Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1890-01-30
DEMOCRATIC NORTHWEST. THURSDAY, JANUARY 3O 1890

ly dropped bis extinguisher and ut
tered loud exclamation.
The cause of his surprise and af.
fright was a man lpaning against a
pillar, immovabIe. and so weak, so
suffering, that apparently he had not
strength enough to drag hun from the
church when tire last bell had tolle6 ;his
/ dry and sunken eyes were fixed on the
face of the sexton, and his right han1
supported his aching brow.
'Bopntiful providence, ls 1t ghostF
said Maitre Arnoux, the sexton; and
as he pronounced these words he let
his lantern shine full upon the stran-
ger.
What are you doing here, sir?'
said he, when he found he had to deal,
not with ghost, but with young
and handsome man. The church is
Closed
The person to whom the words
were addressed, answered only by q
ha,f suppressed groan; his limbs gave
way, and he fell on the pavement.
May my good saint, St. Anthony,
help me- exclaimed Maitre Arnoux;
what am | to do with this man! !
verify believe he is half dead
As he uttered these words, he shook
HIM violently by the sleeve; and filling
his hands with holy water, bathed
his temples. The young man opened
his eyes.
4 am very weak indeed said he, in
low and falteriug voice. My suffer
ings have overwhelmed me. =
Have you no cordial, good mani?
Il have but one, replied the sexton,
which is excellent for recalling one to
sense-good wine
yes, think little wine might re-
store me-
We'll, then, ny friend; you must
crawl up to my cell; for it would be
offending the saints to drink here
Assisted by Arnoux, the young
man reached little door that opened
into the church, and. having assembled
winding staircase, found himself in
the rooms of the SEXTON, who lmme-
diately poured out some wine for him.
We'll, friend do you feel better
now?
Much, much better, replied Eudor,
while his companion emptied a large
glass.
True Burgundy exclaimed Ar
noux, striking the table with the cup
he had just emptied.
The cups were again filled; but one
merely raised it to his lips, while the
other thew himself back, and scrup
ulously swallowed the last drop of
the nectar.
His excellency the archedeacon
does not drink any to compare to it,
exclaimed the sexton in his bacchana-
liam enthusiasm; 4 will tell you the
whole story
Eudor listened with imperturbable
sangfroid to all the stories of his com.
panion, which became more and more
obscure after every cupful. The enor-
nous face of the sexton shown with a
color of the brightest red; his eyes
wandered; he smiled stupidity. At
last, after enptying his cup for the
thirteenth time fatal number) the
joyous drinker burst into loud fit of
laughter, threw back his head and
stretched his cramped legs. This mo-
tion was too rapid; his feet slipped on
the floor and he fell fiat.
The doctor Immediately sprang on
him, as a dog on the wild boar just
wounded by the hunters ball; quickly |
and silently he drew from the sections
belt bunch of keys, seized his LAM
tern, cleared with one jump the wind
ing staircase aud found himself in the
church.
The door opened; Eador was in the
damp repository of the dead. Amidst |
all the splendid monuments there was
one place where the earth had been
newly turned up and wreath of
flowers thrown over it. That was it. |
Eudor pushed aside the wreath and |
dug away at the last resting place
The coffin appeared; the lid was brok-
en-, and once more he contemplated |
his victim.
At this instant the clock struck; the
doctor counted the slowly proceeding
strokes with terror-he counted ten.
well 'Opportunum post duodecin |
horas momentum permanebit.' There
is still plenty of time"
Having pronounced these mysteri-
Gus words he raised the corps as care
fully as if it had been sleeping wo-
man he was afraid of disturbing, and |
laid it on his cloak. The coffin was
empty, but when the monument would
be finished they would find it lighted
of its contents, and what might then
be suspected
The grave must be filed. The cof-
fin must have its weight Eudor
threw in it the statue of saint worm
eaten and abandoned, and carefully
mailing it up once more, placed it un.
der ground.
Eudor then bent over the body of
the countess, and after an anxious ex-
animation raised it in his arms and
loet A. oL,, ohx,ovJ and ont of tho