The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1859-03-16

watch even over those, ana only year
before one student, while at his midnight
work, had been mortally wounded by a
rifle ball, and another, month or two sub
sequent!y, had been made cripple for life
by the same means. ~ ua-- -agg
All this was explained to me by o par
ty of six or eight who accompanied me
to my rocm-which was in q building be-
longing to the college, and rented by apart
ments to such of the students as preferred
bachelors to regular boarding, and they
took care to add several terrifying stories
of ghosts and hobgoblins by way of calm
ing my excited nerves, just as have some
times observed old women stand around
weak and feverish patient, and croak out
their experience in seeing awful sufferings
and fatal terminations of just such mala-
dies as the one with which their helpless
victim was then afflicted. -..-t. ..e...
r. is it expected that should 60 alone?'
I inquired, in tone that trembled in
spite of me, while my knees almost knock
ed together, and | felt my lips were
! white 90. .,.-T ...,-ra. .h mad. ... -.-,,
well, no." replied Benson, my most
threaded tormentor, cit would be hardly
fair to send you alone, for one lindiyiG-
(.ual could not succeed in getting the body
from the grave quick enough; and you,
mere youth without experience, would
be sure to fail altogether No, we will
go with you, some three or four ofus, and
help you to dig up the corpse, but then
you must take it on your back and bring
tit to your room here, and spend the night
with it, ana. s-r..rav Ia .-. r,,r ri
4 1t was some relief to me to find that |
was going to have company during the
first part of my awful undertaking; but
still 1 felt far from agreeable, l assure
! you; and CHANGING to look into a mirror
as the time drew near for setting out,
fairly started at beholding the ghastly OBJ.
i ject saw reflected therein. .--t ..s. .
! Come, boys said Benson, who always
was by general consent. the leader Of
whatever froic, expedition or undertaking
he was to have hand in-'Comc, boys
it is time to be on the iaove-a glorious
|, night for u.s. he. added, throwing up the
window and letting l;f:ce gust of wind
: and rain; the ID hims,f would hardly
venture out in such strrm.'
He lit dark lantern, threw on his long
e heavy cloak. took up spade and led tht
] way down stairs; and the rest Of US, three
e besides myself, each took a spade ant
n followed him. --... rga'.e..r.fT If
We took q roundabQ@; course to avoit
/ being seen by any citizens who Nigh
o chance to be stirring, and in somethin!
+ less than half an hour we reached th
i cemetery, scaled the wall without difficult
and stealthiy searched for the grave til
: we found it, in the pitchy darknoss-th
e wind and rain sweeping past US with di;
d NAL hows and means, that to me, tren
it bling with terror, seemed to be the UT
,r earthly wal ines Of the spirits o" the damn
y ed. -" s' a..f ! -sl lsab -r.r ~
5 Here we are whispered Benson to N
4 as we at length stopped at a mound /
er fresh earth, over which one of the part
o stumbled-'come, feel around, and strik
y, in your. spade, and let me see if you wi
make as good hand at exhuming dea
as body as you will some day at killing a Ii
of ing one with physic. ......u ..ur .-
In ! did as le directed, trembling in evel
limb, but the first spadeful threw up,
at started back with yell of horror, that {
x any other but a bowling, stormy nigh
H. would have betrayed US. 1t seemed
of though l had thrust my spade into bu
k led lake of fire-for the fresh dirt was .
m aglow with living Goals; and as I had fa
:. cied the moaning of the storm, to be Il
to wailing Of tornented spirits, now fancit
ly 1 had uncovered a portion of the bottor
- less pit itself. 80 @.4' s.71L :,
'Foolp hissed Benson, grasping my ar
. with the grip of a vice, as stood leanir
a lon the spade for support, my very tee
x chattering with terror, another yell Ii
Sc that, and I'll make q subject Of you'll A
you not ashamed of yourself, to be scar,
ho out of your wits, ifyou ever had any,
ny little phosphorescent earth? Don't J,
know that it is often foundin gray
% yards?' -. -a --' -.. -'o., -. e. 81"
'e- 81 His explanation re-assured me, th
in was too weak from my late fright to be
lis any assistance to the party, who all fell
re with will, secretly laughing at me, al
n soon reached the coffin, Splitting the
ny with Ratchet that had been brought
fe; long for that purpose, :hey quickly lift
sr- out the corpse, and then Benson and a
in other of the party took hold oft, one at t
F., head and another at the feet, and hurri
se away bidding me follow. and leave
IS others to fill up the grave, that it mig
le- not be suspected that the body had be
he exhumed. % 10
le- Having got the corpse safe over the W
Sc Of tie cemetry, Benson now called up
nd me to perform my part of the horrible bl
* mess. 90 q
its Here, you quaking simpleton, he sa
ri want you to take this on your back, a
of make the best OF your way to your roo
w. and remain with it all night. And if y
nd do this bravely we will claim you as o
or Of us tomorrow; and the first man tn
re dares to ridicule or say word again
or your courage after that shall find foe