The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1884-06-06

side his stove, but his delight with the
MS. was fast changing into a
creeping, grisly terror, such as
he had never experienced in all
his life before. jacobs strange curse
had taken full possession of his imagi
nation, and he was afraid to look up
lest he should see the old mans COW
etuous, cruel eyes fixed upon him. He
had horrid idea that if he turned
round he might find him at his elbow,
or peeping at him from behind the vim
dow curtain, which was certainly NOV
ing slightly.
In his unreasoning trepidity the Rath
got up and made an undignified retreat
into his bedroom, looking behind him
at every step. He tumbled into bed
after but short toilet operations, feeling
safe only when he drew the eiderdown
plumeau over his head.
But wicked old Jacob followed him
there, and tormented him all night in
dreams. He dreamt that he proceeded
to the cemetery at Friedrich Thor, got
the sexton to open the grave, and found
Jacobs body undecayed in its velvet
coffin; that it opened its eyes when the
light reached it, and springing up,
clutched him by the throat. He awoke
trembling, with cold drops of perspira-
| ton standing on his face. Falling
asleep again. the same vivid dream
awakened him.
/ Strange to say, the impression did
not wear off, Ike most Authorizations,
with the daylight; but Jacobs history
haunted him all the time he was busy
in the court house. So instead of going
home to dinner, he went to his friend
and crony, Prof Won Schenk, of the
College Museum, and showed him his
treasure tr0ye. the yellow MS.
very long discussion between these
two erudite men of Gottingen ended in
! their taking their hats, and setting out
arm-in-arm for the cemetery. Mar
/ quardsen led his friend past the forest
of little black crosses where the peas
ants lay, to the broad alley where re-
/ posed the great and noble, a stately as
sembly of broken columns, snowy urns
and tall monuments. The tombs of
those lately dead were known ere you
came close enough to read the date of
their inscriptions, by the fresh wreaths
of eyerlastings, which dear, loving
hands had hung there last ALI Souls
Day, and by the bright gardens that
fiourislled over their inmates quiet
breasts.
The name of Winterwerb was we'll
nigh forgotten in Gottingen, SO that the
Rath did not dream of searching among
these for Jacobs grave. He hurried
on to where the seven old yew trees
stood in hoary array, and there, sure
enough, was the beautiful marble urn,
no longer white, but gray and venet-
able after the lapse of century.
"Here it is!'' cried Rath Marquardsen,
in a hoarse tone, that almost startled
himself 6 Jacob Winterwerb, who de-
parted this life June 20, 1853, deeply
respected and regretted"
''Stay you there" said the business
like professor, ''While / summon the
sexton"
mot - said our friend, trying to
conceal shudder; II shall accompany
you"
The day was far advanced before the
sexton and his assistants had removed
the urn, and dug away the earth from
the coffin-lid. Several people,
attracted by what was going on,
came hurrying up just as the
coffin was raised and laid upon flat
tombstone. Rath Marquardsen shiv-
cred, and would fain have retreated,
but shame kept him on the spot. He
was not prepared for the sight that met
his eyes when the lid was raised. The
professor rubbed his spectacles, and
bent over the coffin calmly speculative,
as he was wont to inspect new Curl
osity in the museum.
/ He lifted the folds of the shroud,
which, to his intense amazement. was
white and spotless as it was on the day
OF Jacobs funeral, and beneath lay the
body undecayed, after hundred years.
sojourn in the tomb. The Rath gave
one trembling glance and turned away
hastily, seized with sudden fit of
shivering, while the spectators, pressing
round the coffin, shouted with horror
and wonder. Meanwhile, the professor
coolly proceeded with his examination.
He raised the long gray locks that
rested on a velvet pillow, AID stroked
the parchment-like cheeks. eve must
have this fellow in the museumr' cried
he delightedly; ga perfect mummy, pre-
served by miracle. I shall write off to
Heidelberg and Munich, and get
Schulze and Helms here to examine it,
and then | shall prepare paper for the
AIterthatnaer Blatt."
"No, no, Won Schenk. Put him
back in his grave; shall never forgive
myself for the dissertation of the tomb.
| wish | had not read that COMPOUNDED
MS; then | should not have had that
wild dream, nor brought you hear to
disturb the dead. Replace him, pray
you"
Il shall place him, not replace him.
He shall stand between our Theban
mummy and our Mastodon giganteus,
in the left-hand corner of the great
museum saal. My dear sentimentalist,
| the responsibility rests upon the Uni
versity of Gottingen, not on you. Pray
set your mind at ease.''
The Rath turned away in real misery,
and walked home, pursued by the voice
of Won Schenk, who called after him to
inquire whether he were willing to re-
sign all claim to the mummy, which
was his property by right of discovery.
1t was long time before he prevailed
upon himself to visit the museum. At
length some ladies begged him to take
them over the college, and he could
hardly refuse. Old Jacob was leaning
against the wall in his corner between
the geological animals and the ancient
| Egyptian; he was dressed in his shroud,
and very grim and horrible he looked,
but be was surrounded by an admirino
crowd, to whom Prof. Won Schenk was
relating the true story of Jacobs
Curse; or the Mummy of Gottingen. ~
Arqosy.
| HyI,o Do,.oes4oo