The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1881-07-13

Break it if you can"
"You as good as say that you did
not care for Uncle Sidney that you
coaxed him till he made the will in
your favor"
"Grant that | did; you would not
be a competent witness III the case,
sneered Boyles 'Go home and get
reconciled. The money is mine and
| shall hold on TO it.
"Not YETI said deep hollow
voice at the door whic'i iad opened
before.
The disputants startled. The de
risive curl which had played upon
the lips OF Boyles disappeared, and
his cheeks blanched. Sidney look
ed cooler, but was evidently much
disturbed. The voice sounded
strangely natural, and they both gaz
ed nervously toward the door.
A form tottered into the room, in
the presence Of which both of the
cousins retreated to the farthest
corner of the room while their lips
were lived and their cheeks ghastly
pale with terror.
"That is the way you treat the
dead,n said the form which the ter
ror-stricken nephews had no diff
Guilty in recognizing as that OF Gen
Sidney.
1t was either him or his shadow,
and he certainly looked more like a
ghost than "a living man. Boyles
was paralized with fright, as one Of
stronger nerves might have been in
the presence of such a sight. John
Sidney, perhaps because he had
more to hope for in the reappearance
of his uncle, had courage to adj
vance a few steps toward the appa-
rition.
"Begone, both of.youl'' said Gen
eral Sidndy, as he staggered TO a
chair and sank heavily in it.
/ had witnessed the scene from
the entry and now hastened to his
assistance.
"For Gods sake, Mr.. Morgan,
what does this mean," exclaimed
John Sidney, his teeth chattering in
the extremity Of his fear.
"Drive them out of the houseI'
gasped the General.
told them they had better 90,
informing them at the same time
that their uncle was not and had
not been dead. After they had in
some measure recoved from their
terror, they left, the one with his
cup brimming full Of bright antici-
pations dashed down, and the other
satisfied at least with the confusion
of his rival. | have no means of
knowing what passed between them
when they got to the street, but l
venture to assert that Jonh Sidney
did not lose the opportunity to re-
tort severely upon his companion.
/ called the housekeeper and SER
wants to render assistance in getting
the restored General to his cham
Der; but it was some time before |
could convince them that it was
not a ghost which had come TO the
house. We got him into bed again
and the doctor soon joined us.
Now curious reader, | must go
back and relate what Emmie would
not permit me to tell you in the
proper place.
When the corpse of General Sid
ney was put in the coffin, l discov-
cred he was not entirely cold. |
privately called in a physician to
examine it; but as there was neith-
er breath, pulsation nor feeling, he
pronounced him dead. He observ-
ed at the same time, that it was
possible it was a case of asphyxia,
or trance. The heat on the other
hand, might be artificial or produc-
ed by the incipient state of decom-
position.
But, Mr.. Morgan be continued.
you must keep watch ofthis corpse,
Do not close the tomb door. Visit
every hour until decomposition has
actually begun"
"We ought not TO bury this
body" l remarked, placing my
hand under the arm pits, where the
heat could be destinctly felt.
Better not say anything; it
would create an excitement"
And SO the consultation ended.
The funeral took place and the
corpse was placed in the toni.
That night Spade and / watched /.
The lid of the coffin had been la-
moved and | had provided myself
with articles necessary in case there
should be any further signs of life.
| cannot tell how it was, but some
how it was impressed upon me that
General Sidney was not dead. Per-
haps it was because | had recently
been reading of a similar case in
England where suspended animation
had been restored after the lapse of
a week. There was nothing to indi-
cate q resuscitation during the
night, and in the morning / went
home to breakfast leaving Spade in
charge Of the tomb. / had scarcely
tasted my first cup of coffee when
Spade rushed breathless into the
house, assuring me that 'the Gener-
al, as he expressed it, twas open
ing one ofhis eyes" / did not stop
to ask why he did not open the
other, but selling some clothing |
had prepared for the occasion, /
babe Spade go for the doctor, and
ran with my might to the tomb.
Both eyes were open. / poured
some wine into his mouth, and
commenced to rub him with energy.
When the doctor and Spade came,
he had moved his hands and begun
to breath with difficulty. By the
doctors advice he was borne, coffin
anc all, to my house, and in the
course of the forenoon he was able
to sit up.
We worked over him incossantly
Till noon when he insisted on being
conveyed to his own house, which
we reached just as the "Will party