Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-11-21
THE EVENING STAR.
November III. IS3S.
THE DEAD .ILITE.
Unexpected Results of RiGling n
Family Vault-A systematically

Ireland, reside many families OF distinction
lme nessu OF one OF these was Mr.. Bell. young
sSmlfeinah OF twenty-five. He married the only
chlla OF wealthy East India merchant residing
| IN LIVERPOOL, by whom he had two children IN
INC t . year OF their welded life Mrs. Bell
| day. '"0 "eA'
The old churchyard of Kilmare stood on the
| sue Oh NH, and Immediately in the rear OF
| the church and adjoining the chancei was the
tDmo OF the Bell family. Here in accordance
with m NINE usage, the body OF the de
posted on the third day after her demise. After
| the ceremony the key OF the vault WAS mt in lis
usual place by the sexton, in the vestry OF the
The day had been gloomy, and as night drew
| ON thin rain fell. which increased at about
midnight to smart shower. Mr.. Bell was
| ABOUT retiring, when the clear tones of the
| door-bell rang through the building. Mr.. Bel
| opened the door and stepped out into the cor
ridor. AT that moment, as he glanced down
| he stairway, he saw the houSeSeeper moving
| owards the door. Then he heard her ser the
small lamp she carried on the table and open
| the bolts OF the door. Then dreadful and pro-
| ionged shrek followed, and at the same moment
| Mr. Bells butler ran along the hall towards the
| ront door. Mr.. Bell had reached the head of
| lie stars aud was in the act of descending
| WRen The butter reached the SPOT where the
| hotSekeeper lay on the floor apparently i'm a
| swOon. What was Mr.. Bells surprise TO see the
| butler raise his hands, fix his gaze upon the
| struck dead
| Utterly bewildered and confounded Mr.. Bell
haStened down stairs. The sight that met his
| gaze when he reached the center of the hall
almost froZc his blood. There stood the figure
OF his wife in her grave clothes. leaning against
| the pillar OF the door, with one hand thrown
across her breast.
Julia. my darling. MY wife, Mr. Fell ey-
canned, ana stepped towards the figure.
| II niddc movement towards him. and the
| next instant ii was embodied in his arms II
| was indeed the wife. but that day buried. who
Was restored 10 the arms Of the bcreayed nus
| band ahd children. Tie explanation which she
o,.elt1 was very imperfect For short time
| altef hef supposed death She wa5 aware Of all
mat went on around her, but before she WAS
| placed In the coffin she lost all consciousness
| SIe stid that the first sensation OF conscious
| ness she had was one OF pain. Then She saw
| an ihdiotlnct 9lmner. With powerful q Torf
she arose and saw woman otaarliup by her
| Siue. me woman HiieAeu and lied and then
MIS-. Ben discovered that she was Wing i'm q
| colin Ia tie family vault. Fresh strength came
10 her every moment, and releasing herself
| lIchl hef STROUD she stepped to the ground and
assoc our OF Tie vault. the door OF which WAS
| vice open. Down the churChyard path She
passed 10 the main street. along which She
walked IoF laii mile. until She reached her
Etie home. Fortunately the large gate TO The
| park was uniasteneGi. and she AasIGucd uD the
| roadway 10 tie dwelling.
| The rest has been told. She rapidly rerained
| her health, and lived 10 Il good OLD age
Next day The lamp was found exting,IiSbed
| On the floor OF the vault. II was idputifipd as
| one which usually stood ia the yeStry and wa,
! need by the sexton. 1t had doubties, been
| removed at the same when the KEY OF the
| tault was taken. Beyond that al was mys-
Mrs. Bell was buried with her valuable ,lfa-
| mond ring on her finger. The design had been
10 steal THIS from the supposed cOTnSe Find
ing ID Impossible to remove IL, the daring thief
mac raised the hand OF the dead woman 10 her
| mouth. and in her attempt to withdraw the
i ing with her teeth caused the pang which went
through the frame OF the victim OF a trance
| and aroused her TO consciousness. ON the FIN
| ger, llst below the ring, marks of teeth were
| g,SIihctiy visible for several days after Mrs
| Bells reSUscitation.
