Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1858-06-16
The Doctors Prize.
BY AN OLD SEXTON.

Twenty-three years ago this past
winter an incident occurred in my ex
perience which, though not romantic OF
very remarkable, is worth relating or
account of the singular position in which
the parties were placed, in regard tc
one another 1t is not often that low:
er shakes hands with his lady-love af
ter she has been dead five years; bui
VIC will not anticipate.
''Mr. Mortal" said a gentleman one
day hailing me in the street.
His countenance was familiar, but ]
could not call him by name. It seem
ed to me that | had transacted profess,
ional business with him, but / could
not recall the time or circumstances.
[ returned his salutation and looked
inquiringly into his face.
''Io on do not remember me" he con-
tinued.
81 do not, sir.'
"My name is Blocker. You remem-
Der attending the funeral of Margaret
Donaldson, five years ago."
j did remember it, for there were cir
cumStances connected with the inter
ment Of the lady which made a deep
impression on nay mind; and before
permit Mr. Bleekcr to proceed with his
business, | will inform the reader in re-
lation to the case.
Margaret Donaldson was q Scotch
girl, an orphan, whose parents had died
in Glasgow, leaving her property of
about three thousand pounds. She had
an aunt in Boston, to whose care she
had been recommended, and shortly
after the death Of her mother, she came
to this city, bringing her fortune with
her. Within year after her arrival,
her aunt died, and she was again alone
in the world, so far as relatives were
concerned; though a gcntleman-Mr.
Blceker-had fallen in love with her,
and they were said to be engaged.
About a year after the death of her
aunt Margaret herself died. ] remem-
ber hearing DR.. Wimbledon give par
ticular description of mal-formation
in the chest of Margaret, at the house
where she died, to another surgeon
| cannot pretend to describe the case
myself. He attended her first for a
broken leg, which she received in q fall
on the ice. Before she had entirely re-
covered from this accident, her fatal
disease commenced, and she died.
Mr. Blocker was almost broken heart.
ed; and | do not think in the whole Of
my professional experience, I ever saw
man suffer more poignant grief. He
was inconsolable. | buried her; but
often the devoted lover might have
been seen in one ofthe suburban town,
where he owned a lot, and where he
had caused her to be laid.
Margaret had left him all her prop.
erty-but / heard the money did no
console him. Five years after he was
still single man, and still lovingl,
cherished the memory of her he had Low
ed.
''NIr. Mortal" continued Blocker, a.
we walked along the street, "I have
purchased a lot at Mount Auburn. ant
I propose to have the remains of m,
Margaret removed there"
Mount Auburn was then new idea
though it had been in existence some
four years. Mr.. Bleeker described hi
lot, and desired me to visit it next day
with him, to advise him in relation t,
preparing it for the reception of the re
mains Of Margaret.
[ acceded, and in the course of +:
month, the lot was ready for use. Blu
then it was too early in the season t,
disinter the corpse, for the frost wa
still in the ground. l Iagreed to remov
it as soon as possible, and nothing wa
said about notifying him as to tn
time.
During the latter part of March.
visited the ccmetry in which Mareare
had been buried, attended by Spade
prepared to effect the disinterment.-
We removed the marble gravestone
and placed it in the wagon: This e1
fected, l set spade to work to dir fo
the coffin, while l walked about tn
place.
I took pretty long walk, for spad
was not a very swift laborer, and whe
l returned, he had reached the coffin
The wood was still in a good state c
preservation, and we raised it to tn
ground. 1t felt very light, and l has
tened to open it.
To my astonishment, the coffin wa
empty! Itwas evident that the CORPS
| had not long reposed in its resting place
Spade conjectured, and | ccnjectured