The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1899-11-23

DR.. Charlie was very young for prac-
ticing physician, so they both agreed
that he had better locate at first in q
country village, where doctors were not
so numerous as in the city, and where
he would have better chance to show
his skill. They parted with many good
wishes and good-by kisses and in the
best of spirits, Charlie to seek his for
tune, Lucy to remain at the seminary.
One balmy June evening not long
after their engagement had taken place
Charlie found himself quite distance
from his native city, in small, pic
turesque village. He was looking for
place to locate. He took room at the
village inn, and after suppershe started
cut to inspect the town. His fancy
took him to the village graveyard, and,
finding the gate open, he strayed in and
was soon amusing himself by reading
the various epitaphs upon the tombs
and noting the ages of the departed.
This, he thought would give him an
idea of the healthfulness of the town.
Upon one of the very old tombstones he
read the following:
Here lies man who did no good;
If he had lived he never would;
Where he has gone and how he fares
Nobody knows nor nobody cares"
This ridiculous epitaph struck the
oung doctor as so comical that he burst
rt~ peals of laughter, which attracted
antion of an aged grave digger
rf 1T work in one corner of the
yur ing skeleton from an old
grave. a, roung mans hearty mirth
had startled n, and he dropped his
lie and gazed at the doctor with as
tO Rrlent.
Csrlie had great love for anatomy,
aud, observing what the old man was
doing, was at once Interested: and, ap-
preaching the spot, inquired: my good
man, why are you disturbing the
dead?" To which the good man re.
ferred to responded: Cant help 1t
sometimes. This here ground is quite
valuable. This is not the paupers' field.
That is it over there" indicating diff
ferent portion Of the cemetery by
shake of his head. Then he continues:
This is curious case, and by disturb
ing him nobody's feelings will be
hurt"
"Why, how's that?" asked DR..
Charlie. "Was he pauper?"
"Oh!" replied the grave digger, mo
body know ,,hn he was. These are the
bones of stranger who died here one
night at the tavern, and as nobody
l,xa,- ,,.ho,o ba m mo froy,, or W n orc H.
was going, and there was no one to
claim his watch and little money that
was found upon him, the landlord of
the tavern took charge of the body and
had him buried here. AS he neglected
to get deed of the lot then, and can
not do so now, why have got to move
him to the paupers' ground
"What did he die OFF" asked Charlie.
"W-e-l-l," draw!ed the old man, "he
come along here about dark some Is
years ago, said nothing to nobody, took
a room at the tavern, eat his supper and
went upstairs to bed all right appar-
emily, but the next morning, when the
landlord went up to his room himself to
call him to breakfast, he found him as
dead as a door nail. Old DR.. Jones, he
was living then, and the landlord sent
for him, and when he got there he said
the gentleman had died of fit in the
night. But doctors don't know every
thing. However, as no paners OF any
thing could be found to identify him
the landlord paid for his coffin and he
was put in here"
"What became of his watch?" asked
the young doctor.
"Oh! the landlord kept that, for he
was put to good deal OF trouble just
because poor stranger happened to
die on his hands"
Poor fellow!" murmured DIR.
Charlie. His was q melancholy fate"
He reached out and picked up the skull,
for there was something about skull
that always fascinated Charlie. Upon
close examination he discovered that
a nail had been driven into it and was
still clinging there. This greatly ex-
cited his curiosity, but he thought best
to say nothing about it to the grave
digger. He told him that he was
physician and was anxious to obtain
bones and parts of skeletons for his
private study, and that he would give
him dollar for the skull.
To this little financial scheme the
grave digger promptly consented, and
DR.. Charlie, paying him the dollar.
wrapped his purchase up in the even
ing paper and quickly sought his room
at the inn. Alone there he very care
fully examined the skull and found
that a long, coarse nail had been art
fully driven into IL from the back of
the head, and must have penetrated
the brain, causing instantaneous
death. The man had been murdered.
He recalled the old grave digger's
words: Doctors don't know every
thing" But sorle doctors do know
thing or two," chuckled Charlie TO
himself. This shall be Investigated
and he bent over the skull with great
enthusiasm.
Satisfying himself that the man was
undoubtedly murdered, Charlie was
convinced that he was murdered for q