Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1856-11-05

pci'Oiih sum @ manly 'SoAe LIZ
deridingly.
"His word stung me 10 the quick; and
without further reflection, and scarcely
aware of what 1 was saying, 1 rejOined,
boldly:
81 am no coward, sir, as will prove
to you by performing what you call
manly feat"
"You will GO 90 he asked quickly.
81 will"
"Bravely said. my lad !'' he reioined,
in a tone of approval, and exchanging
his expression of contempt for one cf sur
prise and admiration. ''Do this Morris,
and the first man that insults you after
ward makes an enemy of me.
Again | felt cold shudder pass
through my frame, at the thought of
what was before me, but l had accepted
his challenge in the presence of many
witnesses-for this conversation occurred
as we were leaving the hall, after listen
ing to an evening lecture-and was re-
solved to make nv word good. should it
even cost my life; in fact, l know 1 could
not do otherwise now, withou. the risk
of being driven in disgrace from the col
lege.
al should here observe, that in those
days there were no professional resurrec-
tionists; and as it was absolutely neces-
sary to have subjects for dissection, the
unpleasant business of procuring, de.
veloped upon the students, who. in con-
sequence, watched every funeral eager
Iy, and calculated the chances of cheat
ing the sexton of his charge and the
grave of its victim.
There had been funeral that day,
of poor orphan girl, who had been fol-
lowed to the grave by very few friends;
and this was considered favorable
chance for the party whose turn it was to
procure the next subject as the graves
of the poor and friendlcss were never
watched with the same keen vigilance
as those of the rich and influential. Sill,
il was no trifiing risk to attempt to ex-
hume the bodies of the poorest and hum
blest-for not unfrequenlly persons were
found on the watch even over these; and
only the year before, one student, while
at his midnight work, had been mortal
ly wounded by a rifle ball; and another,
month or two subsequently,, had been
rendered cripple for life by the same
means.
&" All this was explained TO me by a
party of six or eight, who accompanied
me TO my room-which was in build
ing belonging to the college, and rented
by apartments TO such Of the students as
preferred bachelors hall TO re. .ular
boarding; and they took care to add
several terrifying stories of ghosts and
hobgoblins. by way of calming my ex-
cited nerves, just as l have before OBJ
served old women stand around a weak
feverish patient, and croak out their ex'
perience in seeing awful sufferings and
fatal examinations Of just such maladies
as the one with which their helpless VIC
tim was then afflicted.
"' Is it expected that 1 should 90
alone? ? l inquired, in a tone that trem
bled in spite of me, while my knees al.
most knocked together, and felt as il
my lips were white.
"Well, no" replied BeEson, my most
dreaded tormentor; sit would be hardly
fair to send you alone, for one Individual
could not succeed in getting the body
, from the grave quick enough /; and you,
mere youth, without experience, would
be sure to fail altogether. No, we will
go with you, some three or four of US,
and help you to dig up the corpse but
then you must take it on your back.
bring itup 10 your room here, and spend
the night alone with it -
at was some relief TO me to find /
was to have company during the first
; part of my awful undertaking; but srilI !
| felt far from agreeable, l assure you
| and CHANGING TO look into mirror, as
[ the time drew near for setting out, i
, fairly started at behOlding the ghastly
object 1 saw reflected therein.''
"Come boys" said Benson, who was
always. by general consent, the leader
5 of whatever frolIc, expedition, or under
, taking he was to have hand in-"Come
boys, it is time 10 be on the move. A
/ glorious night for US !'' he added, throw
l ing up window, and letting in a fierce
t gust of wind and rain; "lhe ID himself
would lardly venture out in such a
storm u
r "He lit dark lantern, then threw on
his long, heavy cloak, took up a spade,
and led the way down stairs and the
rest of us, three besides my timid self,
threw on our cloaks, took each a spade,
, and followed him."
9" We took a roundabout course, to
avoid being seen BY any citizen that
might chance TO be stirring, and in some.
thing less than half an hour we reached
the Cemetery, scaled the wall without