Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1875-05-20

Purveyor-exactly," said the Colonel
as Wilson paused to sip his wine
81 Had 'em in the Crimea. I recollect-
provided medical stores, and so on. All,
your friend was a purveyor, then, Will
| SOM"
Aha! not that sort of a purveyor,
Colonel. Perhaps you might make
guess at his particular line. Give it I'D,
Ell? Well, sir, they were subjects-sub-
Jects, as we called them; in plain terms
bodies"
"Body-snatcher, eh!" cried the LAWYER.
"Ought to have been hanged"
"Wen, | don't know whether that
wasn't his eventful fate; but there were
many worse fellows than Blackstock,
I'll tell you little incident that illus
trates his kindness of heart. I think I
may almost say that he saved my life.
+" must tell you that Blackstock had
a little dog called Bingo, the most ex-
traordinary dog you ever saw. He was
yellow dog, of sickly, unwhole8ome
yellow, without a particle of hair on his
body, but tuft at the tip of his tail,
He was always with his master.
II mention Bingo," said Wilson, with
a low chuckle, because he's necessary
to my story; and I may remark that, not
outstanding his repulsive appearance,
there was something very intelligent-I
might say almost human-in his express
sion. And yet he was morose in dispo-
sltion, attached to medical students,
whom he recognized with marvellous in
stinct, but to the rest of the world sui
len and defiant But to proceed One
evening, or, rather, | should say one
morning, at very early hour-between
two and three-I happened to be return
| ing with friend, one Jackson, from
some scene Of gayety to my rooms in
Marylebone. On our way we passed the
| church of Saint Giles OVerreach. Perhaps
it wasn't ST. Giles, for my memory is
Bot always accurate on these minor
| points, but, anyhow, a church with a
large churchyard about it, that was sur
rounded by a high wall, on the top of
which was very spiky c5e0eaalr de fr5se.
7 The public footWay ran close beside this
wall, hardly foot IN width, and the road
| was very bad just then; in fact, at that
| season of the observation-disclosures I'M
passable slough or Quagmire. It is not
yesterday am talking about, mind you;
IN fact it was before the time of street
gas-lamps. The road was dimly lighted
with an Oil-lamp that swung in bracket
from the church-yard wall, and the next
light was round the corner, quite out of
sight. Well, my friend and were push
ing along at full speed, in a very cheer
full mood, laughing and singing; but,
when we came to the foot of the church
wall, all looked so gloomy and ghost
like, the black, dank wall, the sullen
lamp throwing sort Of sickly CLEAN on
| the sea Of mud below, that involuntarily
we grew silent and came to stand
Here goes, Jackn cried my friend, and
scampered hastily along the footpath,
while [ followed him at full speed 1t
was narrow enough, and some of the
stones were loose, and if you lost your
balance you were up to your knees in
black mud; so that had enough to do
to see where put my feet without look
ing aloft. All of a sudden, rap-bang I
struck my head against something
something that. gave way, and swung
backward and forward, hitting me at
each swing, and bringing me to COM
plete stand-stlll. Well, cast my eyes
aloft, and saw, perched on the top of the
church wall, sitting on the c6eveaat1 de
/ oh II CO1n oil
would sit a saddle, a little man in black
who was holding a rope in his hand,
and from this rope hung a long, narrow
package, wrapped up in black tarpau-
lin-the package, in fact, against which
l had knocked my head"
GA body, probahly?" suggested the
Colonel.
CA very fair Inference" said Wilson,
Well, [ must tell you that it was an
understood thing in the profession that
none of US should take notice of any
thing of that kind. Public feeling was
very high on the point and [ wouldn't
have given sixpence for the life of any
body caught in the act; while the true
interests of humanity demanded that the
medical schools should have the means
Of teaching practical anatomy. So I
should have scampered on, and taken no
more notice, but as ill-luck would have
it, dog began to bark from inside the
churchyard. 1t was impossible to mis-
take that bark-it was Bingo's. Some
spirit Of mischief entere d into me, and I
cried out in a gruf, disguised voice:
What! Blackstock, are you busy, then,
to-night?' and ran on. For a moment
my voice seemed to have struck terror
into the hearts of the resurrectionists.
The body came down to the ground with
a crash, and, turning round, saw the
little man sitting astride the wall like one
stupefed. But the next moment ne
dropped softly down and pursued US.
! Well, we ran like the wind-we were
both good runners-and yet we could
not shake off these pursuing foot
steps. The faster we went the fast