Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1858-09-08

drew my breath again. The last linger-
ing echo of the final stroke had died away,
and as yet there was no token Of any pre-
sence save our own.
All was silent. The wind had lnlled for
moment, and not sound stirred the air
within the house. The ghosts had fed
arose and approached the bedside
The patient was aiivc-drawing his breath
very slowly-dying. The intervals be-
tween his gasps grew longer-tben he cea-
sed to breathe altogether-he was dead
Mrs. Green was sitting in her place, her
face buried in her hands.
closed the open mouth anil pressed
down the eyelids' of the dead. Then I
touched her on the shoulder.
at is over" | whispered.
"Thank God" was the fervent reply.
Then we both started. There was
rustling of the bed clothes Mr.. Hayden
was sitting erect, his eyes wide open, his
chest heaying in mighty effort for one
more inspiration of the blessed air. Be
fore could reach the bed he spoke:
MY God, she IS coming"
AT the same instant the wind came back
with a sudden and appalling gust and
wild shrek as itswept through the crevices
OF the building. There was crash of the
outer door-then staggering and uncer-
tain step in the outer room. It approach
ed the sick room-the latch lifted-the
door swung open-and then-my God
what spectacle
L wonder, even now, that I dare describe
lt-think of it-remember it. | wonder i
believed it then, or do now-that did not
go mad or drop down dead.
Through the open door there stepped q
fgure-not of Mrs. Hayden, not of her
corpse, not of death-but thousand times
more horrible-a thing of corruption, de-
cay, OF worms and rottenness.
Tie features were nearly all gone, and
the skull in places cleaned through, white
and terrible. Her breast, abdomen and
neck were eaten away, her limbs were pu-
trid, green and inexpressibly loathsome.
And yet to those putrescent Jaws there
was born voice-smothered, indeed, and
strange, but distinct.
"Co,ne, William : they scait for you ! T
WAIT !"
dared not turn my eyes from the in
truder could not, if / dared, though
heard groan behind me and fall.
Then 1.-THE thing before ms-sank
down Upon tltF.4tt .4tta~1ro% iehg / stood trans
fixed, fascinated, ] knew not but at last,
with an effort and prayer, | turned to the
bed. Mr.. Hayden had fallea upon the hoor,
face downward, stone dead
raised and replaced him-I composed
his limbs; closed mis- eyes and tied up his
chin: crossed his hands upon his breast
and tied them there Then bore out the
BODY of his sister insensible but not dead,
into the pure air, cut of that horror and
stencil, into the storm and darkness-eut
Of death into life again.
County of Grand ZTarerse, Michigan, IS.
Mrs. JOS. A. H. Green, being duly sworn,
deposes and says, that the letter of Dr. }
Morton, hereupoa appended, which she has
read, is strictly true SO far as it goes, thougf
much Of the history Of what occurred a
6 her brothers (the late Mr.. Hayden's) hous
is omitted, and thus she depeses OF her owl
knowledoe. JOSEPH A. H. GREER.
Sworn and subscribed before me Notar
Public. in and for the County Of GFan'
., Traverse, and State Of Michigan, on ID
a 25th day Of May, A. d: 1858.
i JAMES TAYLOR, Notary Public.
S County Of Gropsd Tra0erser Michigan,
oi James Hueson being duly sworn, dep
IN n ses and says, that her ia company wi
lie GEORGE Green, Albert ]. Bailey and Hem
ID, Smead. on the lst day Of April last pa
ed in the afternoon Of said day, did 60 to t
house ofW. II. Hayden, then deceased, a.
ST. that they found upon thefoor OF the roe
he in which the body Of the said deceased Il
ID and near the door Of the said room, I
ny putrid remains Of human eeTpse-a
!he male. as the deponent verify believes
my AYERS ; and that they carried away
the buried the body of the said Hayden,
ceased; and fouad the grave of the wife
on' said HAYDEN deceased, in the month OF
OF oust last. open II the head of said grs
neh and that said grave was empty OF the b
of the said wifeof the said Hayden, dec
\ oi ed. being gone fromthesaid grave and'
iler, thew returned to said house wherein
anu ~. HAYDEN died and, after removing the
lhe pitnre from said house, the dePonent
re" at the request Of Mrs. Green, sister OF
Saro HAYDEN, deceased, and Of Mr.. Green,
le. ther-in-law of said Hayden, deceased
reen fire to said house and that said house
$ al thereby entirely consumed, with ali
mas, remained in said house, and burned to
"nlri es. This aver Of my own knoWlcdg
Tor, JAMES HUEso
'aiied We aver and solemnly swear tha
mem mem above affidavit IS strictly and entirely
oPne of our own knowledge
stant III. K. SsEEl
les oi GEO. -GREKl
1enon Al RAul
"oud Sworn and subscribed before me, y
Public, in and for the County OF
upon Traverse, and State Of Michigan, o
'ughsS 25th day of Nav, A. d. 1858.
emOn JAMES TAYLOR, Notary Pub
d con-
IT, INV fertile country said a Leic
Al mo- shire man, 'Joa could turn morse
- !, -" Ella new-rsowp. and next morning the
! !, Dc " Would be grown aboVe his hoofs:
the Sc tbSts nothing cried a Yorkshire man
dnlght; nav turn horse into ie4d IN 1or
two AID not be able to Jfad hirn Hezt n"r'