Literary cadet and Rhode-Island statesman. [volume] (Providence, R.I.) 1827-1829, 1828-08-02
THE "DEAD ALIVE"

THE "DEAD ALIVE"
" A nun of st. Clara, whose conduct
made every one regard her as saint,
(for, instead Of one conlessor from the
adjoining monastery, sho had three or
four) died to all appearance, or rather it
was given out that she had died. She
was laid out, as is the custom, in the
middle of the church; and the people
were more than ever convinced of her
sanctity, as her body showed no symP-
toms Of corruption. No marks Of
decomposition manifested themselves;
and thousands, of course, crowded from
all parts of the country to witness the
miracle. Hundreds of cripples and in
valids came to touch her garments, and
fancied themselves cured; while others,
paid by the priests, pretended to be stone
blind, andto recover their sight on mere
Iy touching her habit. 10 short the con-
course Of pilgrims was So great, that the
infantry in garrison at Evora were.obliged
to furnish guard at the church door to
preserve order. But for this precaution,
It is probable that the new saint would
soon have been stripped Of her clothes,
owing TO the anxiety Of every one to get
a scrap Of something belonging to her,
by way of relic to guard against witch
crafts, agucs, fcvers, &c. On tho night
Of the third day, the sentry on hearing
some whispering in the church, the door
of which was locked and bolted, had the
curiosity to look through the key-hole,
and saw the saint sitting up, supported
by q friar, whilst two or three others were
bringing and administering to her both
oatables and drink. On recovering from
the surprise occasioncd by the UNUSUAL
spectacle of dead saint eramrning with
all shc avidity Of living one, the soldier
whispered the discovery to his ensign,
who also convinced himself by ocular
demo nstration ofthat which he otherwise
would have disbelicved. These two
men, moreover, heard her exclaim in a
doleful whisper, edo, for PHYS sake,
terminate this farce, or l shall die of ia
tigue, for I feel Can no longer stand
it," The fact Of the matter was, that
the unhappy nun had boen confessing
too much to the purpose with these holy
miscreants, who, in order to avoid the
inconvenience and danger which we're
attendant on their rendezvous when in
different establishments, had agreed to
make dead saint of her and bury her,
to all appearance, in their vaults; where.
as, in reality, she would have lived in
some remote corner or hidden part oi
their monastery to satiate their lust.-
BY this arrangement two great objects
would be gained: the qualification with.
out restraint) Of their appetites. and the
great honor which would accrue to both
the monastery and convent by the pro-
ducton of saint The scheme was vel
laid; and thanks to the stupid ignorance
and superstition of the rabblc, had so fal
been attended with success. But q
young officer was an unsafe person to
get into the secret; and tho natural pro-
pcnsity Of soldiers to disblieve miracles
led those on guard to talk loudly Of wha
they had seen. The publication Of the
story was near being fatal TO tho young
officer, and less determined characte
would have boen tempted to repent o
interfering in the fabrication Of saint
for he was Immediately placed in con
'. fnement for daring TO calumniate sucl
godly persons. The sontry was so terri
fed with menaces Of Autos da fe, sam
benhos covered with devils and flames
slow fires of birthstone proceeded by racks
torlures, boiling pitch and lead, and a
the materials in the inquisitorial arsenal
that he absolutely recanted, and more
over swore that the devil, having take
umbrage at the great piety Of those hol
u men, had tempted him to tell such bla.
phemous falschoods. Their attempt {
carry tho same point with the young er
n sign was not so successful. lie agree
q to appear in public, and seemed read
+ to subscribe to all their wishes; but no
u great was their astonishment and disma
u when, instead Of an apology, he insists
" with vehomonce on exposing 10 the pu
lie how mucl, they had boon gulled. Il
l. stead Of tearing to pieces this obstina
n bIssphomer, the public pitied what the
et had considered his hallucination beside