The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1891-10-31

hNtti bltu ny a NblID bSAAAAAN INN soy AAto
"Let me assist you"
Now, TO be found in a acemetery at mid
night trying TO put on your own shroud
is not pleasant position, so you can inn
agine how disagreeable the surprise was.
The one who spoke was Father Grim
bot, the guardian Of the place, an old
original. well known to all the surround
ing wincshops. He approached NJ. Math-
las, looking at him with a pleasant
smile.
"Howl is that you, NJ. Matthias, al
ready?n
NJ. Matthias, very much embarrassed,
tried TO distort his features, thinking a
sinister appearance would rid him of this
troublesome fellow But no, Grimbot
gave him q benevolent pat on the shoul-
der, dexterously arranging his shroud.
Il have just come from my tomb,
caid NJ. Matthias in a sepulchral voice.
"Ah, that is plainly TO be seen, inter-
rupted Grimbot; "but you are in a greater
hurry than the others.
NJ. Matthias never stopped to listen but
walked off with long strides on the tips
of his toes, like a phantom. Grimbot,
marching by his side, continued: ayes,
the others never came out so sOon-al-
ways waited month or two.
NJ. Matthias turned suddenly upon him,
waving his winding sheet in the air,
"Go, he cried in hollow voice; "leavo
me; this is sacrilege.
"There now, said Grimbot, becoming
fathcrly, II won't worry you; you only
want to take little promenade, like the
others.
NJ Matthias, very much annoyed, went
straight on, dsdaining to reply. Hesaw
the entrance to the cemetery just in front
of him Being a man of precautions, he
had some louis in his pocket "Say no
more, said he holding out the pieces Of
gold. "Give me the key"
Grimbot drew back a step. "The key
you want the key. Well, that is a fancy. I"
-Four guineas, groaned NJ. Matthias,
extending more gold.
Grimbot pushed aside the proffered
handful, and said:
You know, now that you are out Of
the chapel / will not oppose your taking
q little walk like the others.
"The others? What others2r
Grimbot made a sweeping gesture,
"The dead.
"The deadl What dead are you talk
ing Of? am living don't you see?"
Bless my soul, this is a good joke,
| but am Jolly fellow. Come and take
q glass with me-" His hand fell like
| pinchers on the wrist of NJ. Matthias He
dragged him to the little building where
he lodged, and pushed him into room
on the ground floor.
| NJ Matthias was actually dumfounded.
| GrimbOt closed the door, took a bottle
from the table, filed two glasses, and
holding one up said, your health, NJ.
Matthias.
Listen to me, my good man, You
love joke; that's all right. Only there's
time for all things. For personal
reasons allowed myself to be inferred
but now l want to go out. 1t is seri
Gus affair. l will pay you well; you
shall not lose by it"
Whilst he spoke, Grimbot turned away
from the table and placed his bach
against the door.
"You talk we'll" he sneered. "Ah
|
them talk like that before, you see.
love my people Every night one or two
of them come and take glass with me
Yesterday it was the notary Randall
you know him well, he is your neighbor
the one with the broken column on hi
grave. Day before yesterday it wa
Nine. Claudine, beautiful woman. All
am good fellow, allow them all t,
come out and take the air.
NJ. Matthias turned pale. Grimbot spok,
with such perfect sang froid, the firm
responsibility of a functionary not to be in
fluenced. He was a broad shouldered
thick set fellow, with the hands of
guerrilla, his eyes burning with a smold
ering fire. NJ. Matthias shuddered, Thi
man was evidently mad, filled witt
strange hallucinations. He believed hi
cemetery was peopled with returnet
spirits, and held high carnival with thos
phantom beings every night, He live
in fantastic world created by hi
: drunken Imagination, and actually con
founded the living with the dead.
: NJ. Matthias begged, prayed, protested
finally became coaxing How could tn
J intelligent Grimbot mistake him for
! dead man? 1t was absurd.
"Come, said Gambot in decided tone
Enough of this. Be reasonable and II
turn.
"Return where2"
"To your place in the angle of the thir
I division.
) "What; to my tomb2 Neverl"
D @You will not2 Well, we will see.
NJ. Matthias looked at those enormoJ
7 hands and shook with fright He eglance
s around, seeking some way of escape
5 only one, the door, and before it stoo
= Grimbot like a buttress. No matter,
must pass it, at any price. He made
s rush.
It Grimbot coolly stretched out his ope
4 hand and seized the throat of his a.
n gressor. NJ. Matthias, gasping and strul
!. Cling to be free, hung from the end {
o those sinewy arms, his legs dangling, h
/ body writhing In commissions. The clutC
of those enormous hands tightened-
, a gurgling, sinister sound-then all WI
Is still.
T. Grimbot, who had seen so many other
st threw him across his shoulders and ca
ried him with the firm and dignifed st'
I. of the faithful guardian to the chap'
4 cast him into the crypt, replaced q
10 stone with turn of his foot, then co
tinued his way across the tombs, mute
Is ing;
=. He will not come out of there aga
soon. Not if am here.
st And thus the charming widow OF
Is Matthias was able to marry the one s
IS had always loved.-[Translated from {
n French Of Jules Lermina by NJ. e. B.
- The Corooran Art Gallery, Of WashiI