The Lincoln County herald., 1872-01-18


belonging to the college, and rented BY
apartments to such Of the students ii
preferred bachelors hall 70 rsgulsI
boarding--and they took care to add sew
ersl terrifying stories Of ghosts and hob
goblins, by way Of calming my excited
nerves, just as have sometimes observed
old women stand around weak fsvsrish
patient, and croak out their experiences
10 seeing awful suffering and fatal termi
tions Of just such maladies as tho one
with which their helpless victim was then
afflicted.
us it expected that I should 90 alone p
inquired 10 q tone that tremblsd, in
spite Of me, while my knees almost
knocked together, and I felt as if my
lips were white.
I "Well, no, replied Benson, my most
dreaded tormentor; 1t would be hardly
fair to send you alone, for one individual
could not succeed in getting the body
from the grave quick enough aud you,
q mere youth, without experience, would
be sure to fail altogether. No, We will
90 with you, some three or four Of Us,
and help you dig up the corpse; but
then you must take it on your back,
bring it to your room here, and spend the
night alone with itl'
ut was somo relief to me to 6nd was
to have company during the first part Of
my awful undertaking; but still I felt
far from agreeable, l assure you; and
CHANGING to look into a mirror, as the
time drew nosr for setting out, I fairly
started at behoIdiug the ghastly object |
saw reflected therein
"'Come boys" said Benson, who wat
BY general consent, the leader Of whatever
frolic, expedition, or undertaking he was
to have q hand Income, boys, il is time
to be on the move. A glorious nigh,
for usP' he added, throwing up the win
dow, and letting 10 fierce gust Of wind
and rain the ID himself would hardly
venture out in such q storm t
HE lit q dark lantern, then threw on
his long, heavy cloak, took up spade
and led the way down stairs and the
rest Of US, three beside myself, threw on
our cloaks also, took each spade, and
followed him.
1--WE took q roundabout course. tu
avoid being seen by any citizen that
might chance to be stirring. and in some
thing less than half an hour we reached
the Cemetery, scaling the wall without
difficulty, and stealthily searched for the
grave, till we found it, in the pitchy dark
ness, the wind and the rain sweeping pas,
Us with dismal howls aud moans, that tc
ne, trembling with terror, seemed to be
the uuearthly wailings Of the spirits o
the damned.
"Here we are, whispered Benson t.
me, as we at length stopped at mount
Of fresh earth, over which one of tn,
party had stumbled. Come, feel round
Morris, and strike IN your spade, and le
US see if you will make as good hand q
exhumlng q dead body as you will some
day at killing live one with physic.
II did as directed, trembling in ever,
limb; but the 6rst spade full threw up
I started back with yell Of horror, that
on any other but bowling stormy night
would have betrayed US. 1t appeared tt
me as if I had thrust my spade into Q
burning lake Of fire-for the first dir
was all aglow like living Goals and as
had fanoied the meaning Of the storm the
!, wailings of tortured spirits, l now fancie,
had uncovered . small portion of tn
Bottomless Pit itself.
. "'Fool 7 hissed Benson, grasping my
arm With the grip of a vice, as stoot
leaning on my spade for support, my ver,
teeth chattsriug with terror 'anothe
yell like that. and I'll make . subject o.
, you! Are you not ashamed Of yourself
to be scared out of your wits, if you eve
had any, by little phosphorescent earth
Don't you know that it 10 often found il
graveyards P
"Hisexplanation re assured me, thougl
, I was too weak frcm my late fright to b.
of any assistance to the party, who al
fell to with . will, secretly Laughing
at me, aud soon reached the coffin
Splitting the lid with q hatchst, whic
, had been brought for the purpose, the
quickly lifted out the corpse and the
Benson and another Of the party, takinI
hold Of it, one At the head another at th
feet, they hurried away, bidding me fol
low, and leaving the others to gil up tn
grave, that it might not be suspected ths
! the body had been exhumed.
"Having got the corpse safely over tn
walls Of the cemetery, Benson now calls
} upon me to perform my part Of the hor
rible business.
, "'Hsrs, you quatiug simpleton,' h
said, Il want you to take this on you
back, and make the best Of your way I
, your room. and remain alone with it a.
, night. IF you do this bravely, We vii
claim you as one Of us to- morrow, an
the first man that dares to say . wor
against your courage after that, shall fn
foe in me. But bark you ! If 20
make any bluuder on the way, and luos
f our prize, 1t will be better for you {
quit the place before l set eyes on 20
; again DO you understand me ?
. "Y 70 ye yesr [ stanmeved, si,l
, chattering teeth.
rI u,A,o vor ,nsAv