Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1850-01-24

cepuble respiration must have been gong
on.
"You see, Griffith" continued the fore
man, If you have but the least opening in
the world, it do help to keep the stiff-un so
uncomman fresh All, we don't often get
such prize as this; only three or four
as if he were alive. can tell Tall Halo
way one thing-he shall pay me double for
this here corpse before he do stick a knife
in him."
From the pinnacle of ineffable transport
and ecstacy upon which my soul had perch
ed, in the conviction of my reprleval and
restoration TO life, these whitening words
hurled me instantly downtown to an abyss
of unutterab!e loathing aud horror and de-
SPAR, that made all my previous sufferngs
appear heaven. Tall Holloway was the
familiar name of professor in the neigh
boring town who gave lectures on anatomy,
always illustrated by the dissection of hu-
man subjects: and it was manifest that tine
lnlruders in the vault, instead of coming as
my dellverers, and the agents of DR.. Lnnel,
as had SO fondly conceived, were sacrlle-
gious ruflians, whose purpose was to steal
my body and sell 1t TO the surgeons for mu-
tllatIon aud dismemberment
Again with elastic speed my thoughts
rush forward to the probable result of their
proceedings but oh how miserably differ
ent were my present anticipations from those
IN which ] had so recently INDUCED! One
only ginmerlng OF hope was perceptlble IN
the hideons prospect before me. 1t was
just possible that Mr. Holloway, an expert
enced surgeon, discovering INV entranced
state, might stay his upiiled hand, throw
away his scalpel, aud succeed in eflectlng
my resuscitaIion But how much more
probable that the progress of his operations
might reanunate me for time, only to
wrlthe aud die under the agony of nv
wounds or perhaps to be patched up after
| had been hall-bulchered, that | might
stagger under the load of life as a manned
and dlsfInred cripple, misery to myself
and revolving object TO my friends
While tortured by these narrowing ideas,
the nd of the coffin was removed, and Hodg-
es, turning his dark lantern full upon my
face, SAID 10 his companion" What dive
think OF that Griffith There : beauty
of stiii-uni don't know as | ever saw
finer. just take hold of his legs, viii We,
aud help to lift him out"
BY their JOINT exeftion | was raised from
the coffin, and dePosiled upon piece of old
carpet beside it-a position that enabled me
10 contemplate the scene before ne. The
seSton's bent and snowy head glis,eued,
and his sharp eyes twinkled in the light, as
he counted IN the palm of his shrivelIed
hand, the ten shillings with which he had
doubtless been brbed for giving admission
to the vault. His accomplice, in spite of
his revolving occupation, exhibited not
unpieaslng physIognomy, and screwed down
the lip with a complacent smile, as if he
were well pleased with his nights work
The piled cctfins at the back of the vault
were mostly thrown into the deep shade,
though here and there an unrusted nail or
InscrIpton-plate caught the Pickering ray
or some ghastly bone, escaped from its
Wondering receptacle, gathered sickly
CLEAN around it. The whole picture was
framed in the black arch of the vault
When the lid of the coffin had been re-
placed, the men rolled the carpet around
me, raised me on their shoulders, carried
me out, and laid me on flat barrow or
truck. | heard the door cautiously locked
and az the same moment | felt myself to he
trundling along the church-yard path the
wheel being almost inaudible, owing to the
soiiness of the ground, for it was still RAIN
ing heavily.
CHAPTER NJ.
In Io
to the high-road, sudden gust of wind
turned back a portion of the carpeting, al
lowing the rain TO beat against my head
and face, and enabling me again to use my
eyes, SO far as the darkness would allow
If had been peculiarly impressed with the
beauty and splendor of the sunlighted
world as displayed to me through the WIN
dow when they were first placing me i'll the
coffin, | was still more deeply affected by
the midnight glories that irradisted the sky,
where the black and driving clouds partial
y revealed them. They drew my thoughts
upwards to the mysterious and omnipotert
Unseen, the Creator and Upholder Of the
universe, amid whose countless worlds the
globe which we iuhabit might be deemed
no more than particle of starry dust but
IN the belief that not even the humbest
dweller upon this insignificant speck would
address himself TO Heaven in vain, and that
the Creator of all would listen to the PRAYERS
OF all, silently implored forgiveness for
my past sins, and supplicated delverance
from the terrible fate that menaced me-
Supported by this act OF devotion, | await
ed my doom with less agony Of soul than
had previously endured
The road being that which led to my
own house, | was familiar with I'll the OBJ
jects of which could obtain glimpse as
passed along. My heart yearned strange
ly towards them and as | gazed, fully be-
lieying it TO be for the last time, upon a
wel-known tree, or even field-gate, felt
as if | were being torn away from an old
friend. Guess how UNNECESSARILY this ten
der SORROW must have been increased when
we reached the entrance to my own resi-
dence, and Hodges, putting down the bar
row, said,
Hang me, if | baint almost tired. The
stiliun amt no great weight, but these san.
dy roads be-s uncommon heavy alter rain
Why, this is the old cove's roostiDg place,
do declare. All shouldn't wonder if he'd
riva n mod Iot nf HE nonav-h,rs 10 .,.,