The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1868-09-17
A NIGHT I'M A sEPuLCHRE.
A GuosTLY EAST INDIAN STORY.

4 tire CSitaT, sSpuICiIS oF Hault, WAS uSoO
as receptacle of the dead, either tens
porary or permanently as was desired.
| In the centre of the room was trap
dou, composed of an immense slab of
marble, in which was fitted en- iron ring
which answered as handle. In order
TO gaze on the face of my darling, whose
! features were now cold in death, l must
raise the slab. And placing the lantern
beside me on the stone floor, seized the
| ring with both hands and exerted all my
strength, which was taxed to its utmost
| limits. l finally succeeded in raising it
! to q sufficient height, aAd secured it 10
my satisfaction with a billet of wood,
thinking that if I allowed it 30 lay back
its full width, should not be able to
replace it in its original position.
| Seizing nay lantern and tools, I slowly
descended the stairs into the dark, yawn-
| ing chasm, rendered doubly SO, and the
| gloom more intense, from the contrast
afforded by the faint struggling CLEANS
from my lantern, which threw a pale
uncertain light around.
! A damp, dlsagreeable, fetid odor arose
| from the sepulchre (an atmosphere pecu-
liar to the abode Of the dead) long, wa
vering shadows, cast from the various
collins and posts, streamed across my
| path, which, to my excited fancy, seemed
| to be endowed with life; and l paused
| midway on the stairs, irresolute and half
regretting the resolution l had formed.
But, collecting my energies and casting a
! hurried glance around, l determined to
! proceed, after progressing so far.
My steps resounded through the sepul-
chre with dull, hollow sound, and as
reached the foot of the stairs, / again
paused and surveyed the scene before and
around me as we'll as | was able.
The vault was long aud narrow, and
collins were piled one on another on both
| sides and at the ends. A great many
had been there for years, and | noticed
| that number of them were decayed and
almost ready to fall to pieces from age.
As l slowly advanced, inspecting the
cofias as proceeded, the odor and stencil
became more powerful and cverpowering,
| and several times l was obliged to stop
| and recover from the nauseating effects Of
the vile atmosphere l was inhaiing.-
| From one of the top tiers a coffin had
fallen aud remained standing upright.
| The lid had fallen off, exposing to view
| portion Of the corpse, or, more properly
| speaking, ske.eton, arrayed in the worm
| eaten fragments OF white shroud. Its
| grinning skull and bones, dimly seen
through the intense gloom, filled me with
| horror, and shudder ran through my
frame as gazed on the terrible spectacle.
| IOnScinT On I Io
earnest my search for the body of my
lost darling. Coffin after coffin | searched
and rumnaged, glancing at the name
engraved on Ehe plate. In some / found
nothing but mass Of dry. mouldering
bones, in others grinniDg skeletons met
nay gaze, with their gilastIy white bones,
from which all vestigc of garments per-
tanning to The grave had long since rotted
! aEd been reduced to dust
From tier to tier / wande ed in nv
| fearful search, and as l was endcavoring
to Chamber over coffin that was in my
path, it fell from its resting place carry
ing me With it. The lid flew off, and
its occupant, as though incensed at the
sacriIege l was committing, rolled over
on me, rattling its bones aHd crumbling
to dust, as we lay together on the floor.
My nerves were considerably shaken, and
many fearful glance cast around as
cleared my throat from the sitting dust
By which / was covered.
! At last L reached the end of the vault,
and in the corners were piled large
| heap of bones of all kinds and descriptions
! A large, black locking mass on one sids
| a4f oft
noise, it commenced to move slowly, and
as it uncoiled itself, huge black snake
was disclosed TO my view. With hor-
rible hiss, it glided beneath portion of
the heap, and with half closed eyes l
hurriedly retraced my steps.
] was satisfied that the coffin I was in
search of was not in that portion of the
vault, and as l reached the stairs which
led to the upper regions, l sat down and
! strove TO collect my scattered senses, as
well as to breathe a mouthful cf fresh air.
AT last, feeling somewhat refreshed,
again started up and recommended my
search in the opposite direction.
1 had not oYerhauled a great many,
before my attention was attracted by a
coffin that cleaned and shone in the dim
rays OF my lantern, and from It's appear
ance l judged it 10 be new. approached
it, and hneeling by its side, threw the
light of my lantern on the broad silver
plate, and without difficulty, l read the
inscription and name of Mary Howard.
My search was over; the object of my
love aud solicitude was before me, and
with feveEish haste 1 proceeded to open
the coffin.
My blows were well directed, and they
echoed through the house of the dead with
dull, rumbliBg sound. ( worked in
haste and with terrible earnestness, and
at last succeeded in inserting my chisel
using it as lever, and with crash
tore the lid from its remaining fastening,
and the form Of my idol, my dearly be-
loved Mary, lay before me, and exactly