The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1886-06-30

tangled underground. No costly shaft
rears its head over the humble tomb, and
the wild flowers scatter their petals
above the senseless dust as a sole memo
rial of the clay long since mingled with
its mother earth. In this lonely ravine lies
buried a gigantic negro, who, in his life,
measured almost seven feet in the air. Many
years ago, yet within the recollection of sew
eral men now in the prime of life, this ne
gro, who was noted along the river for his
size and strength, laid down the shovel and
the hoe for the last time, and was laid to rest
among his ancestors, in small cemetery de-
voted to the exclusive use of the sable popu-
lation, which was sparsely settled along the
river earning precarious living.
Zone dark night mysterious lights we're
seen moving about the graveyard, and sew
eral cOl0red men, belated and trudging
through the darkness, averred to their diving
day that the spirits of ebony angels were
holding high carnival in the cemetery. The
burden of proof was cheerfully carried by
these men, and the legend of that nights
reveling is to-day enrolled among the tradI-
tions of the colored race of the Yough re-
gion. The lights were certainly in the ceme-
terry, and four men, MASKED and ar
tistically arrayed for presenting as
horrible appearance as possible to
any interlopers, with pick and shovel soon
had the lanterns rays shining upon the lid
of the coffin which inclosed the big darkey.
The huge CORPSE was taken from its quiet
little house, hoisted into the starlight and
then hurried into wagon, while the grave
was reflled and rounded so nicely that there
were no visible signs of the nocturnal visit.
The body was taken to a house near the
river bank and hidden there in the cellar.
The body.snatchers were Mortified
next morning to find that there
were very fragrant evidences of their
guilt in the air. It was the first
experience of these neophytes in the bust
ness, and at private symposium held this
afternoon, they decided that a safe deliver
ance out Of present difficulties would be am-
pie reward for the taking of total absti-
nence pledge from such work forever after.
The darkey was buried deeply in the cellar
that night and the greater the amount of the
earth piled above him the more mephitic be-
came the atmosphere. On the Sunday fol-
lowing, the country side went to a great
camp meeting, which was an event
to which every one looked forward
with happy anticipations. The arch con-
spirators saw their friends and neighbors
leave and then seized their veritabe black
elephant and put him him in great kettle
to secure the magnificent skeleton by boil
ing the flesh from the bones. The kettle
was too small or the coon was too large, and
for four or five hours the young students
were in an agony Of fear aud desperation.
ElDdIly Ihey Aouno the TASK TOO great Ior
their limited resources. The atmosphere
for half mile around the latest style
of a witches caldron took an aroma
of glue factory tint, and a
council Of war it was decided
to replant the remains in the secluded spot
have described. Not until the last spade
full of ground was thrown upon the par
boiled darkey and all the traces obliterated,
did the body. snatchers feel free to draw an
easy breath, From that day until this the
darkey has rested undisturbed, and the
ripping waters of the river roll and glitter
in the sunlight, the thrush whistles in the
thicket and the lone tomb is left to the
companionship of nature, with no fear OF
further disturbance"