Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1856-12-17

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. If you do this brave
ly, we will claim you as one of us tomorrow /;
and the first man that dares to say word "a
gainst your courage after that shall find foe
in me. But bark you! if you make any blum
der on the way and lose our prize, it will be
better for you to quit this place before set
my eyes upon you again. Do you understand
me %
sYe-ye-ye-yes!'' ~ 1 stammered, with chat
tering teeth.
care You ready ?''
"Ye-ye-ye-yes,'' gasped.
ssWell, come here; where are you ?''
All this time it was so dark that l could not
see anything but feint line of white, which
knew to be the shroud of the corpse but
felt carefully around till got hold of Benson,
who told me TO take off my cloak and then
rearing the cold dead body up against my back,
he began fixing the cold arms about my neck
bidding me take hold of them and draw
them well over, and keep them concealed ,and
be sure and not let go of them, on any consid-
Grafton whatever, as / valued my life.
AL INC lOItu HOiioi SApCiiCbSSu DO l.
mechanically followed his directions Tongue
could not describe it
AT length. having adjusted the corpse so
that might bear it off with comparative ease,
he threw my long black cloak over my arms,
and fastened it with a cord about my neck ,and
then inquired
.sNow, Morris, do you think you can find
the way to your room ?''
.sI-I do-do-don't know l gasped, feeling
as if should sink to the earth at the first step.
ssWcll. you cannot lose your way if you go
straight ahead,'' he replied. ssKeep in the
middle of the road and it will take you to Col
| lege Green, and then you are all right. Come,
come, push on before your burden grows too
heavy; the distance is only good half mile ~
! / set forward with trembling nerves, expect
! ing to sink to the ground at every step; but
! gradually my terror, instead of weakening me,
gave me strength; and was soon on the run
-splashing through mud and water-with the
storm bowling me to fury, and the cold corpse
as fancied, clinging to me like hideous
vampire.
| How reached my room do not know-but
| probably by sort of instinct; for l only re-
member of my brain being in a feverish whirl,
with ghostly phantoms all about me, as one
sometimes sees them in dyspeptic dream.
But reach my room did, with my dead bur-
den on my back and / was afterwards told
that 1 made wonderful time for Benson and
his fellow student, fearing the loss of their
sulcct-which on account of the difficulty OF
getting bodies, was very valuable-followed
close behind me, and were obliged to run al
the top Of their speed to keep me within hail
ing distance.
The first l remember distinctly, after get
! ting to my room, was finding myself awake in
bed, with dim consciousness of something
horrible having happened-though what, fol
some minutes, 1 could not for the life of me
recollect. Gradually however the truth dawn
ed upon me and then felt a cold perspira
tion start from every pore, at the thought that
perhaps | was occupying room alone with q
corpse. The room was not dark there were
few cmbers in the crate which threw out &
ruddy light; and fearfully raising my head,
glanced quickly and timidly around.
And there-there on the floor, against tho
right hand wall, but a few feet from me-there
sure enough, lay the cold still corpse, with {
CLEAN of freight resting upon its ghastly face
which to my excited fancy seemed to move
Did it move9 was gazing upon it, thrilled
and fascinated with an indescribable terror
when, sure as L see you now, 1 saw the lid
of its eyes unclose, and saw its breast heave
and heard low stifed moan.
ssGreat God - shrieked, and fell back in
to swoon. How long lay unconscious d,
not know, but when came to myself again
it is a marvel to me that, in my excited state
/ did not lose my senses altogether, and be
come the inmate of a madhouse-for there
right before me-standing up in its whit,
shroud-with its eyes wide open and staring
upon me, and its features thin, hollow anC
death-hued-was the corpse had brought from
the cemetery.
ssIn Gods name, avaunt ~ gasped. ssG'
back to your grave and rest in peace vii
never disturb you again.
The large, hollow eyes looked more wildl,
upon me--the head moved-the lips parted
!, and voice in a somewhat sepulchral tone said
sWhere am 5? Where am 1 4? Who arr
you? Which world am L in? Am l livir:
or dead ?''
ssYou were dead,'' said, sitting up in bee
and feeling as if my brain would burst with
pressure of unspeakable horror; 'syou wer'
|, dead and buried, and was one of the guilt.
wretches who this night disturbed you inyou
neaceful rest. But go back, poor ghost, il
Heavens s name, and no mortal power shall ey
er induce me to come nigh you again ~