The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1843-01-12


!, forward cautiously, and again spoke as sh'
approached the bed. She looked momen
at me and touched mel could no, speal
and lay motioness with my eyes straine,
at that internal spot. She paused moment
; and then utteflng piercing scream, ran Il
the door and called for my mother. Ia
siantly The horror of the cry brought the
family TO my bedside. They lifted my
hand, and il fell again upon the coverlid.--
They felt my heart; there was no flutter o
the pulse; for all that, it seemed TO me a.
II hell itself could not be worse than the tor
ment ] was enduring. heard quick and
convulsye sobs, and felt soft hand smooth
my hair from my forehead. Some one said
=" lie must have died IN a tx; yet how
calm bis face u.s." Yes was the answer,
he probably suffered no pain and died al
mos, immediately perhaps IN his sleep.
Then voces grew more distant and muir.
murlng, and some one left the room. Soon
the door opened, and the face Of the family
physician intercepted the damned spot for
moment. Now, thought |, he will know
that am not dead, and will relieve me from
this situation. He ia!i of my hear, and
pulse for moment, and then heard him
say IN answer 10 the anxious injuries
Yes madam, am sorry TO say he is entire
ly gone. My art can avail him nothing.
The voices then became lower, and / lis
tened in VAIN.
1t was long, dark pnuse--ihen the shu,
tiers were closed, and persons trod lightly
across the floor, aud spoke to each other 10
an under tone, as if the place were sacred.
That silent awe which peryades the cham
Der OF death, and bushes the voice as il the
senseless clay could bear, had passed over
their spirits like breath stain upon glass
| heard the low, confused murmur of voices
dfone through the darkened room. Now
and then the door opened, and some one
bent over me and gazrd al me, while scaId
M tears fell upon my face. Then the
room was emptied Of all persons, and was
left alone IN the darkness and stiffness.
listened for voices, for any thing was better
than this dreary st,!lucss-h but 10 vain
spell vas on the house It's sounds Of laugh
Ter, as rapid footsteps, ITS hustle and noise
we're gone: every step was careful and
slow, and every voice a whisper. So wen,
on hour after hour and still lay helpless.
and longing for the moment hen should
be able 10 move and loosen myself from the
close, dealhly grasp which almos, pressed
the lite out Of the body. As lay thus, |
suddenly heard birds sush of song from
the tree beneath my window how oyously
II "arbled, UNCONSCIOUS Of the agony so near
it--and how my heart sickeued within me
as | heard il.
Some persons came ard wrapped me up
IN white linen, aud swarlhed nv limbs and
made the horrid funeral arrangements.
Some one SAID, How ghastly his eyes look,
and then gently pressed down the lids over
the balls of my eyes. Never till that mo
ment did | dream tha, accursed spot, on
which my gaze had been riyeted for SO ma
ny hours, could become dear 10 me. The
thought that we are viewing any object,
however mean, for the last time. alWavs
'alses II 10 Importance, and gives il q fictl.
Ious charm and now this spo, 10 me was
he straw 10 the t.owning man, the silver
me OF sunlight 10 a prisoners dungeon
he last link With The visible earth. s,roye
u vain to keep open the lids-sow " they
i'eded to The pressure Of the fingers, and
gradually the range OF vision became more
nd more confined, ani. all was utterly out.
Never before had The fear of being buried
live suggested Itself, but now il came over
ne like gulphing wave. thought lI,at |
mould be LAID down alive in the etarnel
iouse among decaying corpses, and stineJ
rom tho clear breath Of heaven, fsmi.b. il ,
tdeed we're mol dead then. Allthr frlrht. /
u stores Of such occurrences that Ind
yer read came to my mind, snd the hone
i ultimate recovery grew ieebler and feeb I
er.
lhe night came, and how dreary and IN
nding It seemed. Oue arer another | 1
'eard the hours struck By the clock, until .
i last, from pure exhaustion, lost my seq G
alton. 1t must have been late in the r,orp h
ng when returned to consciousness. | I
ell hands UPON me-they were lifting me :
nto my coffin heard them screw in /
crew after screw un,lI the lid vas fastened 1
nd only the narrow space over the face re-. /.
named open. felt the sides Of The coffin '
ar aud rub against my arms and | despair h
d that should ever recover nv power of r
notion. 4,
The coffin vas lifted and placed upon b
able. Some one asked when | was to be
erred - ! his afternoon vas the answer. a
- he has been now dead two days.' II
ad been unconscious for the length Of
hole day. Nov the time, instead of drap 9
ing a weary length, seemed to ay with IN
ghinng like rapIdty. The pas, seemed o
ndlessIy long-the future was fore.sbor a
ned 10 a breath, moment. The clock a
cked faster and faster, aud time seemed to u
our itself away in rapid moments. as a ris #
'g thunder-cloud empties its fierce, heavy b
Fops more and moro rapidly.
II was aiternoon-the comnanv ca,hered II
The shutter creaked beside me and the II