Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1845-11-14
ROMANCE IN REAL LIFE.

One of my fathers brothers. residing in Bos.
ton at that time, became a victim TO the pests
lence. When the first symptoms appeared, his
wife sent the children into the country and her.
self remained to attend upon him. Her friends
warned her against such rashness They told
her it would be death 10 her. and no benefit to
him for he would soon be too i'll to know who
attended him. These arguments made no i'm.
press on her affectionate heart. She felt that
it would be long life satisfaction to her to know
who attended him, If he did not She accord
ingly stayed and watched him with unremittng
care. THIS, however, did not avail to save him
He grew wors, and worse, aud finally died.
Those who went round with the death.carls had
visited the chamber and seen that the end was
near. They now came to take the body His
wife refused to let it 90. She told me she new
or knew how to account for il, but though he
was perfectly cold and rigid, and TO every APP
pcarance quite dead, there was powerful inns
preston on her mind that life was not extinct,
The men were ovt rborne by the strength Of
her conviction though their own reason was
opposed to it.
The half. hour again came round, and again
was heard The solemn words, "Brng out your
dead I" The vie again resisted their npuni.
ties but tins time the men were more lesoluie.
They said the duty assigned TO them was a
painful one but the health of the city required
pnnctual obedience to the orders they received
If they ever expected the pestilence to abale, it
must be BY prompt removal OF the dead, and
immediate lulmigation Of the infected apart
ments.
She pleaded and pleaded, and even knelt to
them in an agony Of tears, continually saying,
81 am sure he is not dead" The men repre-.
scented the utter absurdy Of such an idea !;
but finally. overcome by her tears, again de-.
parted. With trembling haste she renewed
her efforts to restore him. She raised his head,
rolled his limbs in hot fllnnel, and placed hot
onions on his feet. The dreadful haf-hour
again came round, and found him as cold and
rigid as ever. She renewed her entreates so
desperately, that the messengers began to think
little gentle force would be necessary. They
accordingly attempted to remove the body
against her will but she threw herself upon
it, and chung to it with such frantic strength,
that they could not easily loosen her grasp
Impressed by the remarkable energy OF her
will, Rey relaxed their efforts. To all of their
circumstances she answered, If YOU bury him
you shall bury me with him. At last by dnt
OF reasoning on the necessity of the case, they
obtained from her promise, that, if he showed
no signs of life before they again came round
she would make no farther opposition to the re-.
moval.
Having gained this respite, she hung the
watch upon the bed-post, and renewed her eff
forts with redoubled zeal. She placed kegs of
hot water about him, forced brandy between his
teeth, breathed into his nostrils and held harts-
horn to his nose but still the body lay notion
less and cold, she looked anxiously at the watch;
in five minutes the half hour would expire, and
those dreadful voices would be heard, passing
through the street. Hopelessness came over
sher; she dropped the head she had been sus.
tanning; her hand tremblel violently and the
hartshorn she had been holding was spilled on
the pallid face. Accidentlly, the position of the
head had become slightly tipped backward, and
the powerful liquid flowed into his nostrils. In
stanty there was short, quick gasp-a sirng.
gle-his eyes opened and when the death men
came again, they found him sitting up in bed
He is still alive and has enjoyed unusually good
health.-Mrs. Chids.