Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1888-02-24


pride / kept aloof from every one as
much as possible. leaving things to
work themselves out as they might
1t was not until the day of the we'd
ding arrived that l seemed to awake
from this comatose condition; then /
grew suddenly desperate and seemed to
realize that a brutal sacrifice was going
to be enacted before my very eyes, for,
despite her acquiescence in her father
wishes, knew that Edith Norris loved
me as she could love no other
To drown these feelings / turned to
| that most common antidote, drink.
But instead of calming or benumbing
my feelings on this occasion the spirits
only seemed to increase my frenzy, and
when the bridal party started for the
little frame church l was prepared to
commit any outrageous act. Walking
directly into the place in the rear OF
the bridal party | took my place un-
observed among the spectators. The
pastor had barely commenced the cere-
mony when l stepped boldly up to the
rail and made mild protest against the
proceedings.
Edith, trembling with fright, seized
the arm OF her intended husband, who,
with supercilious smile on his face,
| seemed to view my interference with the
utmost indifference. This ironical treat.
ment infuriated me. Already several OF
the men present were preparing to forci.
bly, eject me from the place at the insti.
| cation of Norris.
In an instant my two hands held two
revolvers and had ordered all hands
down.
At this instant Edith fell fainting in
one of the bystanderS' arms and / re-
placed my pistols and walked out of the
place.
An hour aftcrward l learned that !
had murdered the woman Iloved. What
had been mistaken for a mere fainting
tit proved to have been paralysis of the
heart.
Sundry threats of vengeance reached
my ears, but as was callous to them,
suppose, nothing happened.
Three days afterwards, Edith was laid
away in the quiet burying ground of
Ladwers Landing.
The night following that day I did
"hdb lOI JilO ltbSb lCW NdNS L JiuNl uOG
done, owing to nervous excitement; |
slept.
Perhaps an hour had elapsed when |
commenced to dream. My sensations
were such as to defy description. 1 was
in some charnel house of the dead. Cof-
fins were ranged in grim order all around
me. Some strange instinct guided me to
l-ppIE hoc;1o ,r,hn,, III,
heard cry answering to my own lament
alton. In an instant the thin deal shell
was severed by my ready knife and into
my arms, clad in the sad trappings OF the
grave, fell my lost love, Edith.
Awaking from this strange dream l
looked around me. A feverish perspira-
ti0n stood upon my forehead. A strange
fancy excited my brain. Looking at my
watch noticed that it was only eleven
O'Clock. Dragging on my clothes me
chanically, / went down stairs to Lad
wells room. The doctor was in and
busy smoking aud reading the paper.
He looked at me as l entered the room,
and then continued reading his paper.
caldwell" " said I, 'did you ever au-
thenticate case of ante -mortem burial9"
81 can't say that have personally
but there have been plenty of instances
recorded. remember reading of one in
a medical journal month or two ago.
The body of a young lady who had died
of forget what now-was taken up for
the purpose of re-interment in another
place. For some reason or other the
coffin was opened, and from abrasions on
the arms and the marks of finger nails on
the lid it was assumed that the unfor-
tunate girl had been buried alive, an
swered Ladwell.
then related my dream to Ladwell, lslt
he refused to belie;e it TO be otherw Use
than the result of disorganized physical
state, so reluctantly obeyed his injrnc.
tion to get to bed again as speedily as
possible.
Sleep had scarcely again sealed my eyes
before the same strange phantom re-
turned, and | awoke more startled than
ever.
There must have been a look of intense
alarm ON my face as | confronted Ladwell
the second time.
He was still busy with the paper, but
he turned from it to listen to me with a
conspicuous eagerness.
had only to repeat the repetition o.
my dream.
II have been thinking since you left
me that Edith was at one time given tt
fainting spells when she was younger,
said the doctor, thoughtfully.
II feel an irresistible impulse govern
ing me, and shall not rest until | an
satisfied that Edith Norris is really
dead, p" | replied.
''But what do you propose to dor
asked Ladwel.
81 shall go direct to her grave, exhumC
her, and endeavor to restore animation
unless there are unmistakable proofs o
her DEATH" replied
"Impossiblc, impossible. You would
be lynchCd in an instant if discovered, an(
probably should be implicated.
| "Ladweii, for Gods sake think wha
an awful fate it would be for that angc
if my dream were true. appeal to yo,
to help me, Til go through anything fo
you if you do," l said.
knew Ladwell was soft hearted ant
would yield, so few minutes later ou
plans were laid.
"Remember, if we're caught our live
aren't worth fig, for nobody will be
lieve we are anything but pure and sim
pie body snatchers," said Ladwell.
'Tll do as much for you if survive it,
Ladwell, " | said.
A few moments later Ladwell's so
ciable went rattling up the street AS if hi
call were rather a serious one, and no
ticed that it was just past midnight.
A few seconds later l emerged from
the office door and followed it stealthiI,
up the street, looking as ! went to dis
cover if any one else was about
The night was dark, fortunately, anC
no sign of any one else was visible as