Soon after this extraordinary occurrence tho
vicar OF tie IaI .Sh resigned his living and re-
| moved his family TO England Several wears
| Passed away, and the incidents herein record
! el were almost forgotten. Mrs. Belts father
! dled, and MI Bell and his family Quilted XII
| mare ana look up their residence at TOXteth
| near Liverpool.
! AID now for the sequel
During the Chartist riots in lSia. James BlnnS
| was arrested for murder and lodged in Lanca-
snre jan lie was tried, convicted, and SEN
! fenced 10 DE hanged. Before the last sentence
| OF me law was executed he made a confession
! OF many crimes, and, among the rest OF his ex-
ploltS, as a professional body-snatcher, in which
| business lac had been engaged for many yeas
| The following facts are taken from his comics
! SION
| In July, 1s29, he was livingin Belfast. having
| lied from England TO escape punishment for his
| onenseS: lie lad done several small Jobs i'm
Belfast for the doctors, and on the night OF july
| ~ IN The year named, well-knOwn physician
| OF Belfast sent for him. and told him that ha
| had very delicate piece OF work for him II
| perform. Mis-. Bel, a lady OF great beauty
ana lne WIFE OF a rlch proprietor, had just
oiea a. suddenly, and the doctor and his asSo'
GATES desired the body to investigate the cause
| OF death. The doctor paid him so much money
GOWN, ana dispatched him TO kilmare with such
| Instructions as were necessary. At midnight
| lie Went TO the churchyard armed with a
| wrench, a pair OF shears, and pick-lock The
hlght was dark, and rain waSJfalling. Creep
| ing up by the side of the church, he ap-
proached the tomb of the Bell family. TO
| MS surprise, he saw that the door was
| open and a faint light burning inside Stealth
| lily drawing near he glanced i'm. He saw the
conn lying along the marble S alb and in front
| OF 1t woman was standing. A second glance
| showed him that the woman was al work try
ing 10 remove ring from the finger OF the
deau sudden thought struck him, aud
slouchinS down, he reached in at the door and
win his shears which he had brought to rid
the corpse OF Its cumbersome shroud, he cut a
| fetlfed un06Served. AS he remained for an in
slant peering into the strange scene. he saw
the corpse arise and raise the hand which the
her mouth The woman gave a Shrek. rushed
through the door and fed leaving the lamp
burning on the floor. The body-snatcher
guessed at once the Toman's design, and. i'm
| pressed with the conviction that she was per-
| son above the ordinary rank he resolved to fol-
| low ana see where she went 10. He had no diff
fculty in tracking the rapidly retreating figure
| 1t passed out OF the church yard at small
wicket on the north side of the church and en-
| tered the parsonage. Satisfied that he pos
could make money, he returned 10 the vault
Inc light was still burning and The collin was
empty.
The next morning the news of Mrs. Bells
restoration TO life was abroad in the town The
DCdy-Snatcher fingered in the neighborhOOd
until be ascertained that the clergyman had
qultted nome Tor a friends house Then he
called at the parsonage and asked for the lady
OF the mouse. After the lapse OF half an hour
mludie aged, handsome, stately lady entered
the parlor, and, gazing with considerable dignity
at her visitor, Said:-'' What is your business
| with me- sir? y
Let me shut the door, ma am" he said and
| quickly stepping behind the lady. closed the
| door. % L think we have met before, ma am"
| he said.
"sire the lady exclaimed in offending ac-
cents.
81 am sure we have met before, ma am, =" the
man said.
You are mistaken, SIR the lady replied.
utteriy mistaken, sir: you viii obiige me by
| quitting the house Immediately"
- lOu forgot last night, ma'am, in the vault
| the man said, in a low tone.
The cheek OF the lady blanched, and she gave
| a gasp for breath. Instantly recovering her
| Self she said
81 don't understand you, sir. You are labor
| ing under mistake"
.Well, may be-" the man replied; that's
| a fact; but my impression was that | saw YOU
( last night in the vault when you were trying to
| remove the ring from the finger OF what YOU
| supposed to be corpse"
The lady sunk into chair, and was deadly
| pale. BY powerful effort she overcame her