The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1878-05-14

dead, A sudden thought struck him,
and slouching down he reached in at the
door with his shears, which he had
brought to rid the corpse of its cumber-
some shroud, he cut a piece from the
skirt of the woman's dress and retired
unobserved. As he remained for an in
slant peering into the strange scene, to
his horror and astonishment he saw the
corpse arise and raise the hand which
the woman was apparently in the act of
putting to her mouth the woman gave
shrek, rushed through the door and fed,
leaving the lamp burning on the floor
The body snatcher guessed at once the
woman's design, and impressed with the
conviction that she was person above
the ordinary rank, he resolved to follow
and see where she went to. He had no
difficulty in tracking the rapidly retreat,
ing igare; II psssed onf OF fhe church.
yard at small wicket on the north side
of the church and entered the parsonage.
Satisfied that he possessed an important
secret, out of which he could make mon
ey, he returned to the vault; the light
was still burning, and he signalled the
men in waiting; they were soon on the
spot, but on entering the vault they dis.
covered to their utter amazement, that
the coffin was empty, The body-snatch-
ter kept his secret, and the mysterious
disappearance of the body was matter
of unmixed surprise. Extinguishing the
lamp the men quit the churchyard, the
body-snatcher returning to his quarters
at a small inn and the assistants going
back to Belfast.
The next morning the news of Mrs.
Bells restoration to life was abroad in
the town. The body .snatcher fingered
in the neighborhocd until he ascertained
that the clergyman had quilted home for
a friends house; then he called at the
parsonage and asked for the lady OF the
house. 1t was with come difficulty that
he obtained an interview, as the domes.
tics informed him that the lady was in
disposed and confined to her room. "My
business he said, sis Of very great i'm.
portance, and it is absolutely necessary
that should see her." After the lapse
of half an hour q middle.aged, hand
some, stately lady entered the parlor, and
gazing with considerable dignity at her
visitor, said: "What is your business
with me, sir ?"
ale: me shut the door, ma'am," he
said, and quickly stepping behind the Ia.
dy, closed the door. 81 think we have
met before, ma'am," he said, in firm,
but respectful tone.
"Sir!" the lady exclaimed in offended
accents.
81 am sure we have met before,
ma am, the man said.
"You are mistaken, sir" the lady re
piled; "utterly mistaken, sir; you will
oblige me by quitting the house immedi-
ately."
"You forget last night, ma'am, in the
vault" the man said in low tone.
The cheek of the lady evidently blanch-
FED, and she gave a gasp for breath; In
stantly recovering herself, she said:
II don't understand you, sir; you are
ilaboring under mistake"
"Well, l may be-" the man replied
"that's a fact, bat my impression was
that 1 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 had sunk into chair and
was deadly pale; by powerful effort
she overcame her momentary weakness,
and said in strong tones: II don't know,
sir, what you speak of. You are either
laboriug under a mistake or you are 9
lunatic."
"Do you :happeu to have dress like
this, ms'am 2" the man asked, drawing
from his pocket the piece which he had
cut from the dress Of the occupant oil the
vault the night before.
The lady's lips grew white and dry
she strove to speak, but her tongue Glove
to the roof of her mouth and utterance
was impossible.
81 am reasonable, madam, the man
said; II know your secret, but will
keep 1t IL you will make 1t worth my
WHILE"
"How much do you requiref" the Ia
dy asked, acquiring the power Of speech
by q great effort.
"Twenty pounds down will satisfy me
for the present." the man said, 'and more
at another time when / need it."
The money was paid, and within a
month the man returned and demanded
more. The lady evidently revealed the
story of her disgrace and crime to hel
husband, for be paid the money and soou
after resigned his living and retired to
England.
This part of the condemned mans
confession was made known to Mr.. Bell
All the parties to this strange transaction
are not yet dead, and hence the names
used here are fictitious. The writer's in
formant, however, vouched for the truth
of the story, and there is no reason te
doubt his veracity.