Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1884-09-16

wind moaned around the caves of the hos
pltal as if hundreds of sufferers were il
agony, and the gurgle of water in the gut
ters leading to the cistern was anything bu
musical. Once in while flash of light
ming threw out in relief the bodies lying OF
other tables awaiting burial. Certainly j
was night of nights for visit to dead
house. M
'Well, took off my oil-cloth coat, open
Ell my dissecting case, and started to work
| The wind stole in through crevices and far
ed the gas so that was delayed in my in
vestigation considerably. But after al
hours labor approached the solution of tn
problem over which I had so long studied
So fnll of anxiety was my hand trembled
| and seeing this stopped, filed my pipe
| and began smoking to conquer my eager
ness.
''The face Of the dead man was ashen il
its paleness, and his flesh was as cold a
| marble. Looking back at the picture now
don't think | ever saw more spectra
corpse than that. The eyes were open, ant
! in the agony o. death the muscles of th'
mouth had contracted, SO that in the rigo
mortis he had sardonic grin that was hor
rible in it's leer.
"The patter Of the rain on the roof wa
incessant, but it sounded pleasant, for i
seemed company to one. Still it did MOI
drown all other sounds, for now and agar
above the storm there came from the fe-
male ward a wall of anguish from a pool
sufferer in delirium.
sit took but few minutes smoking tt
recover my steadiness ofhand, and I resum
ed the work.
"While bending over the body, and JUS
at a moment when the greatest delicacy O
operation was required, curious noise from
one corner of the dead-house startled me-
1t was not like foot-step, but was some
what like shutting Of feet.
"1nstinctiyely looked in that direction
and noticed for the first time some four OF
| five skulls on the floor in partial state O.
preparation. The younger students ha(
been at work preparing them for their cab
inets. The grinning faces looked as if tt
chide me for working on such night, but
then | was too anxious about my case tt
miss my opportunity.
"Applying myself again to my subject,
was soon lost in the peculiar developments
my eye discovered each moment, when
was again annoyed by a distinct sound from
the corner.
Balancing in that direction, it must be
confessed was not little surprised to see
one Of the skulls moving slowly toward ME
along the tagging of the floor rubbed
my eyes and looked again. There it was
the fleshless sockets of the eyes gazing at
me, the uneven, jagged teeth giving ghast-
ly grin to the mouth.
at is little difficult for me to tell exact
ly what were my feelings. That they were
peculiar I frankly admit. I fell to studying
about the cause of this motion on the part
of the skull, and examined closely to see
whether or not there was string attacked
and a student playing one of his pranks.
"But no. In the light I could plainly
discern that there was nothing attached to
this relic of humanity. Then what moved
it?
"Still engrossed with my endeavors to
solve this mystery, l did not take my eyes
off this skull.
"Slowly, stealthily and steadily it came
on directly towards where l was sitting on
a high stool. The motion produced dull,
grating sound, as some sharp protuberances
Of bone scratched on the marble slabs.
''After il had advanced about three feet
it stopped.
81 laid down my pipe, still keeping my
eyes ON the unpleasant object and tried to
laugh away the morbid sentiments that had
now begun to rise within me, whispered
to myself how much would have rallied at
any brother physician should he have told
me Of experiencing the slightest feeling of
nervousness under similar circumstances
Even the students would have retailed the
affair as an indication of my efemipacy had
they known it. Surely there were mechani
cal causes to produce these results. 1 knew
that the unsubstantial could not give motion
to the substantial. My natural philosophy
told me that there must be a force at work
to impel that grim fragment Of human
frame toward me. Yet what forcs was it l.?
81 determined not to leave my seat to at
tempt close inspection, fearing to be re-
warded by the laughter of those who were
endeavoring to astonish me.
''The dreary monotone of the rain and
the unearthly sobbing of the wind turned
my reflections to more sombre color, and
some things came back to me had read in
Robert Dale Owens Footprints on the
Boundaries of Another: World curious
things, authenticated by afidavits and all
the solemnity of oaths of remarkable re-
visitants from the grave. While dwelling
on these subjects l recalled the many con-
versations I had had with my patient, now
and his persistent asseverations of the pos
sibilities of the intellectual spirit returning
to this world of the flesh.
'oThere The skull moved again. On it
came, still sliding along in direct line tc-
ward me.
"Do what I would 1 could not shake off a
feeling of uneasiness and disquiet. 1 did
not like the situation-that about expressed
it.
"E-e-e-eks," grated the skulls bony
points on the floor, the sound tingling my
nerves as when one scratches the finger-na
on brick or a rough surface.
''My pulse grew more frequent. l ex-
perienced a chilly sensation down my back,
and cold perspiratiol dampened my fore
head.
"Around me the corpses lay, the gas-light
making them saffron yellow.
s"They at least did not move.
sII could stand this strain no longer. It
was unbearable 1 was becoming the vic
tim of 6 weakness for which I would have
reprimanded child. I felt pale, if that is
possible for it seemed as if all my blood had
rushed to my heart.
'fWith bound sprang toward the skull,
and stopping, grasped it with my hands.
lifted it from the floor.
"Out jumped large rat and ran scamper-
ing away / cannot describe my feelings
when I saw the cause of all my discontinue.
At first I laughed, and then became angry
with myself for, even for moment, allow
ing such an incident to disturb my equilib-
rum.
''Examining the skull saw how it had
occurred. The rat had entered the cavity
in which the brain had been through the
foramen magnum oraperture through which
the nerve matter of the spinal column COM
mum, rates with the brain. The skull turn
ed over, imprisoning the body of the crea-
ture, and permitted the use of his feet only
this foramen. He could move the
skull. but ", ,Hiie it was on the floor ke could
not get bis boov out.
"Pasted across the whitened brow was a
slip of paper, and on it Students name
Henry ]. Stubbs'- and below, Skull of
Sailor John, King If one of the Polynesian
islands; died May 12, 1869. Charity Hos
pital.'
s'In an instant rem. .ambered the day of
the month. 1t was June Both, the night
of Johns birthday. His promise came back
to me. He had said he would make him
self known to me on that night.
81 regretted the intervention of the rat.
Had that animal never been discover
od hvy mo thara would bava haan an axca1-