Year: 1871

The sexton looked up, and cried "It
is David. He has been out, and is cover
ed with snow. He comes in good time"


1t was even so. The man approached,
and the implements having been procured,
they set about opening the grave. Mr..
B. stood motionless, bis head hang
ing down, and deep sighs occasionally com.
ing from his breast, mixed with the quick
breathing of the men, as they piled their
shovels. He still held the lantern in his
hand, by the light Of which the group be-
fore me was brought out in faint relief. The
silence around was signally that Of a
cLurchyard; for the fir belt shrouded the
scene fro N the night breeze, and there was
only occasionally heard q low, mournful
gnst, as it died among the branches Of the
trees. On that spot only there was only
occasionally heard low, mournful gust, as
It died among the branches Of the trees. On
that spot only there was quick breathing
action. The men had got down pretty far
into the grave; and, as they brought their
heads within the ray Of the lantern, in their
acts of throwing up the earth, their flushed
faces contrasted strongly with the cadsver-
Gus countenance of the husband, who bent
over them, watching every motion, and in
tent upon the expected stroke Of the shovel
upon the coffin lid. The recollection Of
the German gowl came over me; nor did
the difference between the beings, the mo-
tives, and the actions, prevent me from
coniuring up the similitude, SO unlike a
human being did be appear in bis complex
ion, his fixed ,dead-like stare into the grave,
and the perfect stiffness Of bis body, as be
crouched down to be nearer the object of
his search. At length, the sound was
heard, the rattle on the coffin lid. The vic
TINS ear seemed chained to the sound, as
if be could have augured from it whether or
not the chest was empty. In short time,


"The heavy moil that shrOuds the dead
was entirely removed. The sexton DOW
took bis own lamp down into the grave
The screw nails were undone, the lid was
raised, and the body of Mrs. B, ar
rayed in her winding sheet and scalloped
sere clothes, was seen, BY the sickly, yellow
CLEAN Of the lantern, lying in the stillneis
and placidity of death


''For still, still she lay,


With a wreath on her BOSOM"


One Of the men now came out, and Mr..
B descended into the grave. lie
lifted of the face-cloth, gazed on the clay
cold face, touched it, and now was opened
the


Sacred source Of sympathetic tears."
He burst into loud paroxysm and, as if
nature had been to take her revenge for
her sufierings, under the freezing influence
Of bis sorrow, be wept as if there had been
TO be no end Of bis weeping. 1t was latter
ly found necessary to force him out of the
grave; though, as | was informed by
George, he had sbrunk from the view Of
the dead body Of bis wife, while it lay in
the house, and before it was inferred. The
lid was again placed on the coffin, the screws
fxeL, and the grave filed up. Mr.. Il -
slipped guinea into the hand of the SEX
ton, and we took our way back to the town.
George informed US, as we went, that be
had been for several nights haunted by the
image of his mother; and could only thus
account for the conviction that had seized
him, that the booy of the female be had
seen in the dissecting room was that Of bis
parent. 1t is remarkable fact, and the
one which chiefly induced me to give this
narrative, that the scene | have now de-
scribed wrought so powerfully on the feel
irgs Of Mr.. B, that the form Of bis
grief was entirely changed During the
whole Of the subsequent night, be wept in
tensely; nature was relieved bis sorrow
was molli6ed into one Of those


Moods that speak their softened woes"
and time soon wrought its accustomed
amelioriation. / never saw one who
seemed more certainly doomed to the fate
Of the heart-stricken and, however fanci-
ful it may seem, attribute to the mistake
of his son the restoration Of the father.