The Copiah signal. (Hazlehurst, Miss.) 1882-1883, 1883-03-23

bowed and an audible ID WAS hoard
All this willis the pseudo corpse Ia.
.till and mo!ion!ess, 10 apparen
death. The ceremony then pre- ccs.n
cd to it's after part at tho grave. th,
committal Of tho body TO the ground
earth to carlb, as he's to ashes. dus
TO dust. Tbs solemn repetition @
the sublime invocation from the X v
elation OF S.. J ohu. Il Lo,rd voic'
from heaven saying unto mo write
from hence'orth blessed arc tho dea'
who d Q in the L,id-evtn so sa q
tho spirit, for they res. from the'r la
bo,s." This was followed by tao con
soling prayer, Intended to sooths tue
breaking hearts Of those who sand
around The grave; C mo ye chill
dron Of m, Father, receive the King
dom prepared for y,u n the begin
ming Of the world!' The minis e'
went through the whole with oil the
fervor Of an actor thoroughly en-
thused with his part.
But the strangest part OF this ex'
traordinary story remains to be told
Whom the benediction was concluded
the crowd seemed to be numbcd.
and for awhile not word was spo-
ken. The corpse rose very quietly
He had scarcely got upon his feet
before he began in . solemn voice:
"Boys, We began this thing 10 fan,t
mo it has turned out seiioualy. ]
have been nearer to the eternal
world than ever WAS before. I'm
q changed man.
These words were spoken with
such deep feeling that they at once
checked all hilarity, and the me ting
dissolved never to meet again. Tht
youug man who had played the corpse
immediately turned bis thoughts to
ssrions sutjclts, and Vas soon con
Grmed aud became one Of tbs pill ars
Of tho church in bis day and genera
tion.
The career OF tho pseudo preacher
was marked by q conversion more
romantic than that Of bio friend. lie
continued for o while o wild aud
reckless course, but in the meantime
fell desperately in love with . beauti.
ful no nan aud paid addresses to her.
While she could nat brt be fascinated
by his gonius. prudence forbade her
accepting his offer OF his hand. This
Of course, drove him 10 o deeper
recilessress and desperation. /. was
after ono long debanch hs Was ono
day ly ng asleep with his face expos.
eL 10 tho h:cs, on . bench in front OF
the piazza of the hotel. Th, you7s
lady happened to pass by and moved
by compassion, tenderly covorsd his
face with her handkerchief and NOV.
ed on. Hs asoke in bewilder.
ment, took the handkerchief. exam.
ined it and at oueo reo.. ..nizsd
whose it was by tho inl',aur
Hs knew Ivy this wao had morcilu'l'
shielded his fac: from the public grz
OF con'empt-a faint glimpse Of lopr
shot through the cloud that envclop.
ei him. S.uancd by remor'o, no
grew deeply pcnitent aud refoSmel
He in due time led the lady OF the
handkerchief to the a!inr AID there
;,ledged tho Vows tha, he evor after
sa,redly kept. Fsom this time bis
career was brilliant not only in the
legal, but in the literary sphcre. de
became attorney general Of the Uai-
ted s.a'o,, whic h tflico he tlllod with
marked ability; he became an author
OF works that still survive and adcrn
our literary hi,'ory. and after hav-
ing atoned by long life of Pie'y for
the follios Of his Jounger days. h.
died q devout and sincere Christian.
Too tradition which | gsve as |
learned it illustrates what trivial Cir.
cumstances sometimes change the
destiny OF men.
One young man converted by the
solemnites OF his own mock funeral
aud the other saved by tie pocket
han ndkerchisf Of lady.
WOMAN.