Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1868-07-25
SATURDAY MORNING, JULY 25, 1868.

IL.
NV blows were well directed, and tbey
echoed through the house of the dead with |
dull. rumblng sound. | worked in haste
and with terrible carnestness, and / at last
succeeded in inserting my chisel using it AS
lever, and with crash l tore the lid
from its remaining fastening, and the form
Of my idol, my dearly beloved Mary, lay be-
fore me, and exactly as hao seen her in my
dream. Her face, pale and calm, was still
in death, the long black tresses, which had
been my boast and pride, were arranged SO
as TO lay on her fair young breast. She was
arrayed in a pure white robe, which gleam-
ed ghasty white in the rays OF light
Wrcathing my arms around her, gently
raised her from the coffin, and pressed my
lips on her cold brow, while the binding
tears filed my eyes.
At the same instant, with terrible sound,
heard something fall, the conclusion of
which resoundcd through the vault with
noise like thunder. In terror l started to
my feet, and snatching my lantern, rushed
! to the stairs. My worst fears were realized,
the trap door hal fallen, and l was prison
er in that horrible tomb.
Like a fash of flightning, the accumulated
terror and danger of my position swept
through my brain, and nearly frenzied with
fright, rushed up the stairs and exerted
myself like madman to raise the slab. My
efforts were futile, and l 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 was plunged in Cimmerian
darkness, enclosed, walled up in that living
tomb, surrounded by the dead. My brain
was whrlng, and in an agony of terror, l
shouted aloud for help, but frightened at
the sound of my own voice, | paused, and
( listened with straining ears. Alas not a
sound could hear--all was still-silent as
the grave itself.
at last thought if could find my ham
mer and chisel, they might be of some ser.
vice to me; at all events it would do no
harm to try. And again descending into
the tomb, l began to grope my way toward
the place where had left the body of Mary,
stopping every few minutes to listen, hold.
ing my very breath.
Suddenly heard, or fancied l did, the
sound of long and suppressed breathing. l
listened intently, my eyes dlating, and vain.
ly endeavoring to peer through the awful
gloom. Again heard it, and this time
more distinctly, accompanied by the rustic
of cloth, and an irresolutc, trembling foot
step.
1t was approaching from the direction in
which I had desired to 60. In vain
tried to cheat and deceive myself into the
dclusion that it was nothing but my imagin-
alton, that my fears and the shock had
received were deluding me-; my cars could
not be deceived, and | remained rooted to
the spot, incapable of moving an inch from
where | was standing.
] could hear the low faint gasps, and fan
cied could see some terrible form or
denizen of the grave stinding before me,
and | exerted myself to the utmost to move
out Of its way, but my limbs refused their
office. A cold perspiration was running of
me in streams my hair bristled with terror
and my tongue Glove to the roof of my
mouth The invisible object moved steadily
on; felt its breath on my cheek, and a
cold damp hand grasped mine, which sent q
shiver cold as death to my heart. In low
thrilling whisper, heard my name breathed
willie, peak to me-"
AS if the whisper had broken some invi
sible spell, unseen power which had bound
me with fctters of steel, released myself
from its terrible grasp, and with yell OF
terror, fled, knew not whittier. remember
of receiving terrible shock, of falling heavi
ly to the ground, and for hours l must have
lain unconscious.
was finally aroused by light flashing
in my face, and saw that was surrounded
by friends. Again tainted, and when next
| opened my eyes and gazed about me,
was lying in bed that looked strangely
familiar, as well as the surrounding objects
and at last recognized it as the room oi
my young and boysh days. At my bed
side was my mother and behind her what
did sec? Could l believe my own eyes,
was it a dclusion 2 No, it WAS the form OF
Mary Howard, alive and well.
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 dis.
cover no trace of me.
1t was finally suggested to search the
vault, and they discovered me lying insensi
BILE on the floor, my head cut severely from
blow received from the projecting edge
of coffin, and few PAGES from me Law
Mary Howard, likewise insensibe, but
breathing family. Aid was ut once sum.
moned, and we were carried to the open air
Mary recovered rapidly, but had an attack
OF the brain fever, and my life was despaired
Of 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 enthralled. She
heard mo forcing the lid, and when the
trap door fell, and I dropped her body, the
spell was broken. By a terrible effort she
rose from her coffin, and endeavoring to
make herself kno IN, nearly killing me from
fright in the effort | was the means of
saving my darling from terrible death,
and now, in our happy home, surrounded
by every comfort and luxury, We look back
with gratitude and satisfaction to our night
in the sopulchre.
| THE END.