The Carolina Spartan. [volume] (Spartanburg, S.C.) 1852-1896, 1856-12-25
we're closed. but on his face was a look Of

were closed. but on his face was look Of
pain.
On the other side of me was a fair girl.
of nineteen perhaps. She was in ball
dress Of white; and OH how that brought
my memory back. | remembered that
had often seen such dress. / knew not
where or on whom, but the memory seem.
ed painful to me.
The girl was lovely. Her face was still
round; her white lips parted in gentle,
heavenly smile; her white shoulders still
smooth, but the young bosom that had
once, perhaps, throbbed with love, now
cold, sunken, still. | looked long at the
face. itwas beautiful: it produced pleas.
ure IN me. did not remember it, and vet
as gazed though, had seen it some.
wherein some dream. There were many
other bodies, and | stared At :hem all-al
least all that the dim light allowed me TO
see; but sudently shook, shuddered. and
iremoled. | had at last remembered that
this must be death, and then / knew that
was really alive, and the thought Of be.
ing alive amid the dead WAS awful.
made desperate effort, raised mysel!
on my sinking legs, and crawled from my
CONN. Before me was large glass door.
remembered it must be door. crawl.
ed to it in agony-fearful agony-the pain
oi longing to escape, and the impossibiity
ofdoIng so from weakness. A. last reach.
ed 1t, and by another effort stood up and
looked out, and in the grey twiight-for
such 1t was-l saw vast grave yard Oh!
even that sight, all alone as | was, was
al MI ..s. ,
me-the dead. sought to open the door.
FELT and found a handle, but il was useless.
tired to scream, and my voice fell almost
without sound back into my lungs. Yet
even its slight sound terrified me- | feared
lest II should wake some of those bodies
behind me, and this terror lent an unnatu.
raj force 10 my weak, wasted limbs.
shook the door with all my might !
thrust my fist through the glass, and then
uttered wild piercing shrek
oh! how terrific was that solitude. The
sound echoed through the dead house and
passed over the white, quiet tombstones,
and there was no answer. shrieked again
and again, and then, utterly weakened, !
chung almost senseIess 10 the door.
1t seemed an age that hung there,
shnnking close up TO escape the horror De
hind mean age of agony.
AT last light cleaned close by.
On! how 1t cheered me. / called for
help, and no longer feared my own voice
SILL there was no answer; but in a momen,
or two, figure advanced slowly and eau
tiousl ly, and, by heaven! thought i, wa.
the figure Of a dead mau-so white. so full
OF dread was the face. 1t advanced, s,er
by step, holding the light before it high up
with trembling hand. cried, but still
1t answered not. cried d-"For Gods sake
let me out. Are you a man OF a corpsei'
lie answered not, but came on SLOWLY
and could see him tremLle. At las, he
came almost close up, but stopped and turn.
ed the light full upon my face. For some
minutes, at least, he stood thus; and no,
knowing who or what ho was, whether
dead or alive, | could only cling to the door
and gaze at him madly.
Presently | heard jnging as Of iron
next a grating in the lock of the door, and
then the door was opened, and fell inscn
slbIe upon my face.
10 RE CoSCrrDEn