Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1886-12-17

road forks, the right branch leading
out toward the river into a grove,
where there is large cemetery. By
this time Burt iii not know one road
from another, and, taking the wrong
one, he got into the Cemetery, where
he staggered around hopelessly lost.
1t happened that there had been a
funeral that afternoon, and cuffin
had been deposited in one Of the
tombs, the door of which had not yet
been closed.
The wind was piercingly cold, and
though hardly conscious of it, Burt,
to escape it, reeled through the open
door into the tomb b, and tumbled down
in one corner.
lie either fell asleep or became ut.
terly insensibls, for what followed un.
til morning is q blank to him. The
sexton, on his late rounds, closed and
locked the door without hearing or
seeing anything Of him.
1t was not until some hours had
passed Burt came to himself, ssme-
what. He lay for some time trying,
in a dull, heavy way, to solve this dif.
ficult problem. The air felt cold and
damp. He was in darkness. He put
ont his hand 1t touched acold stone,
and he started, with y shudder to bis
feet.
Was he in prison? Had he com
mitted murder or sme other offense
while drunk?
The thought so appalled, him that
it cleared his brain to some extent ol
the effects Of the alcohol. For the
one thing which Burt had always
feared more than anything else was
that on one of his ''sprees" he should
kill some person.
He felt in his pockets and found a
match, aud by lts dim light made the
horrible discovery that he was in q
tomb with the dead.
As yet. he could recall little or no.
thing Of last evenings doings. At first
he thonght that he must have been
taken for dead and put in there to
wait for post mor,em examination,
or something Of that sort.
But this idea was too improbable
for him to entertain long; and there
was even les: probability that he had
been put there for joke.
Then he lighted .,ore matches. and
tried the door. Then he shouted for
help till he made himself hosrse; but
the echo OF his voice, ss it rssennded
through the pent sp resting place oi
the dead, was his only reply.
Now kar. vas n9t . person to br
alarmed Without good caass; 50, viii,
more composure than might be sup
posed, he SIT down on &C fin and took
account Of his chances. They were
not hattering. The place was close
aud noisome to the last degree; and
even if not sutfocated he might have
to stay there till be would be starved
or frozen 10 death.
lie had loaded revolver in his
coat pocket. He took it out, thinking
whether it would not be best to use il
and end his life. For even if he
should get out Of this horrible place
his fate, with his present habit. was
only question Of time. That bullet
would in one instant end it all.
"For q moment" so he afterward.
tod me, ''it was q toss-up which
should do-die then aud there, or live
on. if could, aud favor temptation O.
gain
Then there came better thoughts
lie thought Of his business; thought
of Whist he might make if it were moi
for his bad habits. He thought, too
of dear lady friend who had no,
quite lost faith in him and then, {
contrast, of what he was and where he
va. at that moment his life, too, and
his duty to other people as well rs tG
himself, came to his mind in new
lights. "Whst fool | have ben!
he said. "Worse than that, y weak,
ling and a coward!'
The result was that he put his pis
,ol in his pocket. and. in . better
frame Of mind, looked higher than hi.
own rash arm for aid.
IL had never prayed, nor been taught
TO pray" he said to me. but honestly
said aloud, that if God would give ms
one chance more | would try to be .
better man, and lead decent and
honorable life"
And the Great Father Of all, hear.
ing Burt Slater say these w"rds, knew
that he meant them.
Having done this, he sat b,ck and
waited his fate with certain fortitudr
and stoicisu. Morning csme. but nc
CHEEKY light found it's way into the
tomb where ne sat. The day dragged
on. Benumbed and faint, aud poison
ed by the unhealthy gases. Burt al
last fell aslrep-a sleep, perhaps. from
which he might never have walked on
earth.
Msantime C.lby at the D - House
was anxious about him. After dinner
that day. as Burt did not come back
he took Burt's hostler with him and
drove down to, l.. The watch
dog ut the stable, "OlI Besve," went
along with them.
They went to the boarding stable
where Burt had put up his horse
They found the animal still there and
learned what they could regarding
hlm.
The hcstler took Burt's driving
gloves out Of the carriage and threw
them down tn the dog, and then told
him to "find Burt"
Beave ran about the stable, then ur
to the hotel, and after awhile he rar
off along the D road.
Colby and the hostler followed al
fast as they could run, and saw th'
dog 60 into the cemetery. When the.
came up he was at the tomb snuffini
at the door.
ooh, come away from there, yo'