Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1828-05-20

sooner than otherwise Ei"S'"a'e N'ii'.
from, this thought desi'ed consoia'inn' ana
now think life nigh, have Chased calmly nP""
mo ;f,b. paucs OF hunger had been at all bear
able, and Ihave been toll they are nu'" "'''N
so han is commonly believed
Ifmv memory serves me correctly this cam
s,a,e Of nind did not las, long. Reason 500.
began to- whisper nc, that if had heen bufieo,
and the earth closed around my cotfin, snou'a
no, be able to respire, which could do WIN
ease | did not Of course, dream OF the 'a"'' !
in which was placed, but considered ~ III
I had been buried in earth. The freedom o'
.riration rave me the idea that ,af,er all, was
not carried forth for in'erment, out tha' Wa
about 70 b. borne to the grave, and that 'he'e
,hould ne suff,ca,cd inevitably. Sach Is the III,
consistency Of the human mind, that l,who had
ms, now resigned myselfo die by famine, ina,
eined this momcntary mode OF death hundred
Zines more formidable. The idea that was "o'
vet inferred increased my anxiety TO make my
self heard from without. lcall' d aloud & sfuch
the sides and lid Of the coffin TO no purpose w
I was hoarse and faisutd, but all /" VAIN.
de ahly silence rcisned around me amin NY
unb-okrn darkness was nov STEPPED IN
fearful agony: | shricked with horror: p!unE-
ed my nails into NJ, thighs and wounded them;
the coffin was soaked in my blood; and by tear
same maniacai feeling. liberated my fingers,
aud wore The nails to the quick, soon Becoming
motionIess from exhaustion. When l WAS
myself once more, | called aloud my wles
name. | PRAYED, and fcar blasphemed, Tor
knew not what said; and | thus continued I'M
iii nv strength again left ne, and nature once
more sought rep!enishment from temporary
insensibity. AT this time had vision OF
most indcfnable character, il IL was one, ana
not glance Gas | am induced sometimes to
think i, was,) between the portals oil death ana
the world Of spirits. II was all shapelcss anu
| formless Images Of men and women, often
number!ess in sort Of shudowy outline, came
before and ruuad me. They seemed as II limb
less from decay, Their fealureless heads NOV
ed upon ,rnnks hideously vital; in hgure Ike
bodies, which have seen drawn rom burned
dwellings, each being rather hideous mis-
| shapen mass than i Auman semblance. lhick
darkness s silence succeeded; the darkness ana
| silence Of 4 too horrible reality. II, as sus>
pec,ed sep, abou, this time from weakness,
IL was but to awake again TO more fearful con-
seriousness Of my diradfu! situation.
/ Fresh but vain efforts 10 make myself heard
were reiterated as far as my strength would
allow. found with no grca: difficulty /
could turn on my side, and then over on my
belly tried by lifting my back and by
violen, Strain, to burst open the coffin
! lid; but the screws resisted my utmost streng' h.
| | ouid not, Besides, draw up my knees sufh
citnly high to If 'rd a tenth part of the pur-
chase | should otherwise have made TO be ar
upon it. had no help but to return AGAIN to
the position Of The dead, and reluctantly gain
little agonizing rcpose from my CXer'ions -
resolved % r TTsk lpH fW hhRh H' aas
\, rest, if inactive torture could be de"ominat-
| ci rest, wept like child when thought Of
! the sunshine, and blue skies, and fresh air
which | should never more enjoy; how living
| beings thronged The stree and thousands
around me were JOYOUS or busy, while was
doomed TO perish in tortures! Why was my
fate differently marked out to that Of others?
! had no monsfrous crime to repent Of, yet
hundreds of criminal men were in the full
| revelry Of life! fsncied | heard the toll Of
| hell; brealhless listened; il was clock strik
ing the hour! The sound was new life to me.
81 am no, inhumed at Least, but perhaps am
unua'ch-d," such were my thoughts; "inter-
men. will take place, my eofia will be moved;
| shall easily make mysel! heard then. This
was balm TO me; shouted anew, struck my
prison boards with all the power left me, and
ceased only when cXcrtion was no longer pos
-ibe.
Men may fancy how they would find them
selves under similar circumstances, and an The
like trying occasions, but il Us ,eldpm a correct
Judgment Can be previously formed on such
matters. n was only al intervals thar was so
farfully maddentd by my dreadful situation as
to lose The power of rational r heclinn, or SO
overcome as 10 be debarred The faulty of me-
mnry. Stretched in position where my chang
es consisted only of a turn on my side
upon hard boarhs,-the soreness of my
limbs was eXcru,iaringiy painful. When !
drew up my feet few inches, my knees press
I'd the cover oi the coffin, that this slight
shift Of position brought 90 relief My impa,
,irncc Of the restraint in which was kept be-
gan at length TO drive lne well nign into real
madness. | was trvsred, ny temples burned
and ,hrobbfd, my tongue became dry, lgh,
dashed across my ewes. ard my brain waired
round. | am certain that my existence was
preserved solely by :he diminished strength and
subsequent feeblsness which experienced, and
which, from ITS rendering me insensible to The
increasing exacerbation Of my brains heat, al
lowed nature 10 resume her wonlcd lempera.
turc. But alas this WAS only that I MIGHT