Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1843-03-03

guage fails me utterly Those eyes have
never since been absent from me when alone!
felt as though they were blighting the life
within me. | could not breathe, much less
stir. | strove to speak, but could not utter
sound. NV lips seemed rigid as those
looked at. The horrors of nightmare we're
upon me. My eyes at length closed my
head seemed turning round and for mo-
ment or two lost all my consciousness. l
revived. There was the frighiful thing still
before me nay, close to me. Though
looked at her, never once thought of Ag-
mes P. 1t was the tremendous appear
ance; the ine(lable terror cleaning from her
eyes, that thus overcame me. protest |
cannot conceive any thing more dreadful
Miss P-continued standing perfectly mo-
tionless, and while was gazing at her in the
manner have been describing, peal of
thunder reused me to my self-possession. l
stepped towards her, took hold of her hand,
cxclaiming Agnes-Agnes and carried
her to the bed, where laid her down. 1t
required some little force to press down her
staring eyes mechanically. While in the act
Of doing so, a flash Of lightning flickered lu-
ridly over her; but her eye neither quivcrcd
nor blnkcd. She seemed to have been sud-
denly deprived of all sense and motion in
fact, nothing but her pulse-if pulse it should
be called-and faint breathing, showed that
she lived. My eye wandered over her whole
figure, drcading to meet some scorching trace
of lightning ; but there was nothing of the
kind. What had happened to her? Was
she frightened-to death! spoke to her |!
shook her, rather violently: | might have
acted it all to IA statue. rang the chamber
bell with almost frantic violence: and pre-
senly my wife and female servant made
their appearance in the room; but was far
more embarra ssed than assisted by their pre-
sencc. Is she killed 2 murmured the for
mer, as she staggered towards the bed, and
then chung convulsively to me- Has the
lightning struck her 2
! was compelled to disensage myself from
her grasp, and hurry her into the ADJOINING
room, whittier called servant to attend
her and then returned to my haplcss pa
ten,. But villa, was to do? Medical man
as | was, | never had seen patient in such
circumstances, and felt as ignorant on the
subject, as agitatcd. 1t was not epilepsy ;
it was not apoplcxy, swoon, nor any known
species of hysleria. The most remarkable
feature of her case, and what enabled me 10
ascertain the nature of her disease, was this,
that if happened accidently to alter the po-
si,on of her limbs, they retained, for a short
time, their new position. If, for instance,
moved her arm, it remained for while in
the situation IN which placed it, and gradu-
ally resumed its former one. If raised her
et,r ,nI citt
so withou, the support of pillows, or Other
assistance, as exactly as if she had heard me
express wish to that effect, and assented to
it; but the horrid vacancy of her aspec, J.
If elevated one eyelid for moment, to ex.
anime the state of the eye, it was sometime
in closing, unless drew it over myself. AL
these circumstances, which terrified the ser.
want who stood shaking at my elbow, ant
mulicring, sShe's possessed she's posses
scd Satan has her y convinced me that the
unfortunate young lady was seized with CAT
ALEpsY; that rare, mysterious affection, ST
fearfully blending the conditions of life ant
: death presenting $50 to speak) life in the as
pect of death, and death in that Of life
felt no doubt that extreme terror, operatin.
suddenly on nervous system most highl,
excited, and vivid, active fancy, had pro
duccd the effects saw. Doubtless tie frs
3 terrible outbreak of the thunder storm, es
{ pecially the fierce splendor of that flash Q
. lightning which so alarmed myself, apparent
= ~ corrobora,ing and realizing all her awfl
e apprchensi5ns of the predicted event, over
e powered her at once, and flung her into tn
r fearful situation in which | fonnd her tina
of one ARRESTED in her terror-struck fligI
: towards the door of her chamber. But agai
5, the thought struck me, had she receive
= any direct injury from the Iightuingl Ha
d it blinded her? Ii might be so, for coul
c make no impression on the pupils of the eye
n Nothing could starllc them into action
s. They seemed little more dilaed than usu
IS al, but fixed.
e confess that, besides the other agtatin
|, circumstances of the moment, this extrao
- binary, this unprecedented case toe much dI
l. tracted my self-possesson, to enable N
ID promptly 10 deal with it. l had heard an
1t read of, but never before seen such a cas-
IS No time, however, was to be LOST dete
t mined 10 resort at once to strong ant-spa
he modic treatment. | bled her from the ar
| freely. applied blisters behind the ear, in
mersed her feet, which, together with h
v hands, were cold as marble, in hot water, al
he endeavored to force into her mouth lin
IS opium and ether. Whilst the servants we
busted about her, undressing her, and carr
h, ing my directions into effect, | stepped for
u moment into the adjoining room, where
IN found my wife just recovering from viole
er fit of Mysteries. Her loud laughter, thou
n so near me, had not once heard, so absor
ne ed was | with the mournful case of Miss
es After continuing with her till she recover
S., sufficiently to accompany me down stairs,
|, returned to Miss P-'s bedroom. S
up continued exactly in the condition in which
G. had left her. Though the water was !
sr. enough to parboil her tender feet, it prod
d. ced no sensible effect on the circulation
lot the state OF the skin; and finding a stro
determination of blood towards the region
Try the head and neck, determined to have
he cupped between the shoulders. went do
stairs to drop line to the apothecary,
k questng him to come Immediately with
~ Nc IttTar