Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1859-03-04
A SKULL AND BONE SKETCH.
ICONaLTDED

81
the village, was entering the burisi-ground tn
dig grave, he observed. what was very uE-
usual. the gate wldr open. aEd WAS led by this
eiTcumstan,r t. examine the grave of n pau
pr. known as Staggering jim. - " hO had been
Inferred the tay before A dee2 ,,.prp SION
was found ca the surface near the head of the
grave. caused ss IL appeared OH digging down.
by the that SOME miScTeant hal knnr KEEL
III tn" c0thn-hrad and neglected To repIace H.
"a that the earth settled into the coffin on ex-
aInining which, IL was found still to contain the
body of the besgaT. but. like that of Holofrr-
pes, without any head. SgSIcions have been
adirecte6 toward 4 certain weIl-known quarter;
hut ~ vet no, sufficient evidence to Justify IN
arrest. When arc these things to cease
Determined 10 live down all censure Vernon
did not hesitate TO mingle with the crowd Of
oilers a. I" the store, and laugh down all talk
BY s1ying:
oh, yes. I've got it. Of course. Go and
find it
That evening there was large party. anil
Vernon went. with the hope that he might get
chance to question Miss Ellen as to .he source
Of her mysterious knowledge which was now
oecasiOning great uneaSincss. lie had seldom
met her in company. and then received scarce
rly more than a bow. She always went out soon
sitter he came. This evening she was there
and was soon not unwillingly cornered, when
conversation took place something to this
efec;
".
Miss Ellen. to thank you for tha: kind interest
YOU have manifested in my behalf; and Won
cannot wonder that am curious to know how
You have obtained Information 50 important
One deliyerarce and two Warnings
: And yet third warning must give you."
said she .' This is no place to give reasons;
and hardly know whether a gentleman who
profits SO little by experience as to 70 into his
stable loft by daylight, and, in front Of win
dow, put something in a cutter-sIeigh deserves
TO be warned again. Look to it tonight
that's all -
Vernon hurried home to his Office and filled
bucket with u strong preparation of I've ard
acids such rs would blister the skin on contact
Removing the head from the sleigh and bury
iDs IT under the foor, he supplied its place by
the bucket and taking his seat in his back
Office in the dark, quietly watched for the an
PrOach of any outsiders About IL o clock he
heard footsteps moving up the alley which lei
to the stable. The lower door was closed but
two persons placed a ladder to the window
above and entered. He stepped under the
window and listened and heard some one say
IN a very low tone
He has put it in brine to preserve it-that's
all"
1t makes my fingers feel queer said the
other.
Pshaw.'' was the reply .'yOur fingers
must be very tender. III bring it out for YOU.
hello. 1t Is rather strong | guess we shall
have to give it up"
. d" WhO-o-o-o, how my fingers burnI'' -
The two soon descended the ladder. which
they forgot to take away with them and as
they ran sway, Vernon thought he recognized
familiar forms.
Imagine the astonishment of one of DIR. Ruv
bee : sPInSter patients next morning when she
, received message from Ellen Nathalie stating
chat her uncle. being somewhat indisposed
had requested DIR. Vernon TO respond to her
summons ioF physician It was not greater
than Vernon when DR.. Bugbcc's hired man
brought him the request that he ;yculd attend
To certain of that gentlemsns patients lie
went TO DR.. Bugbee's house, where Miss Ma.
thai" met him Mt the door, with cOuntenance
expressive Of a struggle to look solemn while
desiring to laugh, and told him she had no
idea her warning Of tho previous evening
would hsyc le,l to anv thing more than n RE
mOyal of the obnoxious head. and she was sorry
to hud that her uncle had nearly lost the use
use IT his hanIs thereby. She had not sun.
posed he was SpinS here himself having sim.
ply overheard conversations between him and
the sexton on several occasions, which led her
10 caution him (Vcrnrn.) while az the same
Time she had to be- very eircums'ect i'm her
manner towards him t. avo:l being suspected.
She begged him to say nothing about il to any
one a her uncle. who now asleep, felt
very much mortified, and had requested that
Vernon should be invited tn attend his pa
hents, in order, probably, to silence him.
m l..
although at first received somewhat codly his
winning manners and prompt action left
good impression behind when he left: and
during the four or five days that he officiated
for Dr. Bugbee the prejudice against him so far
wore off that many. including The sinister
HforeSaid, declared they didn't believe on"
word "f what had been said against him. and
beam IA louI in his Prais" they hal pre-
yIuUS!y been IN bis eensurr
No wonder that each cvering Vernon found
IL convenient to present himself at DR. Bug
bee : to- report 90 that gcutIcman still confined
% his room. and after little pleasant chat
descended tr Il cosy talk with Mi. Ellen over
her tea-tablei He never. 10y word or act re-
ferred IT, the affair of the: stable. which not
witbst rndng soon became IT," talk of the town
4 busybody. who happened to see tn. sections
ladder stanIiuS al the stable the morning after
the occurrence concluded that some new dis
coyery in connection with the resurrection
cases hal been made anil hurTyiEg of to the
sexton, inquired what he'd been '..l-fnding of
ut the young d'.c'"r's HfS time
- The sr1 ton. thinking all wa known. threat
FnrI 10 thai. him ii he ever spoke Of the
young doctor agTiu. sd'ling. 80 They may get
spu:cbody els, io catch their b0ly -Snatchers
the next time. Ii wa old br. Bugbce that got
me into the s'Tdpe. AMI he got the worst 1T il.
~ he Deserved, for hr run both his wrists into
the cusscd stuff. while only dabbled my fin
gers in it. and that was bad enough.
The whole story by degrees got out 0f
him: and il appeared tha, Dr. Bugbee had been
secretly advising with this worthy and the JUS
tree about the resurrection eases in reference
To the las; Of which the sexton especially
anxious to succeed. having been greatly irri-
tatsd by th" figure Re had been made to play
On the tTial fpE the f,ImCr.
The constable. at'rr "ge un surceE~ful search
declared hc va T"t going Ia be laughed at for
another shpTiINc .'temr', uUl,sr S,,Ilc Lrn.l
sYidenr. Wr- fuTni he'd ki,n ~ to the whcrea-
blutS of Ik. heal than ia. pie fact that DT
Bugbe, had ycrn from his back windoA Yer
Eon pres down something ini" the cutter. He
SSrerd however. that be- would 90 in and tskr
To>sessiuu. IL Bu.hcc and the sexton would first
examine and report thst ia wa there. Hence
the night expedition. which not only subjected
the parties 10 the laughter of the town, and in
fitted scTIo;I> damage. on their hands. but rem
dsrcd them liable to action for trespass.
The joke was too good tO be lost. and was re-
peS;ed far and wide. and made Vernon won
derfuily popular. Those who were ready to
condemn him before, nOw applsuded him for
h, enterprise. wit. and energy. much a.
thav ,.lul latuueI ilr Nuri,.,. f,,r Iis fuaannea-