Sugar planter. [volume] (West Baton Rouge [i.e. Port Allen, West Baton Rouge Parish, La.]) 1856-1925, 1856-01-19
The Dead.
NJ PRINCE pucKLER nusKAu.

"Who can fathom the depths Of futu~
rity? who can tell the precise point
where life terminates and where death
commences The dark side Of nature
is cosed to our view. aud the sunny side.
mans terrestrial existence, is not less an
enigma.
"From whence arises the inexpressible
horror which is felt in the presenc Of
the dead whence the fear of their re.
appearance? whence the dread of noe
turnal darkness 2 whence The icy sllud.
dering before those who once had life.
and now appear before US Invested of tie
veil Of mortality which covered them
"The elastic spirits of youth surmounl.
ing the Influences of fear in the zenith
Of my manhood and youthful courage.
| ordered the trap-door which conducted
to the family vault OF my ancestors to
be unlocked and | entered alone at mid
night.
"Three collins had been previously
opened at my request. When | found
myself in the CLEARINGHOUSE. experienced
an indescribabie sensation-it WAS no,
fear, nor grief, nor pity, nor horror. at
the hideous forms before me, but it seem
ed almost as if the very springs of life
were frozen within me-as If | myself
were a corpse.
"My grandfather who had died at the
age of eighty six. was the first object |
examined, his snowy locks bad become
through the influence Of the Ieaden man
tie which enyeloped him. Of a blond col
or, his head was not lying in the usuai
position upon the pillow, but was turned
towards me, and lis eyeless sockets were
staring as if in reproof for violating the
sanctuary Of the dead but | co.isaled
myself by remembering, that if my be.
loved parent was living, he would moi
frown upon me; his character was 10,
mild, and bis mind too candid and en-.
larged.
Il now passed on to another recepta.
Gle Of the dead it contained a skeleton
wrapped in a cloth embroidered will,
geld; this had been a brave and power.
full warrior, who commanded in the
thirty years war, and WAS governor of
the margravate of Lusatia !: a So, ert,
portrait Of him now hangs in the anees.
tral hall of my castle, as he. Mt the head
OF his cuirsssiers, under Pappenheim,
charged the flying Swedes-Ah how
long is the laterna magica extinguisl,ed,
which once Illuminated that Beautiful
painting; the remaining fragments of it
are now before me.
"The third coffin contained a lady, who
during her life, was called the beautiful!
Ursula; the small skull had assumed y
disagreeable dark brown color, the Who'll.
body was enveloped in a long wrapper
of flame colored silk, in II wondarful state
of preservation. | wished to raise he,
up, but at the FIRST movement sl,. crp,n-
blea into dust, and myrials Of mile
pedes crawled through my fingers AMI
the broken joints OF the m~oulderiup
skeleton.
y meditated for some time over the
long row Of collins, absorbed in deem
contemplation, then fell upon my knees
and prayed until the ice which had fro.
zen over my breast dissolved into conso.
ling tears, and whatever | had fel, Of
horror, superstition, or fear, vanished be
fore my God, leaving only a deep feelin,
Of pious Resignation ; ] kissed, withnu,
experiencing the slightest repug,anee.
the cold forehead Of my venerable pa
rent, and severed from his head a lock
Of ms ha'r as a memento Of my visit
aud it he had at that moment arose j.,
al, coffr snc taken my hand, it ~wnnhl
a": ave caused the slightest shudder ..
terror in my BOSOM"