The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1865-11-29
A Romance of Lima.

Many years ago young Engllshman, Il
medical student named Ashley, went to Lima.
The love of adventure was strong upon him,
and ali he met with in his own country was
TOO tame to satisfy it. Proud of the profes-
sion for which he was studying, and trusting
IN il for subsistence, strong and healthy IN
BODY and in mind, he left England with a
hold heart and this was the life he led, and
what came Off
At time when the difficulty of procuring
subjects tor anatomical study was very great,
and when to procure them honestly was I'M
possible, as the pref udice against dissection
was so strong that no one Was willing TO sab.
init the BODY of any one Connected with him
In examination, it Is well known thai there
were men who made II their business 10 OBJ
tain. at no small risk, bodies, generally those
of the newlv-buried, which they soid 10 sur
eeons, medical students, or indeed to any
one who stood in need Of the ghostly oom-
modify.
This class known as body snatcheTs'
and resurrection men," has died out, since
there is happily now little prejudice against
what has been triumphantly proved to be a
necessary branch OF scientific study; bat at
the time of our story their hldeous work was
4 thriving and profitable one.
Richard Ashley, IN common with the rest
OF the profession, awaited himself OF their
services snd many times IN the bisck night
his door was opened to those who did not
knock, bat who were expected and waited
for. and vho, entering silently, stealthlly de-
posted a dread burden upon the table pre-
na-ed for it's reception. Old and young, men,
women and children, all IN turn lay upon
that grim table, and Astley's skIlful instru-
meuts cut their way 10 secrets that we're des-
tined to benefit the living.
Though he was not hard hearted, it was
not unnatural that in time he should grow go
much accustomed to the sight of his sub
iects" as to feel nothing but a mOmentary
nitv as ne put aside the clustering curls OF
infancy, or uncovered the face OF man
struck down in the glory Of his years.
One night, "a many nights before. the
stealthy visit was paid, and Ashley took his
lamp to examine the new subject. Neither
strong man nor tender child this time, but a
Young and beautiful woman. The dead face
was 40 lovely that 1t did lot seem possible
that II GIT in the closed eyes, and color IN the
paie lips and cheeks, could make II iovelicr.
The fair hair had fallen back, and gave No
shade to the white brow, and the long ialr
lashes lay in thick fringe upon the violet
tinted underlIds.
She was very tall and slender, and her
handsome of which hung down she lay
upon the tableware long and perfectly
shaped As Ashley lifted the hand 70 lay il
on her heart he thought how beautiful il
must once have been, since now, when there
was not the faintest rose-tint to relieve the
deathly pallor of II, 1t was so exquisite. She
wore one garment, a long flannel shroui
very straitly made, through which scanty
draperv the outline of her slender linus wa:
distinctly visible, and below which her deli
cate feet were seen, bare to the ankle.
Ashley was troubled as he had never been
before The idea OF treating this beautiful
corpse as he had done all others brought !.
him in like manner was repulsive to him anC
he recoiled from the thought of the sacrilege
But how could he rid himself Of the lovely
incubus? 1t was possible that tbs men VIII,
had brought it might be bribed to take i
back again, and if they should refuse-bu
he was incapable of distinct thought upor
the subject, and could only determine that il
any case the beautiful thing before him
should be treated with reverence aud pect
He gently covered it from head to foot witt
a long white cloth, and locking the door o.
communication between his bedroom and tn
room in which it lay, threw himself upon tn
bed without undressing, for the night wa
nearly gone.
But his sleep was broken, and hi
dreams were feverish, and in some way al
connected with what lay in the next room. -
Now it seemed to him that IL gided il
through the locked door, with hands folded
on its breast, and eyes still fast closed anC
stood by his bedside; and now the dream
was that he had opened vein in one of th,
delicate arms, and that warm, living blooC
poured fast from it; and finally, he wok,
with cry of horror from CHASTITY dream
that he had entered the room, and found tina
some unknown hand had anticipated him il
the work of dissection.
The horror was upon him after he woke t
know it was a dream. and opening the doc
he looked in upon the table. No chang
there of any kind. The long sheeted fgur
lay in the half light of dawn he had see
il in the lamplight, very straight and still.
It was not until nearly noon that Astle
raised the covering TO look once again upo
the beautiful dead face, and when he did s
be saw with wonder, not unmIzed with tel
ror, that q change had come upon it. Ii
could not tell what it might be; the DEATH
pallor was there still, but In some way to
face was not the same. He looked into
long and curiously. Surely change ha
passed over the eyes, for though they wer
still last shut, they looked now as thong
closed In sleep rather than in DEATH III
nfted an eyelid tenderly with his finger
there was not death in the eye unconscious
ness trance. there might be, but not death.
=, ne was certain now that she was not dead
enough he could find no life in her pulses.-