The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-12-11
H Case of Bcdy=Snatebing
BY R. H. F., Auburn, Ala.

gan to turn up the earth. At one foot of depth the surface soil plainly min gled with the sod. this very fact mak- ing him shrink. Finally he stopped and rolling his eyes whispered. Miss Kate. pears like hants gwine poster me ef don quit dis yer job"
 Argument proving useless, the po- tent influence of an added Quarter was tried. and after some hesitation Jailus renounced his scruples and again set to work. But not for long. After several pauses to lean upon his shovel. while he shook his head in si- lent disapproval of his work, he finally stopped, saying in a tone of despera- tion. T cain't do it! I ain gwine no furder. Las night CT settin' in de jam CT de kitchen I trapped off to sleep, an bimeby sumpin' tromped up an blam- med agin de do an voice say, Stop dat Jailus! Don be meddlin' long CT de daid" Here was a complication no reasoning could avail to obviate. Jailus having given utterance to his convictions held to them firmly.
 At last. seeing man at some dis tance away, the little woman called to him. and found out to her relief that 1t was the sexton, who, full of years and the ghastly honors of ahving bur
 
 was the man in an hour of dire need. Hastily finishing his task of raking up the leaves in 'Marse Nick's lot" Jake with his accoutrements on his wheel barrow shambled up chuckling. paused viewed the unfinished work and thus expressed his view of the situation.
 You thought CT knowed dat, Miss Kate. You cain't pend on desc yer besignin nI;gers. desc yer locust preachers. I'm de man what does all dis yer pertic'ler business"
 The recreant Jailus promising a speedy return. had been dispatched to find what had become of the other woman and the box. Jake finally be- gan his work, and even when standing knee-deep in the little grave was still casting vague approaches at not hav- Ing been employed from the first.
 All things come to an end, and this November afternoon was proving no exception The shadows had grown longer until the last rays of the sun were fading out. The wind began to stir and rustic among the dead leaves. In a tall cedar not far away a screech owl tremulously gave a shuddering cry. Jake immediately stopped and turned his pockets wrongside out to prevent bad luck. In our Southern cline the
 
 out white and tall the shafts of mar ble. suddenly invested with life. and seemed to be coming in a company to see the resurrection of this one small body. Below them in the village the lights appeared, twinkling cheerfully here and there making this spot seem even more dreary and lonesome in its dusky gloom. Fire flies fitted through the shadows. now high, now low. To Jake. in the cemetery at this hour they were harbingers of ill
 Now den. You see dem Jack um Lanterns?"
 No argument could convince him they were but insects.
 "Humph! You say lightnin' bug. Gaze you don know! Once't you start ter foller dem hants you see whar you Ian! Way off in some swamp. an den sir! deyll change inter skelipens! Min what I say"
 The dry leaves rustled and whirls si about them, rabbits hopped fearlessly from one hedge to another. The poor little woman in mortal nervousness sat shivering on a nearby curbing. and strove to keep Jake at his task. Slow ly and carefully he must work now, for he was getting down. and every shov- elful of earth made the next sound more hollow. At last the outline of