THE FATAL WAGER.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXII, Issue 7526, 28 August 1886, Page 3

THE FATAL WAGER.

'A remarkable story connected with the belief in spectral visitations is that of the celebrated Beonhardi, of Vienna, who, after spending the evening in a gay carouse with a party of young men of infidel principles, where he boldly avowed his disbelief in the existence of spirits, undertook to proceed as the bell tolled the midnight hour to an adjoining churchyard, and stick into a grave pointed out to him a fork, which was taken from the supper table and presented to him for the purpose, A considerable wager was to depend upon his execution' of the feat, and at the appointed hour with a daring deportment, he quitted the company and repaired to the scene of action. It was agreed that he should return to tho supper table, leaving the fork sticking in the grave, so as to be found on the morrow, in token of his accomplishment of the exploit. Ten minutes would have sufficed for his visit to the churchyard ; but at the close of an hour he was still absent, when his companions became convinced that he had turned coward and sneaked home to ued. They instantly determined to convict his defection by following him to his | lodgings, but on their arrival fonnd, with no small consternation, that he had not made his appearance. One of them, more his friend than the rest, really alarmed for his safety, proposed that they should visit the churchyard, and ascertain, at least, whether' ho had accomplished the feat. They did'so, when, extended on the grave, they discovered the lifeless body of the scoffer, who had burst a blood vessel, and died of fright, and tbe cause was evident. On stooping down to thrust the fork into the ground ho accidentally pinned down his own cloak lo the earth, where it still remained. The poor man, on rising up to return to his companions, felt himself seized, nnd he probably fancied himself transfixed by the grisly .tenant of the grave, which he was thus unpnrdonably violating in order to find sport for excited men in a drunken frolic i and thus ho fell a victim to his own terrors, and paid a fearful penalty for his midnight visit to the grave.