Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1853-02-09
NO. 40.


work of throwing out gravel seemed to be
and then there was pause for
some time, interrupted occasionally by
sounds Of screwing, and wedging, and
wrencning; and at last they seemed to be
lifting some heavy substance oct OF the
grave. They carried it toward the gate.
Jake was lying almost upon the ground.
and as they passed near him, he could per-
eelve they were carrying some white object
about the length and size of q cor5se. They
went out at the gate and round to The chaise:
and presently they returned agaia, and aD-
peared by their motions and the sound 70
be filling up the grave. Jake took this on.
portunity to go aud examine the caaise:
and sure enough he found there fu.l-sizea
corpse, wrapped in white sheet, lying in
the centre Of the chaise, the feet resting o.
the floor, the body leaning across the seat,
and the head resting against the GENRE Of
the back part of the chaise.
"Only some scrape Of the Doctors, after
all,' said Jake to himself, vino now began
to breathe somewhat easier than he lad
done for some time past. "Rut it's rather
shameful business, though; this must be
Deacon Gray's daughter, I'm sure; and it's
a shame to to treat tie old man in this
shabby kind OF way. I'll put stop to this
anyhow. Polly Gray was too good sort
Of gal to be chopped up like quarter of
beef, according to my way OF thinking, and
it shan't be-
Jake then lifted the corpse out of the chaise:
carried it few rods farther from tie road,
took off the winding sheet, wrapped it care
fully round himself, went back and got into
the chaiSe, and placed himself exactly in the
position in which the corpse had been left.
He had remained in that situation but q
short time before Joe and Rufus, having
hiieu up tHc grave, AIIluo az ale.eo
there, came and seated themselves in the
chaise, one on each side of the corpse, AID
drove slowly and quietly of.
"Tm glad it's over" said Kufus, fetching
a long breath. "My hearts been in my
mouth the whole time. l thought I heard
coming half a dozen times; and
then it's such a dismal, gloomy place, too.
You woUldn't catch lie there again, in sach
q scrape, l can tell YOU"
"Well, | was calm as clock work the
whole time said Joe. You should have
such pluck as I've got, Rufe; nothing ever
frightens me-"
At that moment the chaise wheel struck
a stone, and caused the corpse to roll sud-
denly against Joe. He clapped up his hand
TO push it little back, and instead of a
cold clammy corpse, he felt his hand press
ed against a warm face OF live flesh. As
quick as though he had been struck by
Joe dropped the reins, aad with
one bound sprang a rod from the chaise and
ran for his life. Rufus, without kuoTiag
the cause OF this strange AID sudden move
ment, sprang from the other side wili a.
most equal agility, ana followed Joe with
his utmost speed. They scarcely stopped
to take breath till they had run two miles
and got into Joe's room at the college, and
shut the door and locked themselves in.
Here, having sworn Joe's chum to secrecy,
they began to discuss the matter. But con-
cerning the very strange warmth o. the
corpse they could come to no satisfactory
conclusion. Whether il could be that they
had not actually taken up the corpse from
the grave, but before they had got down to