New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-10-10
THE PIERCED HEART.
BY CAPTAIN MAYNE REID.

BY CAPTAIN MAYNE REID.
Something less than quarter of cen.
fury ago the quiet seaside town Of s.
experienced a sensat.on startling as hor-
rible. The sexton of the parish church, re-
opening grave in which several years be-
tore a young girl had been buried, by some
maladToit handling of his pickaxe loOsened
the coffin lid. Curiosity impelling him to
lift it aud have peep inside, he there sa W
what caused him to drop the half decayed
wood. work as if it had been hot iron, bound
back of the grave and hurry of, hair on
end. For to his experienced eye the posi-
ton of the young girls body showed she
had been buried alive. Instead of lying on
its back, as it must have been when in
TERED, il was turned over on the lett side,
the knees bent TO the full breadth of the
coffin, the arms cut of place, the right one
raised to the head, while the hair was
DISNEY eled and the shroud greatly disor-
dored.
A circumstance SO strange could not fail
to create intense excitement in any neigh
borhOod-all the more in SO quiet one as
that of E.. The scared grave digger,
Fastening away from the weird spot. coon
told his tale, which ran like wildfire
throughout the town, spreading with like
-celerity over the adjacent district OF cOun-
try. From all parts rushed people towards
E., till crowd was collected within its
ohurchyard jammipg it to the very gates.
Among those who yielded to the general
attraction was young lady Of the name OF
Ingleworth, rich heiress-not expectant,
but in actual posse ssi0n-who resided in
the immediate nei2hbOrhood. Miss Ipgle-
worth came in her landau, accompanied by
q gentleman but little over her own age,
though in no way related to her. But most
who saw them knew he would soon be, for
Captain Waltz n had proposed to the heirfss
and been accepted. As the lady was en-
tirely her own Misunderstanding no near
relative save an invalid aunt, also Miss
Ingleworth, who resided with her-she
could dispose as She pleased both Of her
hand and fortune; and she was about to
bestow both on Captain Henry Walton.
As is customary among the country peo-
ple-still defert mt to their resident gentry
the crowd made way for the young lady
and her escorting cavalier, permitting their
approach TO the newly opened grave. By
this time the oflin had been taken out, and
rested on tombstone neee by, guarded by
q couple OF policemen and encircled by the
magisterial and other authorities OF the
town. And near by, also, was another c0f-
lin, a new one, fresh ia its furniture OF sill
yer plates and Grape knots, and surrounded
by mutes and real mourners. 1t contained
the corpse of the young girls mother, the
hour for the funeral having passed, and
been for some time postponed on account
of the ste ting and unexpected discovery.
But as this was no reason for fun Their de-
laying the jntermeDt, it was decided that
the second coffin should be lowered into the
place from which the first had been lifted;
tho remains Of the mother we're to rest be-
low those of her daughter, instead of, as
originally intended, above them. Ii was
an Impressive scene, and in that church.
yard was many moist eye besides those of
tho weeping relatives.
As Miss Ingleworth stood by the coffin
late disinterred and saw the body, still in
the position in which the sexton had found
it-for no one had ventured to disturb it
with what might have been deemed a sac
religious touch-she was seen to start and
turn pale; indeed, che became SO faint as to
require the arm of her betr0thed ON the
way back to her carriage, to which she
abruptly returned. On the drive home she
expressed regret for having gone to the
graveyard at all; while he, by way of rally
ing her. said in . cheering tone:
"Pshaw! Hslen-don't think of the thing
amy more. Reflect only that the next time
We two 60 together within those church
yard gates it will be for more pleasau
purpose. Twelve months; all how long it
seems to wait! I've half Q mind to give up
soldering, and, with your consent, bring 1T
On . little sooner" l r.th 4
This was in reference to their marriage,
tks' dsts Of which, With other matters sp-
pertaining. had been already arranged;
though not the exact day, this depending
on the young officers return from Malte,
whittier he was about to be sent ON twelve
months tour Of duty with his regiment, his
departure 10 take place immediately. 1t
clouded the brow Of his betr0thed; NOR did
ths melancholy smile with which she made
reply to hiA bsntering speech spring from
svs,s "a y - e ~ Assts.Iaf b
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