Orangeburg times. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1872-1875, 1872-09-11

raise our burden above q half reclining
position.
Come, Brock" put in Middleton,
"you are the slightest; Just you go down.
loosen the old fellows feet, and give us a
ffft under his shoulders; that's good
fellow"
did not much relish the idea of so
close proximity to my Norwegian friend
as we dubbed the corpse !: butashamcd to
reveal my latent cowardice, sprang rcadi-
lydown, and moving the feet, planted my
selfilnmcdiately under rthcsuspendedb body
preparing for n vigorous boost. Casting
my eyes upward, saw that the moon,
just broken loose from the clouds, threw
broad beam of light athwart the grave.
AT the same instant, the distant town
clock began on the stroke of twelve.
a quick exclamation sounded from
above. followed by violent conclusion,
which showed me more stars than cvera at
one time spangled the heavens. Then l
heard rapid, departing footsteps, and all
was silence. I came to speedy rea liza
ton of my position. l was fast wedgcti
into the Bottom of the coffin, under the
full weight of that ponderous corpse. NV
co#ardiy classmates had been frightened
away, leaving me to combat alone the
tcrrors of my frightful situation.
a hand Of ice seemed closing about my
heart, checking its pulsat;ons. a cold
pcrspration broke from every pore. In
agony OF terror l strovc to free myself
from my loathsomc prison: but in vain
was exceedingly slender in person, and
muscular force was proportionately weak.
Under the most advantageous circum-
stances | could have lifted scarcely one
half this weight; now / had fallen in n
particularly awkward position, which, be-
sides being extremely painful, made resis-
tance doubly difficult. Exert myself ms
irl2wonid. Il WAS unable, insthe least degree,
to obtain release. l-T. ,
/ | shrcked in the extremity of my ter
ror. l cred aloud until hoarseness mus.
fed my voice to Il whisper. 1 strained
every nerve until the tension snapped.
and utterly exhausted, was powcrless to
move hand or foot.
counted the seconds rs they resolved
Themselves into minutes, and the minutes
IS they progressed towards hours. ] re-
called the faces of friends, some that |
had not seen for years. Vague and in
distinct images came and went before my
minds eye. becoming gradually DINNER
and fainter, until blank unconsciousness
enScloped my strained faculties i'll mcrci-
rul oblivion.
"Ihank heaven, old fellow, that you
are yet alive. Come, let's hurry up. We
must be gone from here, before any one
is stirring"
"Ihc--suhjcct?" l qucricd family.
"Will remain where it lies, until Cab
ricl blows his horn" calculated Rivers.
'l on see began Middleton, shame
tacedly, "Rivers and got right smart
scare, just when you went down into that
grave. and the moon shore out so bright
We happened TO look behind us, before
making ready for that last pull, and l
tell you it was enough to make fellows
hair stand on ends that sight we saw.
1t was long and white and came rolling
over the ground, making all kinds Of
motions and antics, and just then the
clock struck for twelve; we called down
to YOU TO let out for home, and then we
started
IN ever dreamed but what YOU we're
tight to our heels, 'pon honor, didn't!"
broke III Rivers. "Ncvcr once though of
such thing as your getting caught in
that kind ola trap Aitcs we got out
and found you not following, we conclu-
dcd YOU was playing of brave, aud had
snc;.kcd home some other way, To ort Il
trick ON us. So We went right TO your
rooms, TO wait for and find YOU out. But
when it got nigh morning and you didn't