The true Democrat., 1856-11-11

"Fool!" hissed Benson, graspng my arm with the grip of vice, as 1 stood leaning on my spade for support, my very teeth chatter Ing with terror; "another yell like that, and I'll make a subject of you! Are you not ashamed of yourself, to be scared out of your wits' II you ever had any, bya little phospho- resent earth! Don't you know thatit is often found in graveyards?
 " lis explanation re-assured me. though I was too weak, from my late fright to be of any assistance to the party, who all fell to with a will, secretly laughing at me, and soon reached the coffin. Splitting the lid with a hatchet which had been brought for the purpose they quickly lifted out the corpse; and then Benson and another of the party taking hold of it, one at the head and the other at the feet, they hur. ried it away, bidding me follow, and leaving the others to fill up the grave, that it might not be suspected that the body had been ex- humed.
 Having got the corpse safely over the walls of the cemetery, Benson now called upon me to perform my part of the horrible business
 "Here, you quakiog simpleton," he said, II want you to take this on your back, and make the best of your way to your room, and remain alone with it all night Il you do this bravely we will claim you as one o us tomorrow; and the first man that dares to say word against your courage after Shat, shaii find foe in me- But hark you! if you maze any blunder on the way, and lose your prize, 1t will be better for you to quit this place before I set eyes on you again. Do you understand me?'
 "Y-ye ye-yes." I stammered with chatter ing teeth.
 :" Are you ready?"
 l "Y-y e-ye-ycs. |" gasped.
 Well, come here, where are you?"
 Al this time it was so dark that l could not see anything but a faint line of white, which I knew to be the shroud of the corpse; but felt carefully round till l got held of Benson, who told me to take of my cloak; and then rearing the cold dead bot y up against my back he be- gau fixing its cold arms about my neck--bdding me take hold of them, and draw them we'll over. and keep them concealed, and be sure and not let go of them on any consideration what ever, as l valued my life.
 :" Ah the torturing horror experienced, as mechanically followed his directions. Tongue could not describe 1t.
 ''At length, having adjusted the corpse 50 that might beari it off with comparative ease, he threw my long black cloak over it, and over my arms, and fastened 1t with chord about my neck, and then inquired
 "Now Morris do you think you can find the way to your room?'
 'l-l-lo-,Io-dout krow'' gasped, feel ing as if l should sink to the earth at the first step
 "Well, you cannot loose your way if you 90 straight ahead" he replied. ''Ksep in the middle of the road, and it will take yon to Col lege Green, and then you are all right. Come, push on, before your burden grows too heavy; the distance is only good half mile!" :" Set forward with trembling nerves, ex- pecting to sink to the ground at every step but gradually my terror, instead of weakening, gave me strength; and was soon on the run-splash- ing through mud and water-with the storm bowling about me to fury, and the cold corpse, as fancled, cIlnging to me like d hideous vam- pirc.
 | . How reached my room, do not know but probably by sort of instinct; for l only remember of my brain being in a wild, feverish Whlrl, with ghostly phantoms all about me, as one sometimes sees them in adyspeptic dream.
 ' But reach my room did, with my dead burden on my back; and 1 was afterwards told that made wonderful time; for Benson and hls fellow student fearing the loss of their sub- ]ect-whlch on account of the difficulty of get uug bodies, was very valuab,e-folowed close behmd me, and were obliged to run at the top of their speed to keep me within hailing dis tauce
 The first I remember distinctly after get tinI |" my room was the finding myself awake III bed, with dim concousneSs of something horrible having ppened-though what, for some minutes, could not for the life of me re- collect. Gradually, however, the truth dawned ! upon me; and then felt a cold precipitation start from every pore, and the thought that per l AapS l was occupying room alone with corpse. The room was not dark; there few cmbers in the grate which threw out ruddy light; and fearluly raising my head, glanced quickly and timidly around. l :" And there-thee on the floor, against the right hand wall but few feet from me-there sure enough lay the cold, still corpse robed in its white shroud with gleam of freight rest ing upon it's ghastly face, which to my excited I fancy seemed to move. Did it move? 1 was gazing upon 1t, thrilled and fascinated with an dndeScrbable terror, when, as sure as I see you now, l saw the lids of its eyes unclose and it's breast heave, and heard tow stihed moan. | Great God.' shrieked and fell back into | a sWuon.
 How long lay unconscious do not know, but when l came to myself again, it is mar. Vel to me that, Tn my excited state, did not lose my senses altogether and become the te- nant of mad house, for there-right before me-sandiug up in its white shroud-with it's eyes wide open and staring upon me, and it's features thin, hollow, and death hued-was the corpse l had brought from the cemetery.
 In Gods name, avauntn' I gasped. "Go back to your grave, and rest ill peace! 1 will never disturb you again.''
 "The large, hollow eyes looked more wildly ho, IL and the voice in somewhat sepulchral tone said:
 "Where am I? Where am I? Who are you? Which world am in? Am living or dead?
 4 You were dead," gasped, sitting up in bed and feeling as if my brain would burst with pressuIe of unspeakable horror; ''you were dead and buried, and was one of the guilty wretches who this night disturbed you in your peaceful rest. But go back poor ghost, in heavens name, and no mortal power shall ever induce me to come nigh you again." 1 "Oh! feel faint" said the corpse, gradually sinking down upon the floor with groan.- Where am I? Oh! where am F"
 'Great God." shouted, as the startling truth suddenly flashed upon me- "pcrhaps this poor girl was buried alive, and is DOW living!''
 "l bounded from the bed and grasped hand of the prostrate body It was not warm--but 1t was not cold. l put my trembling fingers upon the pulse. Did it beat? or was it the pulse ln my fingers? 1 thrust my hand upon the heart. It was warm--there was life there.- The breast heaved; she breathed; but the eyes were now closed, and the features had the look of death. Still 1t was living body-or else myself was insane.
 q sprung to the door, tore it open, and shout ed for help.
 "Quick! quick!'' cried I; the dead is alive the dead is ave"
 Several of the students sleeping in adjoin- ing rooms came hurrying to mine, thinking l had gone mad With terror, as tome of them had heard my voice before, and all knew to what fearful ordeal had been subjected.
 "Poor fellown' exclaimed one, in tone of sympathy; Fl predicted this"
 " It IS too bad" said another. Cit was too