Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1894-04-21
HIS UNCLE'S GHOST.

In my student days took special do
light In the study Of anatomy. So much
attached was 10 this branch Of my pro
fessional studies, and so much did pride
myself upon making nice dissections that
was frequently employed by our profess
or Of anatomy TO prepare the subjects FOR
his morning lectures, and In order TO have
them In readiness 10 sometimes became
necessary for me to continue my labors to
late hour.
One night I was thus engaged. TO
member I had TO dissect and lay bare a
particular nerve-and II required eau
tious and skillful handling OF the scalpel,
which detained me in the hall till latt
hour
Hour after hour was counted of by the
city hall clock, and yet my task remained
uncompleted. AT length, after midnight,
/ completed my dissection, and carefully
returning the soft integuments TO their
natural position rose from my stool, and
drawing off my long black gown spread
IL over the table completely hiding from
view the body ON which 1 had been en-
gagged
Scarcely had / finished this last duty OF
the &light and was about TO leave the hall
when was startled by a sudden gust OF
wintry wind. The next moment n shower
of sleet and rain fell heavily upon the roof,
warning me that "a wild storm was sweep
ing over the city.
fairly trembled at the thought of ven-
turing out In the cold night, without um-
brella or overcoat as / was, In the direc-
ton of my distant boarding house. Draw
ing therefore a cigar from my pocket and
seating myself In the chair the janitor had
been occupying, i concluded TO make my
self as comfortable as circumstances would
admit till the storm had subsidized.
had been some time enjoying my cigar
and listening complacentN TO the storm
without, when examined my watch.
Almost ] o'clock" said 1 To myself
aloud.
Almost l o'clockl' was repeated in a
voice thought not altogether unfamiliar
"Why, John, you work late tonight"
Was that voice only the echo of my own
thoughts, or was some person really con
cealed In the roomf
Neither In the hall or I'm the little ante
room could any one be concealed and re-
turned TO my seat and my cigar, convinced
that the words must have proceeded from
my own lips
You are never alone here, John" said
the same voice In a plaintive tone. 1.-THE
dead arc always herer'
was not in the least alarmed at the
voice, but peered earnestly into every cor
ner of the room where any one might pos
sibly be secreted.
Presently / noticed a rustling Of the
dissecting robe / had spread over my
nights work.
Then 'ghastly face looked out from un-
der IL; then a hand appeared; then foot
and finally the body, sitting upright upon
the table, adjusted the dress about itself,
and slipping to the floor stood upon its
feet, tall, commanding figure.
Then, turning its leaden eyes with a
fixed stare upon me, IL moved totteringly
toward the vacant chair by my side and
seated itself in 10. AS 10 gathered its feet
up upon the stone hearth in imitation Of
my own position, 1t placed one Of its cold
hands upon me-
John, don't you remember mei" said
this strange apparition.
Remember your mol never saw you
till you were brought here from tho city
hospital yesterday"
"Ah, am glad Of It'll thought so my
self all the time, for I'm sure, my boy, had
JOu ItoOkhaNtd ihc 1ou NOhlu hOb UdNO ~
cruelty lacerated my poor body with them
odd looking knives yonder."
Ibogan 10 gather courage and answered:
Pm sure would not have done what
have II had beon aware that IL would
have given you any uneasiness. l thought
the dead were lost to all earthly sensa-
tions But who are your
who am ~ I'll tell you. I'm your
uanthnrie hHAthnV- RsnOla ~
Il never had but one uncle, replied,
"and his body, I'm sure lies quietly in
the old home churchyard, where myself
saw it deposited years ago-whon was a
boy"
"I tell you, John, you never saw your
uncle buriedl 1t was a stranger, a seafar-
ing man, who came TO your fathers house
and died. He had boon for years my ship
mate, and being on shore and sick and
having no home to go to passed himself
of upon you. all for me, his old friend, Of
whom he had heard the whole history OF
your family.
See here, John, do you remember the
time when you gave me thisS" and the ap-
partition, laying bare his right arm, expos
ed to my view a rough, ugly scar
It was precisely such scar as remem-
Der my uncle John had received from a
Fourth Of July pistol, with which I had
accidentally wounded him. Boylike, 1 had
loaded the weapon, which was a present
from him, TO the muzzle with a handful
Of small, peculiar shaped buttons upon the
powder. These It was which had SO severe
ly laoerated his arm.
"Now, my boy, II 1 have satisfied you
that am indeed your uncle, 1 have a re-
quest to make Of you. VIII you see this
body Of mine deoently buriedf"
l turned TO reply to this not unnatural
request but the chair by my side was va
cant, and my uncle, II indeed it was his
body / had been working at 50 Indifferent
ly all night, lay precisely as had left him
upon the table, with the dissecting gown
still covering his proportions.
OF one thing 1 am certain-I had been
dissecting my uncle, for the next morning,
when the professor was demonstrating
what he was pleased to call my 'most
skillful tracing of this beautiful nerve" I"
he ohanced TO draw the blade of his scalpel
across the little tumor, to which the appa-
rition had directed my attention, when, be-
hold, out dropped one Of those identical,
curiOuslv shanad buttona with which my