The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1872-02-07

|
the only words spoken until Frank re.
| turned, shook the slecty drops from hi,
person, coolly took his seat, lighted
his pipe, and renew we'd the conversa-
tion with ar air Of perfect unconoeru.
'Ihave fulfilled my part Of the con-
tract, now fulfil yours,' he suid.
sWoll, what have you done 3
whero have you been 2 questioned
Albert, still defiant.
you know, all Of you, the vault in
the old church-yard on the opposite
oorner-you know it, for We were in it
this very morning, and remarked tho
peculiar manner in which tho ooffi ns
had been placed. Thoy form, as you
will remomber, three sides of square
the fourth being the door at the foot
of the stops. Well, have been
there-have crawled down the long
steps-sntered the vault in all it's
darkuess and fauoiful horrors--walkcd
to the extreme end. and placed my
watch and chain on tho pile Of decay
ed coffins there ;. You 60 bringit, Albert
- alone-without a light-as ] have
done, and will own that you, aro as
brave as an Eulglishman."
A thrill of horror--a sickening,
chilling sensation, took possession Of
us all us we fully drank in the purport
Of his slowly uttered, carefully
measured words and every eye was
turned upon the Irishman. to mark
the effect upon him. Truly lie was
like marble Every drop of the rud-
dy blood that usually glowed beneath
his soft checks had been driven back
to his heart, and he stood like one
eutranced. That he was nerving
himself for tho task, plainly saw !;
aud that his eutire nature shuddered
at the bare thought Of going alone
and in darkness into tho mouldy
abode Of tho ancient dead, was
equally plain to me. Nothing but
his pride kept him from at once oon-
Tossing his fear aud we'll indeed
would it have been if even that had
failed him. ..
frank is but joking said, anx.
ious to break tho stony silence, aud to
awake myself and companions from
tho dreadful nightmare that had
seized every heart in its 10y olutoh.s.
'l-shall-go-and-see |! was the re-
ply from the ashy lips that almost re.
fused to do their Office. .fs..
You shall not! 1t il horrid-dread-
full was echoed on every side.
tCowards, all = 1etortcd Frank,
re6lling his pipe, and Watching us
with bis cold irou~gray eyes.
'You might call me coward till
dooms- day." L replied, 'bofore I'd go.
1t is simply full hardy undertake
ing
'All afraid of ghosts, as I live =
again tauutod Frank. Albert ia q
medical student, and therefore ought
to be familiar with the dead.'
You shall not 60, Albert came
from half dozen pair Of lips, and as
many hands were laid upon him to
retain him.
'Let me 60, gentlemen. 1 am no
coward, and yet l will not foolishly
deny that the first thought struck me
with the utter desolatencss Of tho un-
dertaking,' and he put aside our hands
and departed.
For moment all stood still, not
knowing what to do and then, as If
by intuition, 1--WE follwed him, without
waiting to listen to the hooking words
and laughter of the oold.blooded
Frank Leslie.
We saw Albert leap the high fence;
wo heard him creeping down the
!. Shiny, messy steps and then, even we
too, had clan,bered over the enclosure
and were letting ourselves down into
the tangled grass, when we heard q
rattling sound, heavy fall, and u
I; Shrek that pierced our brains.
Not another word--and while ono,
more collected than the rest, hurried
back to the room for light, We stood
there with great sweat.drops upon
our foreheads and hurriedly beating
hearts, but otherwise as motioDles,
as the long mouldered dead beneath
out feet.
The light was brought and rem.
dered desperate by our feelings, we
rushed down the slippery stairs in a
body, and saw great heaven will any
of us ever forget it ? we saw the sense
loss form of our friend stretched upon
the stone pavement, half covered by
dead bones and the wreck Of rotten
collins ! we tore him from his fear
full surroundings, raised him in our
arms, md bore him from that ghast.
!, ly charnel housc-.and We saw, as We
laid him on couch, that he h4d the
watch and ohain--tho fatal test
grasped firmly in ono hand, while se-
cured to a button hole Of his coat
; hung fragment of coffin by the
rusted screw
Ofthat night, of tho day that fol-
lowed, will not write. They were
taught with agony to all--but amid
| the wirl of his delirum Yelenrnetl. in