Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1867-09-26


her Southern home, in quest of that best Of bies.
sings, health. She had been woman of remark
able personal attractions, and her forp and face,
though wasted and faded by sickness and age stiH
bore traces of q. peculiar and striking beauty
Her form was tall, graceful and majestic still, and
her face was fine enough for q Grecian model
Her Extraordinarily black as midnight-was now
silvered with age but abundant glossy and curling.
Her complexion, though quite pale, was smooth as
polished marble; and her eyes-her most remark
able feature-fne, full and dark, deGed alike the
ravages of time and disease. She was then seven
ty years old, and suffering from painful and dead
" malady, yet her mind was unimpaired, and, du-
ring her intervals Of comparative ease, her con-
yersation was animated, interesting and intelligent.
Mrs. N was not christian, and often spoke
of the Bible and its believers in vein of bitter
sarcasm I know not what were her religious
opinions. She seemed to believe in the existence
of an over-ruling Deity-an all pervsding spirit Of
the universe, and often spoke of her God as be-
ing superior to the God Of the Bible, in mercy and
goodness.
For some months after she came to US she was
able to walk and ride little every day but as the
summer advanced she waxed feebler, and when
autumn began to Sprinkle penitential dust and
ashes on the chestnut's head, y she was unable to
leave her chamber. .g. ~
One pleasant September morning, as sat by
her bedside she attempted to arise unassisted, but
finding herself too weak, she sank back upon her
pillow, e1caiming:
IT shall die soon I am weaker than have
ever been know that my time on earth is short
and few more days of pain will bring me to the
end. ss .4 -....t. -.... IT.. .-s- ....
But you will live again." answered, " and
the grave is but the portal to another and better
world" ,rr sf mi -sa.,.,..5 rr.a =,
''Who, my friend, |" she exclaimed, 'hath been
to your better world and hath ever arisen from the
grave to tell Us that we shall live again! Your
Lazarus, though four days in his charnel cave,
tells us nothing of the mystery of another life
As said, I shall die ere many days will pass and
if there be anotherstate of existence solemnly
promise you that, if it be possible, will return
and reveal it to you ~ -
A few days after this conversation took place be.
tween u.s. she died. I saw her form arrayed in
the grave clothes, her face bound in Napkin and
her hands and feet (which think very barbar,
GUS and revolving custom) firmly bound together.
I saw her lie, still and stark in her coffin. saw
the coffin lowered into its last resting place, and the
clods of the valley thrown over it!
The night after her funeral and the third after
her death, was suffering from a severe spell of
headache. Idrank cup of tea and went early to
bed. I left candlewick Pickering in the socket
when. I laid myself down, and I noticed that the
full moon hung low over the horizon, and cast its
pale beams through the thick branches Of an oak
tree that grew just outside my window.
Being racked by pain and unable to rest. l arose
about twelve o'clock and went out into the moon
light, hoping that the cool night.air would bring
me some relief. Close to our dwelling lies dense
pine forest-a favorite place of resort with me
and thither now bent my steps. The wind sighed
dismally in the pines, whose tall trunks and rugged
limbs rocked and creaked as if they were strug'
Cling with some mighty invisible giant; while,
what struck me as exceedingly strange, not .
breath was stirring the atmosphere in which !
moved.
How long I walked in this forest I do not know,
but as listened to the moaning Of the wind, and
paused to watch the wr;thing Of the old pines,
there suddenly arose before my startled eyes spec
tire, at the recollection of which my soul is filled
with horror Just below the tossing branches o.
the pines, and little above the ground, glided-
Aoated, rather-a TALL white robed form. Nearer
nearer it drew towards me, and louder and loud
er seemed to roar the wind. Nearer and nearer
still, it came on until distinctly, to my terrified
gaze stood revealed the features of Mrs. N
The eyes that had seen closed in death gleam
ed upon me with a wild and fiery light. The lonl
talon-like fingers, extended towards me, clutchiDs
and opening only to clutch, as if eager to grssl
their prey while the teeth CRASHED, and seemed
to threaten me with more than mortal malice.
Oh, the agony of that hour! How struggled
to evade that fearful grasp! ] tried to flee, bu
one cold, clammy arm encircled my waist like
vice, and held my hand fast pinioned to my side
/ struggled with the energy Of despair. In m!
agony of terror struck her blow with my lef
hand, just above the eye, and one drop Of darl
blood oozed from the spot, and trickling down he
sunken cheek, fell upon my sleeve Then will
her voice kissing through her teeth, hollow ant
wild, close to my ear, she cried: a7, .asl.s 2l
'There is another world am witness Iron
it; but have still a power in this and upon youi'
With superhuman effort I wrung myself fron
her; fear lent wings to my feet, and as l He'd
heard her voice once more shrieking in the wind
"a curse upon the coming light! Were it no
for those beams of the dawn you should not escap
Inc thus"
CHANGING back, beheld her in fight, also hast
ening away, in the direction of the graveyar
where had seen her inferred while far away i
the dim East appeared the streaky fingers of tn
morning.
hurried home, and to my astonished and in
credulous friends, told my story. begged ther
to open the grave and see if any appearance ther
justified my belief that it was indeed Mrs. N -
whom had seen. I told them of the blow l ha
struck her upon the face, and showed them tn
blood upon my sleeve.
After much persuasion from me, they at las
consented to have the grave opened. My hlisban
said it could do no harm, and might possibly driv
the strange crotchet from my brain. They all be
ieved me to be mad
The workmen were called-at my request tn
same who had few days before placed the eof6
in the grave. They went to work, wondering an
half smiling at their strange task. A crowd of Gu
rious spectators gathered around, among whom
and close to the brink Of the grave, stood my hus