Year: 1875

sion. And yet he was morose in dispo-


sition, attached to medical students,


whom he recognized with marvellous in
| stinct but to the rest of the world sui


len and defiant. But to proceed. One


evening" or, rather, l should say one


morning, at a very early hour-betweeh


two and three-I happened to be return
| ing with a friend, one Jackson, from


some scene of gayety to my rooms in


Marylebone. On our way we passed the


church of Saint Giles Overreach. Perhaps


it wasn't 81. Giles, for my memory is


not always accurate on these minor
| points, but, anyhow, a church with a


large churchyard about it, that was sur


rounded by a high wall, on the top of


which was very spiky cheeeaur de trise.


The public footway ran close beside this


wall, hardly foot IN width, and the road


was very bad just then in fact, at that
| season of the year-mid d-winter-an I'M
pas sable slough or quagmire. 1t is not


yesterday am talking about, mind you !;


in fact 1t was before the time of street
gas-lamps. The road was dimly lighted
with an oil-lamp that swung in bracket
from the church-yard wall, and the next
light was round the corner, quite out of
sight. Well, my friend and were push
ing along at full speed, in very cheer
full mood, laughing and singing; but,
when we came to the foot of the church
wall, all looked so gloomy and ghost
like, the black, dank wall, the sullen
lamp throwing sort of sickly CLEAN ON
the sea of mud below, that involuntarily
we grew silent and came to a stand.
Here goes, Jackr cried my friend, and
scampered hastily along the footpath,
while followed him at full speed. 1t
was narrow enough, and some of the
stones were loose, and if you lost your
balance you were up to your knees in
black mud so that had enough to do
to see where put my feet without look
ing aloft. All of sudden, rap-bang
struck my head against something
something that gave way, and swung
backward and forward, hitting me at



plete standstlll. Well, cast my eyes
aloft, and saw, perched on the top of the
church wall, sitting on the cheoeaur de
frtse as comfortably as you, Colonel,
would sit saddle, little man in black,
who was holding a rope in his hand,
and from this rope hung long, narrow
package, wrapped up in black tarpau-
lin-the package, in fact, against which
1 had knocked my head"


"a body, probably?" suggested the
Colonel.


GA very fair inference" said Wilson.
swell, | must tell you that it was an
understood thing in the profession that
none of US should take notice of any
very high on the point, and l wouldn't
have given sixpence for the life of any
body caught in the act; while the true
interests of humanity demanded that the
medical schools should have the means
of teaching practical anatomy. So l
should have scampered on, and taken no
more notice, but, as ill-luck would have
it, dog began to bark from inside the
churchyard 1t was impossible to mis-
take that bark-it was Bingo's. Some
spirit of mischief entere into me, and |
cried out in a gruif, disguised voice:
What! Blackstock, are you busy, then,
to-night?' and ran on. For moment
my voice seemed to have struck terror
into the hearts of the resurrectionists
The body came down to the ground with
a crash, and, turning round, saw the
little man sitting astride the wall like one
stupefed. But the next moment he
dropped softly down and pursued us.
Well, we ran like the wind-we were
both good runners-and yet we could
not shake off these pursuing foot
steps. The faster we went the fast
er they seemed to follow; and / as
sure you my blood ran cold in my veins
till, turning the corner of the street, we
met party of the watch with slaves
and lanterns, at whose appearance our
followers hastily decamped, and, having
explained to the watchmen that our flight
was a mere youthful frolic, we reached
my friends lodgings in safety. sat for
some time within, talking over the ad-
venture, and then made my way 10 my
own rooms, which were at the end OF the
next street, looking over my shoulder at
every corner to make sure that was not
being watched. Well, gentlemen, when
reached my own door, imagine my
chagrin to find that had lost the key.
1t was large street-door rkey-latch-keys
were little in use in those days-and l
could not think how had managed to
lose it; but there was the fact, it was
gone, and l was locked out in the street
this cold, dreary, winters night. l
knocked in vain; my landlady slept at
the top of the house and was as deaf as
a post. l reused the neighborhood, but
made no impression upon her. Then l
to my friends lodging, but had
no better fortune there, and, tired and |
cold, was obliged to patrol the neigh
borhood for three or four hours before l
could gain admittance. was not with |
out fear that my friend of the church
yard might be dogging my footsteps, but
| saw nothing to excite further alarm.
Apparently we had thrown him Oft the
trail altogether.


GAS soon as got back to my rooms I
went to bed and did not get up till night
fall. The cold seemed to have got into
my very bones. In the meantime my
was loud in her complaints
against me for the loss of her key and as
soon as l rose and had dressed l was
obliged to go to neighboring locksmith
to try and replaceit. But the locksmith |
had no key that would fit, and found it
would cost as little to have the lock re-
pose. l ordered lock, therefore, very |
unwillingly, for it would cost four or five
sum that could i'll spare. l
was sitting in a meditative mood, de- |
placed as to have key made on pur-
pressed by rheum and chagrined at the
waste of so much money, when the |
who had left the house half |
an hour before, having taken the meas
lrements for the lock, returned and |
asked to see me.


"I have good news for you, SIR he |
said, smiling; the key has been found,
and you will be able to get it back for
nothing. Such nice, merry, old gentle
men has found it, sir! I've brought him
with me to see you, and I'll bring him up
stairs if you'll allow me-