New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1886-03-10

myself.
/ turned to walk toward the other
side Of the room, when, to my intense
surprise, my foot struck something
heavy and unyielding on the floor. I
bent down to see what the object
could be, and in so doing l started
back with AN exclamation of terror
and trembling in every limb.
Lying close beside my chair was the
PROSTATE form of a man, and, to my
unspeakable CONSERVATION, a nearer
examination convinced me that the
body was my own. I was dead then
dead! Could it be possible? got
down on the floor and passed my
hand over the inanimate shape It
was still warm, but saw at once that
life was extinct. AS the freight shot
up into a blaze l noticed that the face
wore a purplish tinge, which as | gaz-
ed, turned to dull ashen hue. The
limbs had lost their elasticity; the
eyes were open, yet knew they were
sightless.
While | looked the feeling of horror
that at first possessed me changed to
one OF sornpw.
II do not care for myself" l said
mournfully; "but Mary, my poor
Mary"
Mary was a young and beautiful
girl to whom 1 had shortly hoped to
be married.
"When she hears OF this" said
aloud, 'and knows that it was oc-
casioned by my own wicked careless
| ness, she will suffer frightfully. Oh!
miserable wretch that [ am. I was
happier in life than now; far, far hap
pier. Shall my spirit ever know rest
again?"
[ buried my face in my hands and
wept. Some Of my tears dropped up
on my dead body and the sight OF
them on that lifeless clay maddened
me. Filled with wild despair, Jumped
up, seized my hat, and, rushing out OF
my room, soon found myself in the
street.
The night I knew was extremely
cold, but did not feel it. The clocks
in the neighborhood had just struck
eleven and it was still too early for
the streets to be deserted. On the
contrary, they were filled with merry
parties returning from theatres and
other places of amusement. Many
carriages rolled by, and in time !
caught glimpses of lovely ball toilets,
the flash OF diamonds, and the vivid
hues of great bouquets OF dollhouse
flowers.
"And l am deadp I said bitterly
"a cold, unfeeling image among all
this life, and warmth, and beauty
AS | passed the groups on the side.
walk, I looked at them narrowly
to see if they observed anything un-
natural in my appearance, but they
did not appear to do SO. Once, how
ever, went up to a shop window
where a gentleman with lady on his
arm was standing lost in admiration
Of some jewels displayed from within
| stood beside the couple, gazing non.
chalantly at the glittering array be
fore me, when suddenly the lady chung
tighter to her companions arm.
'Let us go on she said, glancine
nervously in my direction. "Did you
not feel a peculiar chill lust now? It
swept through me from head tofoot."
The gentleman, to my relief, merely
made some laughing reply and they
walked away together. Isaw the lady
shiver as she passed.
'No wonder!" l thought. She little
thought she was standing beside the
spirit of dead man.
The idea amused me, and 1 too,
laughed aloud. I wandered about the
streets all night long, preparing myself
for several things that felt were in
cumbent upon me to perform. Fol-
Mary's sake wished to withhold as
long as possible from the world, the
knowledge OF my death, and in order
to do this it was necessary to take
special measures to that effect.
must be buried, ofcourse, and whenev-
er this thought required to me I grew
colder, it seemed, and an utter hope
| lessness overcanle me. Instinctively
knew that the moment my remains
| were consigned to the earth my spir-
it was doomed to vanish from human
sight, never more to return. Icannot
tell how this conviction was forced up
on me. It is sufficient to say that it
was there, and that it thrilled me with
a terrifying awe such as is felt by a
mind haunted by disturbed and re-
lentless fantasies. On Mary's ac-
count, therefore, / wished to delay
the burial for at least three days.
PART II.
When the morning was somewhat
advanced [ went to an undertaken s
establishment and made all the neces-
sary arrangements for my funeral,
saying the dead man was q brother OF
mine, put that owing to a morbid
shrinking from publicity in all affairs
either of life or death, he had extract
| ed a promise from me that would
neither publish the fact of,his decease
in the papers nor acquaint any one
else with it, except, of course, those
who were obliged to know it,
II suppose" / added as carelessly as
possible, "that you will want a certif-
icate of death from the poor fellows
physician. Youcan getit by applying
to DR.. Hendricks, No. = Madison
avenue"
This appeared satisfactory to the
undertaken, who promised to adhere
faithfully to my directions. Ithen re-