The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-09-12
AN OPEN TOMB.
Town Of Scituate's Curious
Relic Of Past Funerals,
And the Queer Freak Of Hermit Who
Plays Tricks With Human Bones.

G bull belonging TO by-
II Mn ron Young OF john
EteH MN ston, broke away and
lfp~ CO., ran wild over the
NJ - ~ tSsassS/ town line into Scit-
uate, closely pursued
by its owner TO a littie knoll by
the side OF the Middle Pike where
the bull broke through a roof Of
crumbling masonry and when Mr.. Young
looked through the hole he saw
his animal lying dead in the midst OF
broken collins and scattered bones, suifo-
Gated by the various gases that had been
nccumulating since the last member OF
the family had been laid 10 rest. The
hull was got out with derrick, his hide
used for blacksmiths aprons and his
horns for powder, but the tomb was
never repaired, and ever since has been
one OF the curiosities OF Scituate.
II was an old family tomb, used in the
DAYS before Scituate people knew what
plumed hearses and niclsle plated caskets
were and years ago, when the last Of the
family had been placed inside, the place
was sealed up and after three seasons
growth Of meadow gress it looked like an
ordinary hillock and was forgotten until
the loose stones caved in under the weight
OF the runaway bull from the adjoining
township.
Since then there have been enough
legends and stories handed down from
the graDdmothers who can just remem-
ber the family that went into the tomb
and shut the door after It, 70 make history
for ali the four corner burial lots on the
three pickets and the cross roads. The
principal story and the eavorite winter
night tale for the good people of Saun-
dersville ho live within mile of the
e. ID is about the first occupant, young
girl, who was put IN the tomb tho latter
part of the last century. She was
engaged at the time OF her death
and the bereaved lover wanted the en-
gagement ring which had been buried
with her, either for keepsake or another
girl. AT any rate he went TO the tomb, at
midnight, according TO the story, TO
take back what he had given and found
the third finger or the lett hand so
swollen that the ring would not come
off so he cut the finger. The blood flowed
and the thief in the night was confronted
by his afiianced sitting bolt upright in
her coffin, too thoroughly dazed, 1t is
said, to notice at the time that she had
lost finger. Her lover droppcdthe finger,
rushed through the mouth of the tomb
and was never seen afterward, while the
yonng lady followed more leisurely and
went to her astonished family. She really
died seven years later, an old maid, was
put into the tomb a second time and has
been there ever since. That is an old
story and has been told of a good many
graveyards, but the Scituate people have
some evidence in their case. one old lady
IL 4.
clinging TO its roots preserved in a bot
tie of alcohol, and among the bones in the
tomb is the skeleton OF a small left hand
with the third finger gone. But for that
matter there are lots of partial ana
tomica, specimens in the dilapidated
crypt. The two shelves which were
once placed at the back end OF
of he tomb to hold the remains have both
broken down at one end where the tim
ber has become powdery and the two
rows of hard pine coffins have partially
slipped off, making a confused tumble of
sides and ends, ribs and spinal columns on
the floor. There is but one whole skele-
ton left, and that is sitting bolt upright,
viewing the undignified wreck OF the rest
Of the family. This is supposed TO be the
trunk OF the young woman who was en-
preservation suggests the only romance
now connected with this ancient receiving |
vAult.
Like all other old-fashioned townships |
scituate has it's hermit. He lives in pig |
sty, unlovely and unloved, and never cuts
his hair, but that there is tender spot in /
heart of Charles Mattison, tho hermit, Is |
proved by the action he has taken for |
the last dozen years in regard TO /
the occupants OF that tomb, ever since
Byron Young's bull brosght it to public
notice. The man of solitude felt a SYM
pathy for the neglected bones, especially
for those OF the victim of the premature
burial, because he knew her story, and
every day throughout the growing season
when blossom Is obtainsble he takes q
bunch OF wild flowers To the tomb and |
places them side of the young lady. He
begins with the May flowers and dande-
lions of early spring and does not miss
day until after the golden rod is gone
by. In the winter he makes it