The Weekly Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, O. [Ohio]) 1861-1???, 1861-08-01

out in such a storm
Z" lie lit u dark lantern throw on his long
heavy cloak, took up spade and led the
way down stairs and the rest of us, three
besides my timid self threw on our Cloaks
also, tool, each spade and followed him.
1--WE took roundabout course, to avoid
being seen by any citizen that might bc
stirring and in something less than half
an hour we reached the cemetery, scaled
the wall without difficulty, and Stealthjly
searched for the grave till we found il, in
the pitchy darkncss-thc wind and rain
sweeping past us with dismal howls and
moans, that to me, trembling with terror,
seemed to bc the unc0rtlly wailings of the
spirits of the damned.
- Here we are" whispered Benson to me,
as we at length stopped at mound of fresh
earth, over which one of our party had
stumbled. Come, feel around, Morris, and
strike in your space, ami let us see il you
will make as good hand at cNhumnE II
dead body as vou will some day at killing y
living ouc with physic
Il did us directed, trembling in every
limb but the first spqdc.full threw up, |
started back with yell of horror, that, ON
any other but fhQwling, stomymght would
have betrayed us. II appeared to me us Il
had thrust my spade into II buried lake of
frc--ior the soft earth was all aglow like
living Goals; and as had fame cd the moan
ings "f the storm the wailings Of the tor
mented spirits, now tuucicd | had uucov-
cred small portion of the Bottomless Pit
itself.
a. Fool + Kissed Benson, grasping my arm
with the grip of vice, 0s stood leaning
on my spade for support, my very teeth
chattering with terror; 'anothcr yell like
that, and I'll make subject of YOU. Are
you not ashamed of yourself, TO bc scared
out of your wits, if you ever had any, 10y a
little phosphorcsccnt earth? Don't you
know it is often found in gravC-yardS? q?
" His explanation re-assured me though
| was now too weak, from my late fright to
be of any assistance to the party who all
fell to with Il will, secretly laughing at me,
and soon reached the coffin. Splitting the
lid with u hatchet. which had been brought
for the purpose, they quickly lifted out the
corpse and then Benson and another of the
party taking hold of it, one at the head and
the other at the feet. they hurried it away
bidding me follow, and leaving the Others
to fill up the grave, that il might not be Gus.
pcctcd The body had been exhumed,
Having got the corps safely over the
NNlA VI NbN NNA4iN'Ni bNlIn'AA N'N''NN' 'l'''
mo to perform my part of the horrible hus
ness.
Here, you qualiing simplcton,' ho said
| want you TO take this on your back, and
make the best of your way to your room
and remain alone with it all night! If yo,
do this bravely, we will claim you as one o
us tomorrow, and the first man that dare,
to say word against your courage after
that, shall find u foo in me, But bark you
if you make any bluudcr ON the way, and
lose our prize, il will be better for you tc
quit this town before | set eyes on yor
again Do you understand me ?
"' G-ye-ye-ycs ! ! stammcred with chat
tering tcCth
~ "sAre you ready = =
"Y-ye-yc-ves, gaspcd.
- Well, come here, where aro You
An this time il was so dark that coulC
see nothing but faint line of white, whicl
knew to be the shroud of the corpse. bu
| felt carefully rQund until gotho!d of Ben
son, who told me to take of MY cloak anC
then rearing the cold dead body up agains
my back he began fixing its cold arms abou
my ncck--bidding me take hold of them ant
draw them we'll over, and keep them con
cealed, and be sure not to let 20 of them OF
any consideration whatever, as | valued my
| life.
"Oh the torturing horror ! experienced
as mechanically followed his his directions
Tongue could not describe it!
Atlength, having adjusted the corpse 81
that ! might bear it off with comparative
ease, he threw my long, black cloak owe
it, and over my arms, and fastened it will
cord about my neck, and inquired;
80 Now, Morris, do you think you can fine
the way to your room?
"' l-l-do-do-don't know gasped, feeling
us if should sink to the earth at the frs
step,
Well, you cannot lose your way, if yo1
go straight ahead, he replied. Keep il
the middle of this street or road, and it vii
take you to College Green and then you ar
all right. Come, push on, before your bur
den grows too heavy the distance is onl.
a good half mile
Il set forward, with trembling nerves
expecting to sink to the ground at ever.
step; but gradually my terror, instead O
weakening, gave me strength and | wa
soon on the rrm-splashing through mu
and watcr-with the storm bowling abOu
me, and the cold corpse, as | fancied, cling
ing 10 me like hideous vampire.
GLOW ! reached my room, do not knoy
but probably by Il sort of instinct; for
only remember of my brain being in a wild
feverish whrl, with ghostly phantoms a
about me, as one sometimes sees them III
dyspeptic dream.
But reach my room did, with my dea
burden on my back and ! was afterWard
told that made wonderful time for Ber
son and his fellow students fearing the los
of their subiect-which on account Of tn
difficulty of getting bodies, was very valr
ablc-followed close behind me, and wer
obliged to run at the top of their speed t
keep me within hailing distance.
"The first | remember distinctly afte
getting to my room was the finding myse
awake in bed, with dim consciousness {
something horrible having happcned-thC
what for some minutes | could not for tn
life Of me recollect Gradually, however
the truth dawned upon me and then tcl
a cold Perspiratlon start from every pore q
the thought that perhaps was occupying
q Toum alone with corpse. The room wa
not dark there were few cmbers in tn
CRATE which threw out ruddy light an
fearfully raising my head, ! glanced quick
and tinidly around.
"And there-there, on the floor, agains
the right hand wall, but few feet from me
there, sure enough lay the cold, sti
corpse, robed in its white shroud, with
CLEAN of fire light resting upon its ghastl
face, which to my excited fancy seemed t
move Did it move? was gazing upon il
thrilled and fascinated with an indescriba
bic terror, when as sure as ! see you now,
saw the lids of its eyes unclosc, and saw il