The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1874-06-23
NUMBER 1S.
The ssrcaihed Subject--AT Tale OF
the DisSecitng Table.

zHe SefCatnPu SuhDeCt..A tdtSOt
the DiSsecttng Table.
In a narrow little street, full Of nooks
and angles, stands quaint brick house,
nooky and full Of angles, too. 1t has
many years, and time has tillef
its crevices with mould and green moss,
now and then, is seen on its cornices or
grows on its walls.
II is old enough to have had history,
and people say it is the brooding haunt
of memories that are better lost than
kept alive. Be that as it may, it. is the:
scene of a little incident in life which was:
told to me, and relate it here. Those
connected with it have passed away, but
others beside myself will reco!lect the
doctors story.
The old college near by was In the,
heyday of its fame before the war, and
students from oil parts of the State were
in attendance. By some Of these the old
house we speak of was rented for dissect-
ing purposes, and hither were brought
the subjects they desired to practice on.
A gloomy place it was, and with closed
shutters and doors, excluding daylight.
the heavy atmosphere seemed instinct
with ghostly presences. Coming into
the house from the keen air outside,
chill would strike to the heart, like the,
breath of Texas Norther. An inspira.
ton of constraint, of fear and dread, was
all about the place
Imagine, then, my feeling" said the
narrator, "when, long after midnight. I
erept cautiously into the old house alone.
l had made arrangements to have a cub d.
ject brought me for my next days study.
but feverish unrest pursued me, and an
inclination I could not resist carried me-
there long before any one else was stir
ring. l knew that my emisaries had done
their work long before, and in the silent.
figure on the table, and limned through
the muslin draperies,I perceived that for
which | came in search. Ny nerves were
always strong and / had great passion
for science. had no fear Of the dead,
and yet trembled perceptibly as stood .
that night before tue voiceless clay had
come to view.
What was it-fear, or the subtle sym
pathy which, despite all reasonable eau
ses, at times pervades the heart and
mind? I can't describe the sensation55
but I felt as if I was approaching some.
event of controlling force and power on
my life. But whatever the feeling was,
I shook it off. and turning up the gas,
approached the table. My hand shook
little as 1 exposed the face Of the dead;
to view.
1t was young girl, apparently about
seventeen years of age it was sad face,
beautiful and calm, and a smile, like the
shadow of holy memories, fingered on
the lips; garland of white flowers
wreathed her brow like bride; the gol-
den floss of sunny hair that crowned her
head was stirred by breath Of air. 4
started and turned pale L. seemed to
me, on the unreasoning instant, that on
that silent, vieWless breath of ait, life
was returning to the inanimate frame.
What if it should be SO 2 =, I came clo.,
ser. and looked eagerly into the face--a
calm, still face. with with yellow lashes
vailing the palely. tinted ulder-lids, and
waxen bloom, like a roseate shad-.
ow, on cheek and lip; as soon as /
looked the features changed--a shadow
swept the ia ce--indistinct, such as some,
times CLINT Of sunlight filings on ice or
steel.
1t was life. was certain of 1t now
Quick as thought lifted the figure and
carried it to ii sofa in an adjoining rocm,.
and disrobing the arm struck my lance
deep into a vein. The blood came dark
and clotted, drop at time, then swift
er and in ruddier stream. My blood
was on fire, and leaped like courser In
my veins, but my hand was steady, anh
my senses did not desert me. Through;
her set teeth poured dranght OF am
monia, and life began to flutter back into
the passive frame; the mouth twitched =
the cheeks dashed and paled alternately :.
the eyelids quivered and the blue eyes
opened wide. ioi..l e.;yqa. llgl~4
81 have been dreaming. she malrmnr.
ed, wearily. ~ s1
"Yes," replied, "p!easant dreams, I
trust" ig 3em 'E.ii
"Very pleasant thought of clouds
and shadows, tinged with rainbow hues !;
and gentle, murmuring streams, and gar
dens full Of blooms Fr
".rake this, and dream again." I said :,
and almost as l spoke she sank bank in
sleep. aai'
And then the doctor relapsed into 81,
lence, too. ~ ~ !lS,sf
q "Well, doctor, what next9'I asked
eagerly. -,
"Wel,I called a carriage and took her
to my boarding house-had her made
comfortaIfe," lie replied curtly.
"She wasn't dead, then, after all: ?"
"No" 81 20" ia 10 aa7g9h
"But she had been buried 2" we asked.
"Yes-in trance. That is all you
need to know" and the doctor ended his
story.