The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1888-07-20
ANUNDERTAKER'STALE

y hen have been telling this experience
OF mine, 1 coy;ld detect certain Indications
that some OF my hearers were .of that
opinion: but / have not yet so lar failed
in charity rs TO wish any of these scofers
put to 4 similar test.
had run over TO Paris, had spent n
couple Of weeks in that bright city, and
was on my way homo again I took a
night train from Dover to London, andin
the cornpartm ment which occupied there
was but one other passenger-a sharp,
Intelligent looking man, with a very
grave face.
We got into conversation after travel
ling more than half the distance in that
silence which is invariably adopted by
Englishmen when they meet. After dis
cussinE general subjects, a remark OF my
comp:. MONS led me TO say that he seemed
TO have had II very wide experience, and
among nearly all classes OF society
yes he answered slowly, and with a
marked hesitation Yes, l am an un-
dertaker I have had a good deal of ex-
perience, and / have had my share, l
think. of remarkable adventures. L
never take this ride from Dover to Lon
don without very painful recollection OF
one such"
We had still nearly a half-hour's ride
before Us, ana MS AlsALllcif oS AAOS4A % LID
words, reused my interest. -
''Do you care TO tell it;'' ] asked
A quick. involuntary shudder gave TO
his voice a slight tremor, as he answered,
81 wish could keep from thinking of it,
but l might as well tell it as 10 sit here
ouakingin silence over the awful memory
OF it''
He paused a moment, drew long shud-
dering breath, and then he began:
"A little over year ago what I am
about To relate happened TO me. / had
established very good business, chiefly
among the upper class of tradespeoPle-
though, of course, did not decline any
call upon me that promised reasonable
profit.
II received one day a telegraphic di-
spatch from Paris, asking me TO take
charge OF = dead body that was to be sent
from PARIS To London for burial. i was
to meet it AT Dover on the arrival OF the
night boat from Calais, and make all the
arrangements for its further transporta-
tion by rail, and l was referred TO we'll
known banker as security for my sx-
penses-
This looked like good business, so
lost no t.j..e IN getting the necessary per-
mits and went TO Dover in the evening. j
had some details TO attend 70 there IN or
der that every hing might be in readiness
and no time lost after the boat arrived
Then had nothing TO do but wait. Isat
up reading TO keep myself awake.
1T was a beautiful, still night, in the
late fall, with an almost full moon, l re-
member; and the boat got in 70 time. /
rece.-cd the box containing the body, and
saw il placed IN one Of the luCgage-vans
Of the train: and in due course arrived
wirL j. ~ Victoria station
sO.p Of NV wagons was there, wait
ing 20 take the body to my place, whers
/ Va instructed 10 keep it Until the
next morning, when the proper parties
would cell ID make arrange laents about
tbs bcrial.
so lar, Of course, there was nothing
specially remarkable about the affair. &C
Is li;tlc unusual in such cases not TO fad
some one connected with the deceased ac-
company the body; but l hardly gave
that matter second thought. 1 had no
doubt but what the right persons would
appear later in the day.
"Whcn got 10 my shop, ii still lacked
two hours OF daylight, and, rs / felt 10
slight responsibility, j didn't think of 90
ing home, hut made myself rs comforta-
bic as possible IN my Office for the rest Of
the night
'You must bear in mind that ali the
sleep had secured was broken, uneasy
slumber on the journey from Dover to
London and when ] went 20 sleep in my
chair, after stirring the fire inro blaze,
slept very soundly-very soundly, that
Is, for awhile, for it WAS still DIRK when l
woke mp in IA sudden and startling way.
"Havo you ever wondered" the under
takcr asked, turning his eyes fun upon
mine for tho first time since he had begun
his story. ''N5Iat mysterious influence
that is which makes you feel another
presence in the same room as yourself
though yOu hear no one and see no oney
lisa queer feeling any time, but l don't
know Of any occasion when it can seem
more queer and awful than when it comes
TO a man locked mp in the dead Of night
with nothing but black plumes ana grave
clothes a I'd pals and collins about him"
He turned his eyes to the floor again,
and 4 cold tremor crcpt through my own
flesh in the brief and ominous pause he
made before he went on in a lower voice:
..That was the feeling / had when I
suddenly woke from sound sleep to full
consciousness with n chilling shudder of
horror.
II was sitting before the firerlace, with
nv back 70 the door that led from the
office 70 the shop | had purposely left
tkedoor ajar- Tire fire had died down to
a dull glow, ana il seemed 10 me that a
breath from che Arctic zone had pene-
trated the room. / cannot describe the
kind OF cold it was My very bones
seemed to be ice And then / felt that
p-eseace."
The undertaken seemed terribly af-
fected, even now, by his recollectiOns of
that night Ii was impossible TO resist
the infection, and my own flesh was
creeping IL. n very uncomfortable way.
He made . strong effort TO recover him
self aud to steady his voice, but, in spite
OF all, it trenlbled with an ever-decpen-
ing terror ~ he went on, curdling my
very blood in sympathy-
81 had turned the gas out when sat
down in my chair to sleep, so that the
only light in the room came from TIE dy-
ing fire. / became aware Of that pres
cnce tho very instant / awoke-
Mind, sir, this is not : dream. / was
a. fully awake rs | am Mt this moment.
Tire thing was therct II was at the back
of me. IL WIS between me ana the door
had got to turn my head to see If. But
i knew il was therel W no 10 was or what
it was didn't know; bat 4 was sure that
some living thing was standing behind
me motionleSs in the dim, ghostlT light,
and was looking At me.
My God, siri it was awful TO sit still
and feel this thing, and try 70 make up
my mind TO turn my head toward it! l
am pretty well accustomed to corPSes.
but can tell yOu that did not fcel just
then that tho corpse out in the other
room was any company for me.
We'll, there / sat--feeling that korTi-
- s,,f
ehce, and the death-iINe cold creeping
through my veins-s5riv.ng, struggling
TO nerve myself TO look around and 20
lace the thing, whatever il was.
Were You ever locked up in = tomb ut
nlgAt2n The mnderl- kar sLihaeni.- asEnh