Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1874-02-12
" IEoNARDTowN MORN sc. FEBRUARY IL s74

Suddenly heard a subsued sob the
utterancr. as IL seemed 20 me, of some
pocr creature Of my own sex in distress.
1t came from an obscure corner Of tic
ehureLy ard. where the graves we're not so
wen cared for and tended as the others
were-a spot, had been told. where those
were laid whom the pitiless sea had drown
ed. When 4 ship was cast upau the
rocks yonder, il was rare eSea for one
Of its crew 10 reach that rock bound
shore alive and after great storm, whole
ships companies were sometimes bu-
ried At ence in the churcbyard Of Disney
Head. - a..- xri5f -sR s7art.
Listened with beatiag heart. and the
sound was repeated; and this time. I felt
sure it was as I had supposed. Doubtless
some woman had come to weep in secret
over the grave Of her sailor son or. hus-
band; there was no need TO. be fiig btened
in such q case. II might be that should
be able TO give her comfort. | rose. and
moving toward the wreck corner Gas it was
called } could dimiy make out woman's
figure kneeling at the head of a grave
Ia the presence of so great sorrow, l
seemed to lose all selfish fear. and ven-
tured softly to address her. She did not
reply. nor even as much turn her head,
though | felt certain she must have heard
me and since she was a woman and did
hot speak, felt there must be something
very wrong with her. As drew nearer
bcheld spectacle that overwhelmed
me with pity. The unhappy, creature be-
fore me was naked to the waist, and with
her arms straight down by her side, was
gazing Oh the grave beneath her with
look of indeseribable despair. She shed
no tear, but her eyes wore look Of hope
less woe and yearuing beyond all ordinary
sorrow.
You are killing yourself. my poor wo-
man reasoned 1. sto kneel there in such
plight. The dead you mourn can ask
no such sacrifice as this that you should
join them
But again she answered nothing: and
then. TO my horror. observed that she
had dug another grave, at the head Of that
she was watching. and was already buried
in il up 10 her waist , Was she then bent
urom committing suicide. or was she her
self an irhnbitant Of the tomb, like those
aronnd her. and were the graves. indeed.
giving up their dead a, that witching hour
Of night, as had read Of, but had not
believed &?
| In an agsny Of terror. such as even I
had never before experienced. | fiung
down my sketch-book. and rushed from
the churchyard and down the hill.
| What is the matter. Mary Ann ? cried
my amazed hostess. who was sitting up
for me with her husband in the rarior. as
| tore into the room shrieking for help.
Matter = cried l. There is poor
Young woman. with nothing. upon her.
half buried alive in the wreck-corner Of
the churchyarl. She has already lost her
sight and hearing, for she took no notice
OF me At all
Impossible y cried my hostess.
Bat I've seen her. cried L. Not
! r.omcn. is 10 be lost
'Ah. bless you. we've seen her toe,
said my host. laughing. Its the figure
head of the Bella. When the ship came
ashore we stuck i, up at the captain S
grave. BY way of hcajstone-poor fellow !.
She has not got much on her, it's true;
bu: don't think she'll hurt