, whether alone or not II appear
ed that had frightened him with the poker,
as much as he had alarmed me. In the mo-
ment of waking he dreamt that mob was
rushing into the room to kill him; and that he
could see their pistols. and cleaning knives
and daggers. My subject was untouched that
night.
Such, my dear reader, are some of the scenes
10 be met with in dissecting room.