The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1896-06-13

the sWlftest runner, the boldest ad-
Vcnturer. the most stubborn fighter.
a dozen Indian fanalies came to
pass the summer on the strand, ten
minutes walk from the village. They
were a subject of great curiosity to
u.s. Dut we always took the prccaution
10 Keep at a safe distance. One day,
as PROOF OF my bravery, l announced
TO my admlring comrades my inten-
tlon' not only to approach, the ..a1np
to enter m of the wigwams. 1
returned in safety with Il how and
arrows which had cost me the i'm
mense SUN Of 2 cents. This exploit
covered me with glory and | was
looked uron with mingled awe and
respect. give these details, for it
was this love of adventure, this de-
sire to eclipse others III bravery and
daring that caused me to pass eight
years Of my youth between life and
death, without a ray of reason, and
what is the lasting renlorse of my life
to lose my mother, whose only child
l was"
AT this point in his story the nara
tor suddenly paused, lighted another
cigar and began to smoke like a vol
cano. 1t was evident the man wished
to conceal his emotion. Soon he vent
on with his story.
at st. Joseph's the cemetery is at
tached to the church. One side of the
inclosure was bordered by a we'll
turfed lawn, planted here and there
with trees, and with stones surmount-
ed by iron rings, where the country
people tied their horses on Sunday.
This was our playground, our battle
field.
I'm the eastern part of the cemetery
a long, deep ditch was being dug, and
although no interments were known
to have been made there, the work.
men often discovered human bones,
sometimes entire skeletons, which they
scattered here and there in the high
grass Of the cemetery. 1t was in this
place they found the famous cage of
C%orriveau."
Gage of Corriveau?" asked one.
"What was that"
"a frightful thing, gentlemen; a
sad testimony of the barbarity of a
former age-an- eloquent relic Of n
Of those terrible dramas which pass
in the form of a legend into the history
of q people. 1t was an iron cage
built in the form of a woman, and in
which the corpse of Corriveau,. exc
| cuted for the murder of her two hus-
bands, remained for a long time, ex-
posed to the view of passersby, sus-
pended near the fork Of the roads
between the village of Blenville and
the church of st. Joseph. This cage
was buried, with its contents, outside
the cemetery, where the unknown and
criminals were generally inferred. The
cemetery, years after, was enlarged
on that side, which accounts for the
discovery of the skeletons and the
horrible machine. Thanks to these
circumstances, those who wandered
in the cemetery ran the risk of stumb-
ling over some bleached tibia, OF slip
ing on some human skull hidden In
the clover and tall grass. This was
a source Of great terror to u little
band. One evening, as usual before
separating for the night, we discussed
plans for amusement for the follow
ing day. The talk drifted to ghosts
and spirits. Each had a tale Of horror
to tell. At least I declared my I'm.
belief, stoutly affirming all these
stories were invented to brighten
timid children; that ghosts existed
only in the imagination of the ignor-
ant, and that the dead could not re-
turn.
""The dead lev come back" said
one Of my comrades named Magloire.
Then why should you be afraid to
cross the graveyard nowY
ITO cross the cemetery at this hour
in the evening! These words had a
magical effect. At the very idea Of
going among the tombs in the twilight
our little group trembled and each of
us i~nstinctively moved farther from
the wall against which we were lean
ing. -
""That's q lie,' said Magloire. You,
who are not afraid of ghosts, in spite
of your brave. words, dare not lie for
one moment on that grave down there;
in front of the big wooden cross.''
'"This proposition was not very at
tractive to me. I was fond Of boast
ing but thus to brave Death, at this
hour. in his own domain caused a
certain uneasiness very natural at my
age. The skulls I had e e among the
daisies came to my mind, and q cold
sweat crept down. my back. I did not
answer.
"'He is afraid sneered Magloire.
".He dare not co. they all cried.
Denial was urgent. I must pick
up the glove or lose my reputation for
bravery and daring. 4 will co. 1 said
simply. And with a bound I was on
the wall. Just as 1 was going to leap
into the cemetery, the cannon from the
fort gave forth it's lightning and it's
heavy groan, a hundred times re-
peated by the echoes.
"'Nine O'clock l said. to myself.
That was the signal for our return,
never to be disobeyed, and remorse ad-
ded to my agitation. l stopped for a
moment.
".Ah, the ,boaster, he will not co.
laughed Magloire. I have gained my
bet.' r.
slant I was wading through the tall
tufted grass, climbing slowly over the
mounds scarcely daring to look around
me. All this happened twenty years
ago, and yet when I recall the terrible
occurrences of that fatal evening, l
tremble from head to foot.
"As 1 advanced and felt the in
~creasing silence and solitude Of death,
fright gained upon me. The tomb
stones seemed so many phantoms, ris-
ing to bar my progress, b cli;1rch