Year: 1870

was strong upon him, and all he met
IN his own country was too tame to
satisfy it. Proud of the profession for
which he was studying, and trusting to
it for subsistence, strong and healthy
in body and in mind, he left England
with a bold heart, and this was the
life he led, and what came of it.


At time when the difficulty OF pro-
curing subjects for anatomical study
was great, and when TO procure them
honestly was impossible, and the pref
udice against dissection was SO strong
that no one was willing to submit the
body Of any one connected with him to
examination, it is well known that
there were men who made it their bust
ness to obtain ut no small risk, bodies,
generally those of the newly buried
which they sold to surgeons, medical
students, or indeed to any one who
stood in need of the CHASTITY commod-
lity.


This class, known rs ''body snatch
ers" and " resurrection men," has
died out since there is happily now
little prejudice against what has been
triumphantly proved to be necessary
branch of scientific study; but at the
time OF our story their hideous work
was thriving and profitable one.


Richard Ashley, in common with the
rest of the profession, availed himself
of their services, and many times in
the hlack night his door was open to
those who did not knock, but who
were expected and waited for, and
who, entering silently, stealthily de-
posted dead burden upon the table
prepared for its reception. Old and
lyoung, men, and women and children
all in time lay upon that grim table,
and Astley's skillful instruments cut
their way 10 secrets that were destined
to benefit the living.


Though he was hard-hearted, it was
mot unnatural that in time he should
grow SO much accustomed to the sight
of his subjects" as To feel nothing but
n momentary pity as he put aside the
lclustering curls of infancy, or uncov-
lered the face of man struck down In
the glory of his years.


One night, as many nights before.
the stealthy visit was paid. aud Astiey
took his lamp to examine the new sub
lject. Neither strong man nor ten
der child this time, but young and
beautiful woman The dead face was
so lovely that it did not seem possible
that the light in the closed ewes could
make il loyclier The fair hair had
fallen back, and gave no shade TO the
white brow, and the fair lashes lay in
a thick fringe upon the violct-tinted
underlids.


She was very tall and slender, and
her handsome of which hung down
as she lay upon the table-were long
and perfectly shaped. As Ashley lift
ed the hand to lay il on her breast, he
thought how beautiful it must have
besn, since now, when there was not
the faintest rose tint TO relieve the
deathly palor of it, it was so exquisite
She wore one garment, long ianne
shroud, very slightly made, through
which scanty drapery her slender
, limbs were distinctly visible, and be-
, low which her delicate feet were seen
bare to the ankle.


Ashley was troubled as he had never
been before. The idea of treating this
beautiful corpse as he had done al
, others brought to him In like mannel
was repulsiye to him, and he recoiIet
from il as from the thought of sacri
lege. But how could be rid himsel
. of the lovely incubus? It was possl
> BILE that the men who had brought
might be bribed to take it back again
/ and if they should refuse-but he wa
s incapable of distinct thought upon tn
subject, and could only determin,
;, that In any case the beautiful thing be
. fore him should be treated with reyer
ence and respect. He gently covere'
it from head to foot with long whit
D CLOTH, Ntnd locking the door of com
e municafion between his bedroom an,
I - om in which it lay, threw him


pom his bed without undressing


Q night was nearly gone.


his sleep was broken, and hi


IS were feverish, and In som


II connected with what lay in tn


room. now it seemed to hil


glided in through the locke


with hands folded on its breast


yes still fast closed, and stood b


dside, and now the dream wa


% had opened vein in ore {


elicate arms and that warm, Ii


cod poured from it fast; and 1


he woke with q cry of horrc


ghastly dream that he had el


the room, and found that SON


bwn hand had anticipated him


ork Of dissection.


horror was upon him to know


dream, and opening the door |
. fooked IN upon the table. No chans
k. there of any kind. The long, sheete
is figure lay in the half light of the dav
as he had seen it before In the lam
pt light, very straight and still.


no 1t was not until nearly noon th
he Ashley raised the covering to look on
/? again upon the beautiful dead fac
and when he did so, saw with wonde
- not unmixed with terror, that chan,
e. had come upon it. He could not II
~ ~ what it might be; the deathly pail
- was there still, but in some way t
face was not the same. He looked
to it long and curiously. Surely
~ change had passed over the eyes, t
III though they were still shut fast, tn
~ looked now as though closed in sic
'e' rather than in death. He lifted an ey
" lid tenderly with his finger; there "
not death in the eye; unconsciousnel
lc trance, there might be, but not deaf
in He was certain now that she "