Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1857-06-25

"What adorable lady is such infant sport
as this all that you require of my bravery and
love? No matter, your pleasure is my law !;
and since it has taken this turn, should Luci-
fer himself guard the coffin, 1 would make
him yield his post to me.''
As soon as night set in, a large coffin cover
ed with black was brought into the castle hall.
Wax tapers and all the appointments of death,
were placed around. The knight.toxhom the
first part assigned, arrays "a linen
shroud, placed himself in the coffin in the
presence of the lady, and clasped his hands
firmly together; crucifx was placed on his
head. which rested on a pillow, was crowned
with flowers. The vivid tint of death disguis-
ed his countenance, and the lady, after con
sidering him in this situation and feigning to
shudder with horror at the spectacle, gave him
strict injunctions not to open his eyes, or give
the least signs of animation.
The second knight began by doing ample
honor to the splendid supper to which he had
been invited. He was full of gayety and spir-
it and laughed heartily with the rest of the
guests at the current tales OF sorcerers and
spirits, and swearing that from his very youth
he had scoffed at the idea of ghosts. AS soon
as the appointed hour arrived, he walked cour-
ageously towards the hall, where the lady was
awaiting his arrival with the old warder of the
castle. She inducted him to his post, giving,
however, at the SAME time, full liberty to walk
or sit still--to read--in a word to employ him.
self in any way he thought proper, providing
only that he should not lose sight of the corpse,
and that he should defend it from whoever
might approach the coffin.
When the lady and the warder had retired
the most profound silence reigned throughout
the hall. The knight began to scrutinizc it in
every part, and at last exclaimed, s'what will
not lore render man capable of ~ then throw
ing himself into chair the coffin, he fix
ed his eyes upon tine corpse, and the sight of
this object caused an involuntary shudder to
peryuIe ms rrauIo urs lrurner
or who counterfeited the dead man, played
his part well, and his pale and lived counte-
nance resembled that of one in whom life had
become extinct, so much that the most dis
trustful eve would have been deceived. HIS
head, too, half raised, appeared as though 1t
would advance toward the rash man who star
ed so fixedly upon him ,and drag him with him
to the tomb, which already gaped for all that
death had left him of mortality. The knight
withdrew his gaze from the hdeous object be-
fore him snuffed the lights and began to read
an ancient family chronicle. In this occupa-
ton, he became so busted in the relation of a
seige of some town in Italy, that he forgot the
dead man in his coffin and sharing the heroic
sentiments of the brave knights whose deeds
rivetted his attention, he became, like the
first knight, prepared to push the adventure
to its close.
The lady, who, with her lover and the old
warder, was observing, from neighboring a.
partment, what passed in the hall, began to en-
tertain some misgivings respecting the success
of her stratagem, when the hour of one struck
loudly on her ear. Instantly the knight was
heard to approach the hall.
He struck tremendous blow upon the door
of the hall ct the very moment when the
knight who was pouring over the chronicle,
was engaged in his Imagination, in cutting his
way through a breach by the side of his gal
liant ancestors. The noise made him instant
ly leap from his chair, as though the hand of
him who struck had caught him suddenly by
the hair. ssWho goes there 70 he exclaimed.
No answer was returned, and the silence which
followed since the blow, was only interrupted
by the echo of his voice. The guardian knight
| seized taper, and drew near the door with a
design of opening it-but changing his pur-
| pose, he stopped, listened attentively, and was
about to repeat his question, when second
blow, louder than the first, was heard. s'Come
| in, tell you 20 exclaimed the guardian knight
and then stepping back a few PAGES, in order
that he might keep his eye upon the corpse
which remained tranquil and motioness.
The guardian knight placed his taper on tho
foo, drew his sword ,and marched with length
ened strides towards the door. A third blow
| gentle, shook the door-at the same instan
the two sides flew open, and Satan entered
1t is well known that in bodies of ignorance
such as that in which this adventure tool
place the d. was firmly believed in by the in
habitants of Europe. The people, the knights
and even the princes themselves, believed that
he assumed all sorts of forms for the purpose
of tormenting mankind. Upon this occasion
he appeared in the guise of tall and robus
man, whose firm steps shook the flooring o
the hall. His powerful arm brandishinS hea
Wy lance, and he cast look full Of fury upol
the guardian knight, and another upon tn
corpse and in spite of the glttering sword o
the former, he walked firmly towards the col
fin. The guardian knight defended his pos
most valiantly, and the issue was doubtful
when the dead man forgot what he had t