The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1888-09-06

on that. hoped for the best aud lay
quiet. | was badly cramped in my
strange resting place, but fell asleep in
spite Of it all. was aroused by hear
ing some one enter aud close the door
after him. | opened my eyes. Who
ever II was had brought q lantern. A.
quietly as ] could slipped my hand to
my back and unlOoscned my pistol. III
j had to die ! determined to make o
fight for it. Scarcely daring to breathe
| waited. The steps approached closer.
The next moment | heard hands fun
bling on the lid and it was lifted up. At
the same instant sprang up and leveled
my pistol at the intruder This was an
old gray.headcd darkey. In lifting the
lid he held it between himself and me
and did not see me. He leaned it
against the wall and turned to come
back. AS he did 80 he caught a glimpse
of me. His lower jaw fell and his eyes
rolled wildly in his head rs he stared. |
said not a word. but pointed the pistol
at his head lie seemed struck with
paralysis. His legs shook and tottcred
and a. last gave way and he fell on his
knees. Ills hands wcnt up in a snppli-
eating manner and his lips moved as II
he was trying to say something. Evi-
IDENTIFY he took me for n ghost. As |
wasn't one yet, and didn't intend to be
if could help it, said. 'Old man, you
see this pistol
"lIe could only nod.
"'Well, | went on. it is loaded to
the mulzlc, aud every bullet in it will
go into you if you make noise above a
whisper
"This wasN practical sort of talk that
he understood and convinced him that
was real flesh and blood.
"'Belo' tod, Boss. / amt gwinc to
breathe hard
"As he spoke noticed n spade aud
other tools he had brought with him. 4
sudden idea flashed through my brain.
1t was desperate one, but ! was in a
desperate fix and could not pick and
choose ] took out of my pOcketbook a
tcn.doliar bill. | held this in my left
hand and my pistol in my right.
You see the'cF asked, as | held
them before the terrified negro.
"'lc., boss
self you do just as tell you the
money is yours; il YOU don't. the pistol
is and put it an inch nearer his head
a, spoke.
ale cooke his head quickly TO one
side and sworc he would obey me
told him to get up and answer my qucs
tious.
"Whcn is this man to be buricdr ]
asked.
"'Dis cbenin, boss. Use made his
grave aud was gwine to put him in his
colin when | see YOU.
"After few more questions | found
the grave was little ways out of the
lines at well known burying- place, and
burial was to take place at q T.. NJ. II
was now near 3. had very little time
to lose.
"Takc your spade and dig grave in
that corner as fast "a you can.
"rhe negro seized his spele and
worked like lightning. In few minutes
he had followed out hole large enough
for my purpose. Then together we laid
the dead soldier in his shallow grave, the
negro doing all had told him in terri.
fed anna cment. After he had thrown
back the earth and iattcncl it | scat
tered straw arouud the spot, so that no
signs OF the digging would be ob.erva.
wv ilN liloA 'AAA VI w AlNN was AblNs
The last and worst was yet to come.
took the lid and put it on the colin. II
fitted flush, with no overlapping edge.
This is what ] wanted. | took glmlct
from among the tools, and IN the head
Of the lid as nearly as | could iud q
abo where mans mouth would be,
bored half dozen small holes. In the
dark pine box they were not noticeable.
Them ! took some nails and broke them
in half-ail except two. These two |
nailed in the llI about one third the
length from the top. worked fast, for
cycry moment was of valnc. The ncgr.
watched me meanwhile with open
eyes, and | am sure thought
me lunat.c. My nest rcmars
convinced him Of It, i am going to gel
in that co1in,' said, and want you tC
nail me down 'lc,, sab. with pleasure
and he griuucd and looked happy for tn,
first tine. This was way OF getting
rid OF m VIII ch he Il ghly approved OF.
wrote few line, on piece OF tl,,u,
paper to my Captain, telling MIN of til.
fix | was in. ! added that had i'm
portant news 20 tell him. put this il
because ! knew it would make him tax,
Ilolt lloUblt 10 save INC, lltut II CbIll
OF this and took out some sill, thread
Both of these things had brought t,
use with the carrier pigeons. gave
them to the colorcd man and described t
him how 10 fasten the paper around eacl
birds leg and then to let them loose.
had to tell him three times before Ia
showed any sign Of understanding me
and even then it was doubtful, but
90 Id lose no more time. | drew m
pistol once more, and, pointing it ut hi
head, told him tnat if hc failed to obel
me or said u word about me | would xii
him. If am killed, added, Il vii
haunt you till YOU die This threat
believe had as much terror in it as IN
pistol. Then got in the coffin and tol'
him to nail down the lid The half nail
had broken he had used all around tn
lid They were too short to catch any
, hold, and merely made a show. Tn
two real nails caught but light hold
(, for had made holes for them to fit i
with n gmlet. My idea was, if not res
cued, to force the lid, and in tie terro
which would accompany my sudden res
direction to escape. was never u nery
; Gus man, but tell you when heard tina
! negro hammering on the coffin lid m