The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1890-01-24
/ v

"When / became conscious
found myself lying on my bed al
home, surrounded by members o.
my family. The family physician
was feeling my pulse. My face
must have worn an inquiring look
for he said, soothingly:
''YOu must remain here quietly
awhile. You have been very ILL.,
II is two weeks since you were
placed upon this bed.'
"Where is she p asked.
'"She 2 WhoY
"Alice! My lovely Alice
Where is she 2"
"The physician turned to the by.
ISLANDERS, and struggling his shoul-
ders, tapped his forehead with one
of his fingers.
Wretches !" l cried, raising my
self in bed, "you know not what
you have done. You have left her
alive in the tomb. / saw her hand
move just before | clasped her to
my breast. No power In the world
can hold me back now. | will
open the portal OF that tomb or die
in the effort ~
The bystanders looked at The
physician.
1.-The exertion may be fatal TO
Mr.. Benoni, he said. Con the 9th
er hand this excitement surely will
be. Besides, you tell me in the
tumult attending his removal from
the coffin the lid was not closed.
That can be done, and Mr.. Benoni
at the same lime become satisfied
that his imagination has played
him false. 1t may have a whole
some effect upon him. was asked
in an undertone.
"To get in readiness to start to
enter a carriage, drive through the
town and into the cemetery, occu-
pied barely an hour. Yet, when
we drew up in front of the tomb, it
seemed to me as if years had elaps.
ed. What wild lancles whlrled
through my brain during that
drive-my beautiful Alice rising in
her coffin; stretching out her arms
into the awful darkness of the
tomb and piteously calling my
name ; calling it still as she gropes
her way along the damp walls TO
the portal ; shneking with despair
as she finds it closed; tearing her
flesh from her fingers in her frantic
efforts to loose the iron lock and
free herself; cropping her way once
more along the damp walls only to
find herself once more at the un-
yielding portal mad with famine,
beating her head against the cruel
iron; in the agony of insanity
tearing out handfuls of her raven
hair; in the last desperation of
madness grasplng the lock again
and falling with a moan lifeless
against the portal Do you won
der that beads of perspiration were
on my brow when we reached the |
Lombg | snatched the large key |
from the hand of one of my rela- |
lives who had accompanied me,
turned it in the lock and pushed |
back The portal. 1t opened slowly |
'or a few inches. Then something
mpeded 1t. Almost frantic, | call
ed upon those who had come with
ne 10 summon all their strength.
With a great effort we made the
portal yield enough to admit me.
rushed through the opening.
When barely IN the tomb | STUN
,led AMI fell. AS | fell l clutched
bout me and felt one hand close
lp0n an arm. The others had fol-
owed me. They dragged me out,
ny hand still clutching that arm.
What was it they drew out after
ne Z Alice 2 Oh horror Let me not
all that hideOus, distorted vision
# her by that name Villains
shrieked, as | gazed upon her
acerated, bleeding form, you are
Ter murderers-yOu who dragged
ne from her side and closed the
'ortal OF tomb upon her."