Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1881-10-14
GRIN SPORTS.
An Old Doctors Adventures in
Winchester Cemetery.
How u Good Old Darky Preacher
Rose Before Judgment Day.

yesterday" but l think of the gay
larks l used to have when | was
attached to the medical college. You
see, he continued, settling himself in
his chair, the students couldn't study
without practical illustrations. By
practical illustrations l mean dead
bodies, and it happened that | was
picked out as beingpeculiarly adapted
for the work of procuring them.
Winchester Cemetery, or Smiths
Graveyard" as it was then called, was
the principle one at that time, and l
discovered that the old sexton was
willing to sacrifice whatever con-
scientious scruples no might have in
regard to premature resurrection, in
consideration of the good that might
result to humanity, and the sum OF
two dollars a resurrect. So | made a
compact with him by which he was
to stick a piece Of card board in the
top of every mound, marking the grave
Of a pauper, aud notify me.
FEELING FOR TUE GRAVE.
Then l drove out in a spring wagon
with a trusty darty, and we felt along
the new made graves until We found
one with the cardboard. The sexton
got two dollars for covering up the
grave, and vanishing up the old
coffin sold it again.
Once | remember the old darby who
usually went with me was sick,
and he sent mo a relative OF
his, who declared he wasn't
afraid of no dead man living. We
had on cid colored preacher to dig up
this time, and l resolved to test the
new man. The sexton threw out the
new earth, priced the lid off the coffin
aud handed the old fellow up to the
boy and l, who were standing on the
edge of the grave. The scene was
enough to chill the strongest heart
The figure was as stiff as a board, al
dressed in black, with white gloves
and a huge white standing collar. His
hands were appraised with the elbows
; down at his sides, as if in the act o.
prayer. 1t is well known that if The
stomach is compressed after death, thu
: gases which escape through thu
mouth will make a noise very nearl.
resembling a grean. | remembered
4, this, and, just as Joe was in the act o
sHoULDERING THE CORPSE,
gave it a sudden punch in the aldo
men. The old darby gave 8 sepul
O chral groan, and, with a wild yell, 10
c dropped him on the ground and dash
ed away like a race horse, screamin
at every jump. About forty yards o
be struck a hickory sapling with sue
= force as to bend it to the ground. o
y the rebound it caught him betwee
: the legs, and there he hung Tor fu.
= five minutes, waving on that sapliu
and fully believing the old preachC
had him by the throat. he mar
aged to get off l don't know, but
. didn't see him any more for thrt
Z weeks, when he walkel into my ofit
io pale as a darby ever gets.
q "Where have you been Joe?'
=, asked.
y Running most Of the time, sir"
replied. II used to know that o.
. niger, and I've seen him look lii
that in the pulpit many a time.
y ONLY A TOMBSTONE.
Another time l heard dogs a
= preaching just as we were about
IT, put a corpse in the wagon. l kne
it would not do to leave until we hi
covered up all traces of our work, al
- was in a quandary as | saw a couple
y men approaching with guns on the
shoulders. An idea struck me, Al
y snatehing the winding sheet from t
body l pulled down a limb Of a tr
''' fastened the stick to it and th
pulIedit around me.
ed One Of the coon hunters saw it, a
grasping his companion by the ar
It's said suddenly:
as "Stopl"
whats the natter
Look"
Nothing but a tombstone"
!. Just then l allowed the limb
rise slowly, jOrked it down, and LEI
go mp again.
"Golly, I'm going" said the &
man, and the other did not need to
persuaded. l never saw them
more.
lay. l remember another night wi
day there was a new guard and l did
b a know it. He shot at mt an(
crawled in the coffin. When he ca
yes up | raised to a sitting position
ring waved my arms. That did the br
me. ness for him and he quit next day.
lain took half the night though to pick
get squirrel shot out Of my leg and
corpse after | got to the college.
yes. most ridiculous thing that yer b
pened concerned a well. known Fl
nty, Row man. A certain female to wi
hing he had paid too many attentions d
nur- and | got the body as a special (
ject. About three months afterv
t Of / happened to drive by the GENE
and and there were a lot Of men engG
lken in sodding the grave, putting 81
ital. curbing around and erecting a hs
some monument just as if
ne, corpse was in its proper place"