Mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado Co., Cal.) 1854-1860, 1858-11-13
"OUR COUNTRY II Country"


upon q very simple plan. The outside door
opened into small hall down stairs, and at
the farthest end of this hall were two bed.
rooms. A staircase commencing near the
door, and led to the second story, in which
there were what might be called an anteroom,
and the large apartment where the body of
Andrew Allan lay. A door opened into this
chamber from narrow platform at the head
Of the stairs. Any one descending the stairs
from the antc'rOom, must pass in contact with
this door,
Evening came on and the blacksmiths two
sons, cousins Of the deceased, were appointed
to sit up the first night. They were to occu.
py the ante.rOom. 1t was too warm for fire !;
so they were provided with couple of talow
candles, jug Of mountain dew; aud
some tobacco pipes. Jamie WIS just twenty
"a fine looking lad Of quiet demcanor, aud
industrious habits. Archie, however, twenty
two years Of age, was far more sprightly. He
took great delight in being involved in love
scrapes. In fact he was what they call in the
Highlands, "the vera dell Nnang the laSsies" +"
Hour after hour he entertained Jamie with his
conquestS, and the latter began to show symp-
toms Of doubt.
AN are yc sure, Archie" he asked
| JOu tO pUCh IccS
They had not given their cousin in the adj
joining room a single thought. They could
not disguise the fact (nobody coud) that they
were glad that he was dead; smothering their
qualification, however under the old comforting
maxim, ait was weel the puir body was re.
licved o his sutfcrin" The night dragged on
Archie continued his amatOry "reminiscences
to the great annoyance Of Jamie, until the
town clock "strak the twal"--it was mid
night
The candle required snufiing, and jamie
reached forward his hand for that purpose -
but sound reaching his oars from the room
where the corpse waS-a sound like the mo.
wing Of bench, caused him in his trcmulous-
ness, to put out the light. The darkness was
total. The young men held their breath
each one chOkcd by the throbbing of his
heart.
"Jamic, said Archie, ait was nacthing-
naething but the wind Gao doom an get n
light"
"Oh, Archie, for tlgANvc O. God tax hold
o met is na your voicc-yOu dinna speak
in your ain voice."
The next moment the brothers were locked
in each others arms, and fell covering against
tho wall, shnddcring in the extremity Of ter
ror: for another sound reached them, and one
calculated to parayzc the bravcSt. They
heard with unmiStakable diStinctncSs the t,rO
hGlf eroen pieces ,lrOp upon tie .hOor.
When the old blacksmith went up stairs at
daylight, and saw his sons crOuching in the
corner of the room, he thought they had been
drinking too much, and began to chide them.
But he soon stopped, for they rose up, and
came to meet him with wild expression Of
Joyful rclefo on their countcnances and point
| Id 40 kI,o . 1Inb l,N( L. Nbo,,
were not able to speak word. The old man,
without hesitation, pushed open the door and
entered the ROOM but he came rushing back,
uttering cry Of horror-Such cry as none
but an old man can give. .shrill-trcmulous
They fed down stairs-Out Of the house, and
into the street The ncighbors were aroused
the story tOld-and in less than half an hour
there was a tumut. The staircase in the
blacksmith's house was soon filled with pco.
pie; but none had courage to open the door
The head Of the column stood upon the plat.
form resisting the force from behind. II in.
creased to such violence, however, that resist
ancc availed nothing. There was aA iMPationt
rush from bclow-thc door was pushed open
and, in an instant, the terrible room was filled
with visitors. Not word was spokcn-thcy
could only look.
[Eierc 1t was that Mrs S placed her
hand upon my shoulder. and whispered in my
car-hcr breath throbbing painfully against
my excited tympanum. 80
One of the benches was slightly moved and
the left foot Of the corpse rested upon the floor
J The eyes were Opcn-wide open, and staring
! ut something far--far away. Without any
change in the lines of the face, there were YET
an expression Of curiosity-curiosity merging
into fear, which, taken into connection with
the disturbed position Of the body, forced the
opinion upon the spectators that the dead man
suddenly stared. Terror began to be dimin.
ishcd iNto simple wonder The people, at
length, convcrscd with one another, but all
. they could do was to close the eyes Of the dc.
ceased, and replace the half-crown pieces lii
up the legs, and again envelOp it in the sheet.
That day no work was done in Haddington-
no one alto anything. But night came on
again and others must take their turn at
watching in the antc-room. Twelve men vol
untcercd-elevcn Of them citizens Of lIadding-
ton, but the Twelfth was an upStart student
from St. Andrews, who deridcd the credulity
of the people, and quoted DR.. Brewstccr.
} Excellent cheer was provided for the watch.
ers A fire was kindled in the ante.roOm, and
a kettle enlivened the company with its song.
The student talked necessarily about spectral
} illusions. but his companions did not listen tO
him-they slipped their hot water aud whiS.
. Ky in silence, occasionally holding their breath
at some iancied sound. The night wore on.-
The town clock struck the first peal Of the
midnight hour. Each stroke swellcd on the
air like groan. 1t was midnight The stu.
dent burst into boisterous laugh. 1t was,
at first, a laugh of derision; but it soon ccns-
!, cd. ThcVoung man rose up-gave ono look
toward the platform at the head Of the stairs,
and fell down swooning, for the halEcrown
pieces jinglcd upon the tloor-rcbOunded and
! fell again; two benches were turned over, the
ends Of tho planks, which they supported,
dropped down, and the corpse was distinctly
heard to slide along the inclined plane. The
listeners all sprang to their feet under nm I'M
: pulse to make their escape, but they burst moi
} pass the dreaded platform, so impressed were
they with the certainty (as they oil afterwards
testified before the investigating committed
that Andrew Allen would appear in the door
Of the chamber, and implOrc them not to
leave him. Long before daylight the house
was again thrOnged. A crowd rushed up
stairs, to the grea: relief of the watchers, who
FASTENED to acquaint them with what had Oc.
Cured Great excitement began TO be mani.