Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1868-12-21
.ozEso NUMBER 81.


the last was out, and I could move tie
heavy lid. gE
81 threw back the lace-coyering from
the body, and the glimmer of the lantern
fell on the dead face, as unchanged as on
: that first day when had gone up to
. the Hall. could not bear to look at it;
1 knew I should see it forever in my
dreams If did, and YET somehow, L
had noticed everything; how the dark
eyes seemed to give aEblue shadeto the
eyelids closed over them; and howathe
long lashes, lay, on the white cheek, be-
fore / forced myself back to my
work. Even then, the still white face
was before me, close to mine. / would
have hidden it under the lace again, but
iitheh1 must cover the hands as we'll. I
tho't of my own spotted handkerchief;
but something-I's don't know what
Kept me from laying that there, Best.get
.he. ring off, and be- away, from the
place. It was on the left hand, the
one that lay underneath. and the clam.
my touch Of The fingers made me shudder;
but held them fast, for saw the dia-
mond glittering in the dim light. I
tried to draw it off but slender as the
finger was, the ring would not lslide
along it. 1t seemed fixed there asthough
no power on earth could ,msveSit. 1
wrenched at it with my own big fingers,
and got it as far. as the first Joint - but
further it would not come: What should
do? Of sudden I STOPPED down. and
took ito firmly betweeip my iteeth.3 It
was coming now aIOfelti it slip! It was
. sof-in my mouth---in my, hand. Just
for one instant, 4 Gsawi it lying linsmy
/, palm, and ,then-saw something else
A goblin !? No, but a stain of blood on
the white slender hand, and a pair of
brown eyes looking afxedly at me. me-
Il could not move; I could hot even
sbreathe',1 was like one turned4o stone.
Slowly theIhead lying in the coffin turn
edsand the -palesl lips smoxed.zqandTthe
hand--the stained hand---wherelthe ring
had been, grasped feebly the edge, ofthe
coffin, and thenw:T-then the ,whele ,fguFe
stirred, and tried to get, up I, turned
at that, and with a 4frightfui cry, cry dashed
the ring to the floor, and fed. mad with
terror, upthe stone steps. On, on! never
stopping, never looking ofound;;9 breath
less, gasping, across the churchyard,
over. the wall, and now aeII had broken
through the rotten park railing, and was
tearing through the fern and bong grass
lon towards the Hail. There was light
in the Hall window, and made for Il.
1 fancied l saw her gaining on me;;dI
seemed toshear the rustling of the grave
clothes at myVear;i butt Istraggled OH
up the broad flight ofsteps, and rangthe
great bell, as though would have pulled
it down. Before they opened tit,lI had
fallen half unconscious onithe, stones; bnt
l could just see some figures bending
over. me, and I could just part ont:, "Ths
vault my lady T T. before tainted dead
away! "1''s'S vs.
The Old man paused for a moment,
took deep breath, and passed his
wrinkled hand through his hair. s-'u'A :
os That's my i'stofy,s Miss Hester
When they gobito the vault, they lfodfia
thallady sitting aupfig ight in hefaHcoffin hs
alive, + though, heu trembIip gs1rardI soraly
scared-7apds the diamond ring iasyoion
the eHoor,n The LADY had sbeennin .-seme
strange deathlike fit, till my rough USAGE
brought flow of blood, and SO revived
her. When I came out of my long.
swoon, it was the squire who stood alone
by my bedside, and first heard my story,
He forgave me then and there. For
once an i'll deed had brought ( about, a.
good end, and he, was too, happy to- be-
hard. T" But after. that night of
horror, 1 would not have stolen
farthing's worth to save my life.
No one but the squire and my own
father overheard the whole history from
me, and they gave it out that there had
been good reasons for 1openingstb the vault
that night. 10 But there were some shrewd
guesses made when the wondrousu news
got abroad, and the isquireDcontriHedsf to
send me away from home on some bust
ness of his own for q. year or, two. w hen
came. back, it was the dear lady herr
SELF, who set me going in my fathers
business, and helped me on, to my, mari
riage with Margaret. !. She had =, .
baby girl then, your mother, Miss Hes
ter, and she lived on for fifteen years.,
He stopped, took the ring again in his
hand, and turned it over, sighing wear
ilys "'Iis sixty years back, and 1t
seems but yesterday" he repeated, as he
gave it tonne. q" An i'll conscience is a
tearfubthing, Miss Hester.' 'Al'soJ ~ ''S
81 wishlI could prevail on my neigh
Dor Qpinder to keepthe Sabbath said
good old Mr.. Jones. "I'll tell you how
|, to do it,, exclaimed young Smith, "Gtt