The Arkansaw traveler., 1885-10-10
Written for THH ARKANsAw TRAvKLER.
 "A DREADFUL BUSINESS
BY PROF. ]. P. STEELE.


 crowd of younger citizens about the " old times in Mobile " when he was more of a boy than at present. You know most old folks like to talk about "when I was a boy," and this old Mobilian was no ex. ception to the general rule.
 "Yes," said he, "I well remember quite scrape one of our medical stu- dents got himself into very soon after the establishment of the Alabama Medi- cal College at Mobile"
 How was that2"
 "Well, to tell you the truth, those first students of that medical college were rather a rum set that is to say, they were a little wild, and not very particular as to the legality of all their performances. every time.
 In the case referred to three or four of those said students had taken it into thelr heads to go through the anatomy of subject in some private room out in the city. all on their own hook, with no professor to molest or make them afraid. They had learned that a very desirable subject had just been stored away in little country grave. yard about one mile away from the city limits, and that subject they resolved to 'lift;' so having hired old Sam, colored cartis., to follow them with his vehicle, they pro- vided themselves with bag, etc., and late at night struck out for the ceantry.
 The arrangement made was that Sam should stop his cart some two hundred yards from the little graveyard, so that its tracks might not be seen whereabouts and when he heard a keen whistle up about the gate he was to proceed thither on foot where, just outside the fence, he was to find something tied up in a bag. He was to shoulder the bag, without questions, carry it to his cart, haul it to certain house on St. Louis street, deliver 1t over to his employers, who would meet him there, and receive his pay.
 The students reached the graveyard Tn due time, but could not find what they were looking after. It was evident tAat they had gone to the wrong graveyard, but where the right one was they could form no kind of idea. It was a slost ball with them, and chop.fallen they were about to retrace their steps, when one of their number, having been struck with bright idea, exclaimed:
 "' l say, hold on, boysl Let's not give it up in this dry kind of way, nohow. If we can't find our subject, let's at least have little fun. I'll go into the bag and you can tie me up and leave me by the gate. Hide around, and when old Sam comes think we'll have good thing of it.
 "The others voted it capital hit, and immediately the first speaker was tied up Tn the bag, and when the others had planted themselves out of sight along the fence between the gate and the cart. the promised whistle was sounded.
 "Soon after this, old Sam was seen ap- preaching the gates with somewhat un- steady step, caused doubtless by an over- load of fear and trembling. The bag with something tied up in it was there as per agreement, and Sam shouldered it. With wool erect he started of in long strides toward his cart.
 ;" Wawm yet, as dis niggah livel' mur- mured the old darkey between his clat- 'ering teeth, as he hurried on. s'Specks dis pusson hain't been dea long, nohow. A dreadful business, dis dreadful busi- ness. l wishes to de good Lawd dis heah niggah'd had nuthin' to do wifi hit !! Wonder whar dem doctor boys am by dis timer 'Spose dem ar nearly to town lfo' now, leabin' de ole niggah all alone. Dreadful business to be away heah all alone in dis fix
 By this time about half the space in- ervening between the gate and the cart had been overcome, when the ears of old Sam were suddenly greeted with:
 "Say, Sam-ain't heavy?'
 "Oh, dc good Lawdl Who dat speaks ? exclaimed the negro, coming to sudden halt. Sounded mowsal like hit came right out'n dis heah bag, but den suesses not, cause de mans done dead Already; an' if dead man can talk he's 10 'quaintance of mine, an wouldn't a knowd my name was Sam, nohow. Reckon twas somebody else. A dread Ful business dis-a dreadful business.'
 "Uron this Sam redoubled his exer. lions to reach the cart. Only few steps more and the object in the bag, which up 10 this tune had remained entirely sss:.as stiff md straight relaxed its sinews and came