Rensselaer Republican, Volume 14, Number 19, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 January 1882 — Midnight in a Vault. [ARTICLE]

Midnight in a Vault.

Philadelphia Record. The closing moments of the old year had arrived Laurel Hill Cemetery was wrapped in the darkness of the night, and a heavy fog hung over the stately piles of marble which mark the resting places of the distinguished dead, obscuring them from view. Suddenly the quiet was broken the tolling bells and the shrieks of locomotive whistlesAlmost simultaneously with these tokens of respect to the expiring year a blight silvery'fight flamed over a corner of the city of the dead. ’A moment later and all was darkness again. Then three flashes followed each other in quick succession. Presently the din was increased tenfold, spreading the I

news that*the new year • bad Again the wenji light rays encircled a vault. The iron doors were open, and over the head! of • ifid* group Of! people who s too a trance a double row of sh«-(v»w, pearlv7 every one occupied by a be seen. groin* cmn(r»At <t • gentleman and a lady, .all attired in deepest mourning. < > “Another year gone and a new onein its place,” said the 1i,.. i (l |Wmusical voice, as she gazed plus. Wy* at the the third iowap rtl -ii i to the left. . “One more year,” responded thw gentleman nearest her, “and we are* all here. How many will be left at the next appointment?” ” I The members of the group looked st. i each other in silence, and then a.a'.r* directed their glances to the interior oh the vault For the next five miuutw they stood in this attitude, motfonldas. ; Then the pcssessor of the musical voice remarked, as she drew lieT Watcf from its hiding-place: “leu mlnutaU after twelve—our mission is ended.” With a last look at the coffin,the ttex-a tet moved slowly away aud entered the carriages which had been waiting at 1 ' the gateway,, the grave keeper, who-, had been waiting at a respectful distanoe, swung to the iron doors kn’M'* fastened the lock, the light was 'ex- 1 - tinguished, aud ail was gloom. i , There in a peculiar story uwk of the - scene which was thus enact. I in the' early minutes of 1882, Back tn the '7os' ; there died in this city a gentleman wfio was as distinguished for his pecullari-' ties as he wasrenowned for his wealth and good deeds. When his will was opened it was found that he had laid a sacred injunction on children that ! so long as they remained alive they 1 ’ should see *lw old year out and thonetf ono in at the foot of his coffin, Teh years have'passed away and the in* junction hm not once been forgotten, ' although the little group of Saturday nig>it looked upon the caskets which J the remains of four of their family who had in as many years' fol—lowed the rather to his long home.’ The * others are uo,w widely scattered, Some,' of them ate located in Vermont; some, jrem dn In this city, whileone has enj-igr»u-<i so 'ar away as Nebraska, butat ■ toe close of every year they journey th this city and bold their family reunion in the presence of the dead and under the glare of the calcium lights. .