The Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1870-1875, 1870-12-02
LIFE In DEATH.
CONCLUDED ]

Church OF 1t. Peter, returned home
after this splendid funeral; but he
could not rest. His mind was ab
sorbed with but one idea-he yearneC
to possess himself of the Jewels which
had elittered so temptingly before his
avarieious eyes. Whsrart had always
been esteemed a plain dealing, homes
sort Of fellow, one who was incapable
of committing 8 theft. He was :
charitable, well meaning man enough
but he could not comprehend or ap-
preciate the sentiments which Ordain.
ed those love tokens to lie IN peace.
full immovEbility on 8 hall0wed breast
In his opinion Ii was a silly waste oil
treasure, and he argued that no harm
could come of his apprOpriatiDg il
and he, therefore, determined upoI
returning to the church for the pur
pose of opening the coffin, that hC
might possess himself of the jewels.
Upon his entering the sacred edifici
on his guilty errand, he trembled like
an aspen leaf. The hand In which BIZ
held the lantern was agitated by so VIC
lent ard eonvulsive = movement, thai
he was more than once afraid the light
would 90 out and leave him in uttel
darkness; but the nature of his Office
had given him a familiarity with the
Building, every obscure corner o.
which he was very well acquainted
with. he was not. however. dead tC
4 sense of Its sacredness. If the sigh
of temple inspires every pious man
with respectful fear, what must not
be felt at that time of the night by
one who came to trouble Its silence
and solitude with the the intention oil
committing an edious sacrilege?
As he took his way along the gloomy
aisles, the tombstones on the walls
glared as it were responsibility upon
hia one By one; and perturbation was
increased by the dart ola bat close tC
TO his face. A thousand marvellous
tales returned to his memory as be
passed into the Lady ShrOeder's sep.
ulehre. He revived his heart as best
he could, laid down his lamp on a
niche in the wall, and proceeded with
his instruments to take off the lid oil
sshe coffin which contained the bodS
IS her who had been consigned to hel
last resting place on the morning Of
that day.
Heintz Wherart took off the lid
then the sight of the corpse lying
there BY that dim light In the heavy
stiffness of death, with its white and
placid countenance, made his hearl
beat violently, and his nerves tremble
The sublimity of the sight made him
feel the meanness of his action with
double force. Heavy drops Of per.
SEPARATION believed his forehead and
temples, he felt faint, and returned
into the body of the church. The
GOODNESS of the air refreshed him
and he made up his mind to abandon
his wicked project; but upon recol.
Letting that the lid of the coffin should
lie replaced, he mustered an air of in.
trepidity to his brow, and went sgain
into the vault to replace the lid.
But the sight Of the corpse was moi
nearly so awful to him as it had beer
before, and his original intention
seemed to suddenly move him to &C
ton. By a quick effort he lifted the
body, drew the chain over the head
disengaged the iocket from under thC
hand, and then lowered the corpse
into Its place. As he did this, the
arm, which before lay upon the breast
fell with 2 strange hsxibility over tho
side of the coffin, and a faint sigh
came from the body.
At this moment he thought be
heard the pendulum of the great clock
move quicker and more noisily. Had
= thuuder- clap broken in upon tkt
silence, he could not have been more
staggered than he was at this aWfu
moment. He rushed hastily forth
fear finds its way IN the dark-anC
needless Of his lantern, which he lef
in the niche, he passed out of the
vault, and crossed the eloisters anC
choir with the sWiftness of q hunted
hare. He opened the church door tt
20 out, when, as if to increase his be
Wilderms 1t, the first thing that me
hih eyes was the great moon, hftini
itself in undated lustre over the edgt
Of the horizon. 1t shone right oppo
site, and seemed locking at an,
coming to expose him, He did no
dare to lift his eyes again Il but with
out stopping to lock up the church, b
few over the fields, pursued by his ow
fears.
a reaction, as sudden as it was sin
eere, took place in his feelings, and b
became anxious to make full and am
pie confession, and, for this purpose
he at once determined upon seekin
audience with the Baron Anton Esel
wicke. He had not much difficulty i
this respect, as he knew the Baro
was staying al Hotel de Bellevue
He made quickly for the hotel, ran
the poIter's bell, and inquired for th
Baron, and was at once shown up il
to the apartments he occupied. Hi
pale face and distracted appearance
was the occasion of some surpris,
which was considerably enhanced ~
on his falling on his knees, and II
lating, In hurried accents, the az
venture of the night.
The Baron, as may be supposed
heard him with wonder, but his angC
was tempered with pity. The stoT
the latter had been relating appeare
80 improbable, that the bereaved hu
band was under the impression Il
narrator must be either affected vii
some peculiar and underlined species
monomania, OF else be the victim
weak and superstitious fears.
He considered a moment, and thu
said, Il must perforce, give credenr
to the story you have been telling N
the more so, since you confess "
guilty Of the crime Of sscrilegs; ar
no man would heedlessly or though
IessIy be his own accuser IN such
case. Still there is one part
your statement which l find it hal
70 believeSsRd this more especial
eopee- 5Sself and her whose mel
orr 11d dear. Heinsz Wberart,
will rayself at once hasten to &
church. If your story be true, moi
Tnment is to be lost. You must lei
me to the vault into which the T
mains Of my beloved wife we're CO
signed this morning.
"Oh, no, no; l dare DOtl' exclain
the sexton, with uplifted hand
dare not return
Then l must tell you. plainly, th
I do not believe what you have be
telling me, returned the Baron, "
q frown.
"Oh, my lord. say not sol l hs
been tempted to commit an act
which / now shuddeT, but do he
that yoa will not accuse me of add
falsehood 10 my crime"
why do you refuse to accompa
me?" the Baron asked.
IL dare not-my courage fails N
replied the man.
"Can it be possible that you. v
are a sexton. should be afraid Of
dead?'
Heintz WheTart, paler than
eorpse he had iqst visited. tremb