The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1868-09-17
EBENsBURG PA, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER II, 1868. .

L.
the long black tresses which had been nv
boast and pride, were arranged SO as to
lay on her fair young breast. She was
arrayed in pure white robe, which
cleaned ghastly white in the rays of light.
Wreathing my arms around her, gently
raised her from the coffin, ,-aud pressed my
lips on her cold brow, while the binding
tears filed my eyes.
At the same instant, with terrible
sound, l heard something fall, the con-
cussion of which resounded through the
vault with a noise like thunder. In ter
ror l started to my feet, and snatching my
lantern, rushed to the stairs. My worst
fears wore realized, the trap door had til!!-
en-, and l was prisoner in that horrible
tomb
Like a fash of lightning, the accumu-
lated terror and danger of my position
swept through my brain, and nearly fren-
zied with fright, | rushed up the stairs
and exerted myself like madman to raise
the slab. SIy efforts were futile, and |
turned in despair to sit down and reflect
what was best to be done, when my foot
struck the lantern, and it fell on the stone
floor below, breaking it in thousand
pieces.
In an instant l was plunged in Cim-
merriam darkness, enclosed, walled up, iu
that living tomb, surrounded by the dead.
BIy brain was wEIirling, and in an agony
of terror, | shouted aloud for help, but
frightened at the sound of my own voice,
l paused, and listened with straining ears
Alas! not sound could hear-all was
still-silent as the grave itself
l at last thought if l could find my
hammer and chisel, they might be of some
service TO me; at all events it would do
no harm to try. And again descending
into the tomb, began to grope my way
toward the place where l had left the body
OF Mary, stopping every few minutes to
listen, holding my very breath.
Suddenly | heard, or fancied 1 did, the
sound of long and suppressed breathing
] listened intently, my eyes dilating, and
vsinly endeavoring to peer through the
awful gloom. Again heard it. and this
time more distinctly, accompanied by the
rustic of cloth, and an irresolute, tremb-
ling footstep
/ was approaching from the direction in
which l had desired to go In. vain l
tried to cheat and deceive myself into the
delusion that it was nothing bot my i'm
agination, that my fears and the shock
had received were deuding me; my ears
could not be deceived, and 1 remained
rooted to the spot, incapable of moving an
inch from where | was standing.
l could hear the low, faint gasps, and
fancied | could see some terrible form or
denlzen of the grave standing before me,
and eXerted myself to the utmost to
move out Of lis way, but my limbs refused
their office, A cold perspiration was run
ming off me in streams my hair bristled
with terror, and my tongue Glove to the
roof of nay mouth. The invisible object
moved steadily on felt It's breath on my
cheek, and cold, damp hand grasped
mine, which sent a shver Geld as death
to my heart. In a low, thrilling whisper,
| heard my name bieathed.
"Willie, s-p e-a-k to m e.
As if the whisper had broken some
invisible spell, All unseen power which had
bound me with fetters of steel, | released
myself from its terrible grasp, and with a
yell of terror, fed, knew moi whittier
]. remember Of receiving terrible shock,
of falling heavily to the ground, and for
hours | must have lain unconscious.
| was finally aroused by light fash
ing in my face, and l saw that was sur
rounded by friends Again | tainted and
when next l opened my eyes and gazed
about me, was lying In bed that looked
strangely familiar, as well as the surround
ing objects and L at last recognized it as
the room of my young and boyish days
At my bedside was my mother, and be-
bind her, what did see ? Could l be-
lieve my own eyes? Was it delusioa I?
No, it was the form Of Mary Howard,
alive and we'll.
l was soon strong enough to hear the
concluding portion of my adventure. The
old sexton was the first who raised the
alarm. After waiting hours he became
alarmed, and raised the neighborhood,
and in body they proceeded to the
chapel, forced open the door, entered, but
could discover no trace of me
1t was finally suggested to search the
vault, and they discovered me lying in
sensible on the floor, my head cut severely
from blow received from the projecting
edge of a coffin, and few PAGES from me
lay Mary Howard, likewise insensible,
but breathing family. Aid was at once
summoned, and we were carried 10 the
open air. Mary recovered rapidly, but
had an attack of the brain fever, and my
life was despaired of. l lived, however.
Mary told me that she was conscious
all the while she lay in her coffin, and
during the ceremony /; that she knew when
she was placed in the vault, and vainly
tried to burst the bonds by which she was
enthralIed. She heard me forcing the lid,
and when the trap door fell, and 1 drop
ped her body, the spell was broken. BY
terrible effort she rose from her coffin,
and endeav0red to make herself known,
nearly killing me from fright in the effort.
l was the means of saving my darling from
terrible death, and now, in our happy
home surrounded bv every comfort md