Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1858-05-18

Iacceded, and In the course of a month,
the lot was ready for use. But it was
then too early in the season to disinter the
corpse, for the frost was still in the
ground. l Iagreed to remove it as soon
as possible, and nothing was said about
notifying him as to the time.
During the latter part of March, visit
ed the cemetery in which Margaret had
been buried, attended by Spade, prepared
to effect the disinterment. We removed
the marble gravestone. and placed it in
the wagon. This affected, / set Spade
to work to dig for the coffin, while walk
ed about the place.
took pretty long walk, for Spade
was not very swift aborer, and when
returned, he had reached the coffin. The
wood was still in a good state of preser-
vation. and we raised it TO the ground
1t felt very light, and FASTENED to open
| it.
To my astonishmen., the coffin was
empty! Ii was evident the corpse had not
/ long reposed in lis resting place. Spade
conjectured, and l conjeclured f; and was
not long IN coming to conclusion.
Doctors do not usually attend the funer-
ais of their patients, and it struck me as a
little singular that DIR. Wimbledon had
been present at the funeral of Margaret
Donaldson. More thaa this, he had I'm
gered after the departure of the mourn
ers, and the thought occurred to me at
this time, that he was anxious to inyesti-
gate still further the mal-formation in the
chest of the deceased, in which he had
taken SO much interest.
Body snatching then was not so unusual
as now, and decided at once that the
corpse of Margaret had been the doctor S
prize.
What should do Becker would go
mad if he knew the truth And would
himself for the rest of his life. What
could do? 1t was possible that the " sub
lect" might yet be reclaimed. Caution
ing Spade to hold his tongue, we filled up
the grave, and placed the empty coffin ~
the wagon. l took it. and the gravestones,
TO my house, placing them in my wood
shed till could determine what was to be
done.
fastened to the house of DIR. Windle-
ton, and found him in his office. | stated
my business, and he laughed at me- l
grew indignant, and threatened him with
the wrath of BECKER.
You are mistaken, Mr.. Mortal. !
am not a body -snatcher.''
Very well, sir; if you deny ii, have
no alternative but to inform Mr.. BECKER
of the facts and give him my opinion"
That would he foolish; YOU will only
make the poor man miserable, and for no
purpose"
What can doc"
Bury the coffin in his lot, and say
nothing"
Suppose he should insist upon seeing
the remains !
81 have three anatomies-'
Let me see ther," l demanded.
He opened closet, and exhibited them.
One of them | was satisfied was the skel-
eton of Margaret Donaldson. There was
kered up with wires, and there was the
mal-formation in the bones of the chest.
DIR. Wimbledon bad TO give it up. He
begged me not 10 expose him, and as |
could not do so without decorating the
feelings of Blocker, promised would
not. In the evening ! took the anatomy
10 my house. On my arrival to my in
tense chagrin, l found Mr.. BECKER wait
ing for me. had lugged the skeleton
right into The room, before | discovered
him.
What have yor got there O. he asked,
as | entered, and laid my burden on the
sofa
/ tried to evade the question, but he
had seen enough to rouse his curiosity.
An anatomy 2" said he pray let me
see H."
81 would rather not"
"Do, beg you, do and he removed
the covering from the upper part of the
skeleton. Do YOU deal in these things 2"
he asked, placing his hand upon the skull.
"No, sir; this belongs to a physician,
who is going away, and wished me TO
- Is il man or a woman e.
"I am not skilled in anatomy"
A woman, should Judge, by the size.
Well, that is what we must come to-" he
soliloquized, as he continued to handle
the bones. g 1t seems almost impossible
that this frame could have held living
SOUL But in that ches has beat heart,
which may have loved. Perhaps scme
strong man wept when she died She
may have been beautiful, tender, affec-
tlonate, and loving. Some lover may
have clasped these dry bones in his arms,
and kissed the cheek and the lips, which
now are gone. and been happier than all
earth, without her. could have made him.
This hand may have clasped his,'-and
he took the bony hand in his own" and
been the means by which the first dawn
of love was betrayed. But, Mr.. Mortal,
have you attended to the matter upon
which spoke to you g.
was relieved to find he had not recog-
nized the anatomy I told him had
found the frost still in the ground, but
would do it the next day. | breathed
freely when he had gone, and hurried
the skeleton into the coffin. Early the
mex, morning, | fastened to Mount Au-