The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1859-07-27
ante room must pass in contact with this

appointed to sit up the first Tight. They
were to occupy the anteroom. 1t was
too warm for fire; so they were provided
with couple of tallow candles, "a lug of
mountain dew and some tobacco and
! pipes, Jamie was just twenty--a fine look
ing lad of quiet demeanor, and industri
Gus habits. Archie, however, TWENTY-FIVE
years of age, was far more sprightIy.-
lie took great delight in be involved
IN love scrapes. In fact, he was what
they call ir the Highlands, the vera dieI
amang the lassies.' Hour after hour he
entertained Jamie with his conques,s, un.
Ill the latter began to show symptoms of
doubt.
An are ye sure, Archie he asked,
you're na telim' me \ pack o lees T.
They had not given their cousin in tae
adjoining room single thought. They
could not disguise the fact (nobodv could)
that they were glad he was dead smoth.
erlng their qualification, however, under
the old maxim, 1t was weel the puir DO
dy was relieved Of his suiferin'.' The
night dragged on. Archie continued his
amatory "reminiscences, to the great an
noyance Of Jamie, until the town clocl
stack twa'-it was midnight
The candle required snuffing, and j..
ME reached forward his hand for ,ht
purpose; but sound reaching his cas-
from the room where the corpse was-a
sound ike the moving of bench-cars
eel him in his tremuIouSncss, to put cut
the light. The darkness was total. The
Young men held their breath each one
chokfs by the throbbing of his heart.
Jamie, said Archie, 1t was naethng-
nae,hing but the wind. Gae doom an
get light
,oh, Archie, for the love o'God tax
hold o met ma your voioe-vou
dinna speak in your am voice y
The next moment the brothers were
locked in each others arms, and fell COW
erng against the wall. shuddering in the
extremity OF terror for ano,her sound
reached them, and one calculated to par
aIvze the bravcst. They heard with un
mi>tahablc lisiinctness the two half crown
pieces dro? upon the floor.
When thc old blacksmith went up
stairs at DAYLIGHT. and saw, his sons
crom"hlng IN the corner OF the room. hc
thought they hal been drinking too much
An! began to Glide them. But he soon
stopped, fsr ihaY .osa nn o-I ...-.. -
meet him with IL wild expression of joyful
relief On their cOuntenances and pointed
to the door at the head OF the stairs
They were not able to speak a 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--trem They
| He'd down stairs-out Of the house, and
into the street. The neighbors were a
roused-the story told and in less than
hall an hour there was a tumult. The
staircase in the blacksmiths house was
soon filed with people bat none had
courage TO open the door. The head ot
the column stood upon the platform, re
sistng the force from behind. 1t increas
ed TO such violence, however that resis
tance avaled nothing. There was an
impatient rush from be!ow-the door was
pushed open, and, in an instant, the ter
rible room was filled with visitors. No,
word was spoken-they could only
.ook
Here it was that Mrs. s. placed
her hand upon my shoulder, and whisper
ed in my ear her breath throbbing pain
fully against my excited tympanum.
One of the benches was slightly NOV
el, and the left foot Of the corpse rested
upon the floor The eyes were open -
wide open, and staring at something far
far away. Without any change in the
lines Of the face, there was yet an expires
sion Of curiosity merging into
fear-which, taken in connection with
the disturbed position OF the body, forced
the opinion upon the spectators that the
dead man had suddenly started. Terror
began to be diminished into simple won
der. The people, At length, corver
sed with one another but all they
could do was to close the eyes OF the de
ceased aud replace he half crown pieces
lift up the leg, and again envelope it in
the sheet. That day no work was done
in Haddington no one ate anything
But night came on again; and other:
must take their turn at watching in the
ante room. Twelve men volunteered
eleven OF them citizens Of Haddington
but tae twelfth was an upstart student
from st. Andrews, who derided the ere
duiity Of the people, and quoted DR.
! Brewster.
Excellent cheer was provided for the
watchers a fire was khdIed in the ante
room, and a kettle enivened the compa
ny with its song. The student talked in
cessanlly about spectral illusions, but BIZ
companions did not listen TO him-they
slipped their hot water and whiskey in 81
lence, occasionally holding their breatl
at some fanced sound. The night wor,
on. The town clock struck the first pea
Of the midnight hour. Each stroke
swelled on the air like groan. II was
midnight. rhe student burst into bois
ferrous laugh. II was, At first, Q laugh o.
derision; but II soon ceased. The young
man rose up--gave one look towards th'
platform at the head Of the stairs, and