The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1867-05-22

The eyes that | had seer closed in
! death, cleaned upon me with a wild and
fiery light. The long. talon. like fingers,
extended towards me, clutching and open.
| ing only to clutch again, as il eager to
grasp their prev; while the teeth gnash
ed, and seemed to threaten me with more
than mortal malice.
Oh, the agony Of that hour How I
struggled to evade that dreadful grasp
| tried to 61e, bu, one cold, clsmmy arm
encircIed my waist ike a vice, and held
mv right hand fast piuioned to nv side
Struggled with the energy OF despair.
In my agony Of terror struck her a blow
with NV hand just above the eve, and
one drop Of dark blood oozed from the
spot, and trickIing down her ,unken cheek
fell upon my sleeve! Then with her voice
h's',ng through her teeth, hollow and
Wild, close to my ear, she cried:
"Th"rc is another world! am a wit.
ness from it; but I have still power in
this and upon you !"
With suoerhuman effort wrnnr nv.
self from her; fear lent wings to my fee,
aud as | del heard her voice once more
shrisking in the wind:
"A curse upon thee ming light Were
it not for those beams of the dawn YOU
should not escape me thus"
.GlHncing back, ] behsld her in FIGHT
also Fastening away. in tie direction Of
the grave ward where | had seen her in
tered while far awav in the dim East
appeared the slreaky fingers Of the morn
ing.
hurried home, and TO my as,oni>heA
and increlu'ous friends, told my story.
| begged them TO open the grave and see
It anv appearance there jnstif-d my he.
leG ihs, il was indeed Mrs. n whom
| had seen. told thcm Of the blow I
had struck her upon the face, aud showed
item the blood upon my sleeve
After much persuasion from me, they
at 'asr consented to- have the grave open
Ell. Nv husband said it could do no
harm, and might possibly drive the
strange @otchet from INV brain. They
all believed me to be v,sd!
The @orkmen were called "a, NV re-
quest the same Who had a few days Iva.
fore placed ths cofiin in the grave. They
wen, 10 work. wondering and half smii.
ing st their rrxage task A crowd Of
curious spectators gathered around, a
moug whom, and close to the brink OF
the grave, stood my husband sni myself
Grsdnalv the earth and bricks were
removed from ,he grave until 'hey-came
10 the coffin. Then thew paused Tor they
bad found everything jus, as they had
left it--nOt brick femoved from i,s
place.
"Shall we open the coffin :" tev ask
I'd, cor are Won all satisfied"
Nv hear, died within me as cns after
another answered. 1--WE are satisfied"
felt @ il upon the opening OF ,ha,
coffin hung nv fa,e!" "Open it, open it,"
] pleaded. and my husband. svmpa'hiz
ing with me in my distress, Joined me in
the request.
The crowd once more crowded around
hut with n curiosity which psr,ook moth
ing oi that which affected me.
The screws tha, held down the coffin
lid were quickly removed the lie w~ lif
ted mp bv strong. firm hands-aud 10 =
The crowd fell back aghast The
workmen sprang from the crave with
faces white as death!
There lay the living corpse, With roll
ing, glaring eyes, wide open; liyid lips
covered with foam and jus, above he,
right eve purple spot--a stain Of blood
the blood which nv blow had drawn
A low sound. between a proan and a
grow! issued from her ghastlv lips, az the
foil ravs OF the morning sun fell INTO Ire,
grave. Then I understood wha, she h sd
meant by the "accur.ed light:" for in an
/ instsnt--in the twinkling OF an eve the
quivsring form. dis'ended jaws. burning
eves--sII, all became heap Of dust!
The strong hut kind hand of nv hps
band praspea me hy the arm, sna With a
vigorous shake freed me from the tyranny
OF most distressing "nigh: mare"
The candle still fckered IN the socke,
the moon. still ir the borizon, looked
down through the same oaken branches
and had suffered all these horrors
history OF horron--iu two or three sac.
onds of time.