The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1861-06-12
The Observation-Disclosures,


docter bodies get baud o me-" Soon after utter
ing these words John Todds mother closed her
eyes and gave up the ghost. Three davs after
wars her dutiiu son, sad at heart, laid the good
old woman in her grave beside the remains Of
her husband. John did not forget the inunc-
ton she had lain upon him. but faithfully remem-
bered and obeyed it. As soon as darkness had
swallowed up the light OF day, he proceeded to
the old church yard for the purpose Of remain.
iLg there all night To prevent resurrectionisis
from removing disturbing the corpse of his
mother. He took the precaution of arming him
sell with an old rusty pistol, which he loaded
with plenty Of powder and handful of hard bar.
ley. The barley bree often gans to their
heads, said he 10 hi self, but I'll maybe gle
them a pree' o this barley about their shns
The aDe often makes them stotter aud stagger :;
but I'm thnkin' this II make them dance "A iig"
lt is by no means pleasant or enviable to be
alone in an old ghostly churchyard, on a dark,
dreary, winter night, when the stars are shroud-
ed with black clouds, and the lights are dying
out in the neighboring cottages; when the sol
emn wind moans drearily among the groaning
trees, and the old iron gate creaks and jars its
hinges; when you fancy that every white tomb
stone, starting through the darkness, is sheet
ed ghost, and that every gust of wind sweeping
past is a wandering spirit; that the rustic of
/ dead leaves is the whispering of fearful phant-
oms and that all around you the air is filed with
the spirits of those whose bones are mixed with
the dust beneath your feet
John Todd felt that it was far from pleasant,
but his courage never for a moment gave way,
and he never once entertained the idea OF forsak-
/ ing his post. Whenever thoughts of ghosts or
| apparitions entered his head he took a good
pinch OF snuff, and did his best to sneeze them
out OF IL again as soon as possible. John
had not been long in the churchyard when it be-
gan to rain very hard, and in order to keep him
self dry he crept in under large fiat tombstone,
placed horizontally on four pedes,als about two
feet from the ground. There he lay snug V
wrapped in his plaid for two or three hours,
and VAS just on the point Of beginning TO sleep
and snore simultaneously, when he was startled
| by a noise, evidently caused by certain parties
climbing the churchyard wall John Todd in-
stanty cutched his pistol and felt if all was
right about the trigger and tOuch-hOIe. He did
not rise, however, but remained as he was, keep
ing as still as mouse, and watching the resur.
rectionists as they entered and began to wend
their way among the graves.
There We're two of them, but owning to the
darkness he could not tell what they look ed
looked like. They did not 90 near his mother:
grave, but went to another and began to dig with
the men were, that he might report them, and
instead OF treating them 10 shower OF harley
he lay still, undecided how to act. At last ht
saw them raise coffin ont of the earth
break it open, and take out dead body
This, after they had carefully examined it by
the light of their lantern, they deposited in
large sack, and one of them dragged it away
short distance from the grave and leaving it be
hind the tombstone beneath which John Tod,
was concealed, went back TO assist his accom-
plice in replacing the empty coffin and filling VI
the grave.
Now or never thought John, is the time fo
action. Without moments hesitation h.
emerged from his hiding place, quietly drew til
dead man out Of the sack, slowed him out @
sight beneath the tombstone, and then after ia
king goodly pinch of snuff went into the sac
himself, taking the old rusty pistol with him
Soon the grave was filed up, and the resurreC
tionists came away. One of these lifted the sac
and It's contents on the Others back, and the
both took the road. IL was no easy business t
get John Todd hoisted over the churchyard wal
but they did manage it at last. John, howe,
er could not help giving a "pech of satisfat
ton when he found himself safely over and th
emanatng they knew not whence, gave h
friends sudden start, and made them look rati
er blue Seeing nothing TO account for the pecl
liar sound, they proceeded on their way
gloomy silence, till at last the one who carrie
the sack declared, in a whisper, that he thougi
the dead man was getting warm.
"lt you'd been alang wi old Nick as hav
We waa be warm too," quoth the man in the sac
in very low tone.
The two men started terrOr.struck, and, wi
hair on end, stared in each others faces.
"Did you hear anything? both asked at one
i He with the sack attempted to throw it dow
;, but strange to relate, he could not get it off
u back. The dead man stuck to him like bu
. Of thistle, and would not be shaken off. tt
u other man shreked, and began to make speed
' use of his legs, but before he had got ten var
away, John Todd's head and John Todd's pist
emerged from the sack; crak followed;
= who had been running began TO dance a jig, al
: he who carried the sack fell down with irigl
u In few minutes John had the one snugly e
: closed in the bag, and the other whose feet "
e none the better of what John called the - bari
bree." was tied firmly to a palingig In this sta
- , they had TO remain ill the morning came, VIII
l. they were removed to place of greater securi