Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1868-07-25
TALES AND SKETCHES
A NIGHT IN a sEpuI.CIlRE.
A GhostIy East Indian Tale.

1t was an old fashioned building, and the
cellar, scpulchre, or vault, was used as re-
ceptacle of the dead, either temporary or
permanently as was desired.
In the center of the room was trap p-door,
composed of an immense slab of marble, in
which was fitted an iron ring which answer
ed as a 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. | finally succeeded in
raising it to sufficient height, and secured
it to my satisfaction with billet of wood,
thinking that if l allowed it to lay back its
full width, should not be able to replace
it in its original position.
Selling my lantern and tools, slowly de-
scended the stairs into the dark, yawning
chasm, rendered doubly so, and the gloom
more intense, from the contrast afforded by
the faint struggling CLEANS from my lantern,
which threw pale uncertain light around.
A damp, disagreeabie fetid odor arose
from the sepulchre (an atmosphere peculiar
to the abode of the dead); long, wavering
shadows cast from various coffins and poks,
streamed across my path, which, to my ex-
cited fancy, seemed to be endowed with
life and paused midway on the stairs, ir-
resolute and half regretting the resolution
had formed But, collecting my energies
and casting a hurried glance around, de-
termined to proceed, after progressing so
! far.
My steps resoanded 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 well as was able.
( The vault was long and narrow, and cof-
fns were piled one on another on both sides
and at the ends. A great many had been
there for years, and noticed that a number
of them were decayed and almost ready to
fall to pieces from age AS l slowly ad-
! vanced, inspecting the cofiins as proceed
ed, the odor and stencil became more pow
erful and overpowering, and several times
was obliged to stop and recover from the
nauseating effects of the vile atmosphere |
was inhaling. Pfom one of the top tiers
/ coffin had fallen and remained standing up
right The lid had fallen off, exposing to
view portion of the corpse, or, more pro-
perly speaking, skeleton, arrayed in the
%orm eaten fragments of white shroud-
Its grinning skull and bones dimly seen
through the intense gloom, filed me with
horror, and a shudder ran through my
I frame as gazed on the terrible spectacle
Passing on, commenced in terrible earn
est my search for the body of my lost dar-
ling. Coffin after coffin l searched and
rummaged, glancing at the lame engraved
on the plate. In some I found nothing but
mass of dry, mouldering bones, in others
! grinning skeletons met my gaze, with their
ghastly white bones, from which all vestage
! of garments pertaining to the grave had
long since rotteG and been reduced to dust.
From tier to tier wandered in my fear
iul search, and as ! was endeavoring to
Chamber over a coffin that was in my path,
1t fell from its resting place carrying me
with it. The lid flew off, and its occupant,
as though incensed at the sacrilege l was
! committing, rolled over on me, rafting its
bones and crumbling to dust, as we lay to-
gether on the floor. My nerves were con-
siderably shaken, and many fearful glance
1 cast around as l cleared my throat from
the sitting dust by which was covered.
At last reached the end of the vault,
and in the corners were piled large heap
| of bones of all kinds and descriptions. A
large, black looking mass on one side at.
| tracted my attention, and making noise.
, 1t commenced to move slowly, and as it un,
ooiled itself, huge black snake was dis
closed to my view. With horrible hiss,
it glided beneath portion of the heap, and
with haif-closed eyes hurriedly retraced
my steps.
was satisfied that the coffin was in
search of was not in that portion of the
vault, and as reached the stairs which led
to the upper regions, sat down aud stroye
| to collect my scattered senses, as well as to
breathe mouthful of fresh air, At last.
feeling somewhat refreshed, | again started
up and recommenced my search in the OPP
posite direction.
had not overhauled great many, before
my attention wss attracted by coffin that
cleaned and shone in the dim rays of my
lantern, and from its appearance judged il
to be new. ] approached it, and kneeling by
its side, threw the light of my lantern on
thP broad silver plate, and without difficult
ty, read the inscription and name of Mary
Howard