The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1874-01-03

two comrades started forth on the sac.
religious and nefarious mission ana II
it must be said, not exactly at ease III
relation to breaking the mute afio
solemn seal of the grave. once en-
barked on the project, however, tney
managed to etife the still small voice
within them and, reaching the
church-yard, which was now wrapped IN
silence and gloom, they both com
menced to use the implements they
had brought with them, until they
cached the coffin bareing it completely,
and oroping for the screws which las
tened down the lid Having but one
screw driver, it was agreed that SWeeny
should complete this part OF the oper"
alton, and remove the wine and nuts,
while Martin should cross the stlle al
rea mentioned, seize a sheep, throw
il over his brawpy shoulders, and bear
it through the opening in the poplars,
now dinly seen III the darkness. THIS
arranged, they separated Tor the time
being. Sweeny accomplishing his pant
Of the task, and testing the quality OF
the vine and nuts, while seated on a
tombstone close by the open grave, and
awaiting the appearance OF Martin with
the sheep.
Now. at this very moment, Parson
Johnson. whose hour for retiring for
the night had arrived, suddenly missed
his watch, and, remembering that he
had forgotten 1t on the communion
table during the funeral service, be IN.
stantIy called his man Tom, and told
him to take the keys Of the church anu
tinder-box, and so ar once and bring
him the valuable gold time-piece. Tom
Genuired to going through the church
ward Of that hour of the night, and
more especially as it contained new
IL made grave. But the parson was
| memorable /. SO, with fear aud tremb-
Ing, the poor fellow was constrained
to set forth on his un5imely mission.
| When he crossed the stile, however,
and was approaching the church with
paIpitat!ng heart, he suddenly heard
cracking noise close at hand, and,
casting furtive and fearful glance IN
| the direction of the grave that was IN
| his mind st the moment, he beheld
what his Irish Imagination pictured
the ghost of the deceased young girl,
seated on d tombstone. cracking some
! OF the nuts alluded to. With the
speed of lightning, and without having
attracted the attention Of Sweeny, who
had Just opened the bag Of flberts and
cracked the first of them, he retraCed
his steps, and was soon IN the presence
of the curate, declaring that he saw the
CHEST of Mary Lane seated in white up
on the tombstone next her grave,
cracking some of the nuts that were
buried with her.
The parson, who was not in the slight
eat superstitious, was enraged at this
story, and declared tito be a lie; when
Tom, knowing that he was so bad
from govt, offered to take him on his
back, and carry him over the stile, SO
| that he might Judge for himself. Be
ing anxious about his watch, and deter
mined to cure his servant of his Tidic-
ulous and unfouuded fears, he accepted
| the offer. So, throwing his black
gown over his head aud shoulders, he
was soon settled ON Toms back, when
off they both started for the opening
III the poplaTs, which was barely dis
| tiDguishable at the point where they
were to mount the stile.
When they arrived at the wall, how
| ever, Tom persisting that he had told
nothing but the truth, the parson be-
gan TO waver little, and to intimate
! that lie need not De In such a great
| hurry, but mount the steps cautiously.
! This latter Injunction he Obeycd rellg-
| iolsly, and got on nicely, until they
| found themselves i'll the church-vard,
when he pointed out the figure still
seated on the tombstone, and cracking
nuts, sure enough 1t was the par
sons time now to be alarmed, for he
; forgot to laugh at Tom, who asked him
whether lie would try to lay the ghost
by saying the Lords Prayer backward,
on one leg.
By this time, Sweeny, who had seen
Tom with the parson on his back com
ing down the steps, believing 1t to be
Martin with the sheep, arose from
where he was seated, and, thinking
that his comrade was delaying toe long
under the wall, In few steps he was
close to the trembling pair, who were
all but paralyzed, when in a low voice,
which sounded as from the sepulchre
in Toms ears, he exclaimed, lis he
fat - 1t was enough Tom took the
hint ana in state of the most awful
excitement, shook the parson off his
back, crying, "Fat or lean, there he is
for YOU" as he himself Disappeared
over the stile; but not alone. for the
curate, forgetting his swollen toes. was
close at his heels, rs he entered the
parsonage, and from that hour for
ward never had a touch Of his old
complaint.
The next morning, Tom found his
masters watch, and, what was more ex.
traordinary still, perceived a number
of people gathered round the empty
coffin OF Mary Lane, relating the won
drous story that, in the middle Of the
night, she had returned III her grave
clothes to her parents dwelling that
was situated but short distance from
the church. At first they supposed bar
to be an apparatioD, but soon thev
came to realize the fact that she had
been buried IN a trance only, and had
been accidentally restored to their
arms through her grave having been
broken open by some persons who were
deslrous OF possessing themselves of
the wine and nuts that had been buried
with her. The latter conjecture was
fortified by the disappearance of one Of
the parsen's sheep at the same period
although 1t was evident that the cul-
prlts were sorel y alarmed during their
netanous operations, as they never
waited to replace the lid Of the coffin
or 10 return to the grave o single