The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1845-08-16

elected, and. perhaps, ever more pos
itively ill-treaied her Having passed y
with him some wretched years sheidi-
ed,-at last her condition so closely re-
sembled death as to deceive every one
who saw her. She was buried-not in
a vault-but in an ordinary grave in
the village other nativity. Filled with
despair, and still infamed by the mem-
ory of profound attachment, the 10y
er journeys from the capital to the re-
mote province in which the village lies,
with the romantic purpose of disinter-
ring the corpse, and possessing himself
of its luxuriant tresses. He reaches
the grave. AT midnight he unearths the
coffin, opens it, and is in the act of de-
taching the hair, when he is arrested
by the unclosing of the beloved eyes.
In fact, the lady had been buried alive.
Vitality had not altogether departed;
and she was aroused, by the caresses
OF her lover, from the lethargy which
had been mistaken for death. lie en-
ployed certain powerful restoratives
suggested by no little medical learning.
In fine, she revived. She recognized
her preserver. She remained with
him until, by slow degrees, she fully
recovered her original health. Her
woman's heart was not adamant, and
this last cesson of love sufficed to soft
en- it. She bestowed it upon Bossuet'
She returned no more to her husband,
but conceaIing from him her resurrec-
ton, fled with her lover to America.
Twenty years afterwards, the two re-
turned to France, IN the persuasion
that time had so altered the ladys ap-
pearance that her friends would be un-
able to recognize her. They were mis-
taken, however; for, at the first meet
ing, Monsieur Renelle did actually re-
cognize and make claim to his wife,
This claim she resisted; and a judicial
tribunal sustained her in her resistance;
decided that peculiar circumstances,
with the long lapse of years, had extin-
guished, not only equitably but legally,
the authority of the husband.
The "ChIrurgical Journal" of Leip-
sic-a periodical, Of high authority and
merit, which some American bookseller
would do we'll to translate and repub-
lsh, records, in late number, very
distressing event Of the character in
question.
An officer of artillery, man of gi-
gantic stature and of robust health, be-
ing thrown from an unmanageable
horse, received very severe contu-
sion upon the head, which rendered him
insensble at once; the skull was slight
ly fractured; but no immediate danger
was apprehended. Trepanning was
accomplished successfully. He was
bled, and many other Of the ordinary
means of relief were adopted. Grad
ualIy, however, he fell into more and
more hopeless state Of stupor; and final
| Iy 1t was thought that he died. The
weather was warm; and he was buried
with indecent haste, in one of the pub
lie cemeteries. His funeral took place
on Tuesday. On the Sunday follow
ing, the grounds of the cemetery were,
as usual, much thronged with visitors;
and about noon an intense excitement
was created by the declai alton Of
peasant that, while sitting upon the
grave Of the officer, he had distinctly
felt commotion of the earth, as if oc-
casioned by some one struggling be-
meath. At first little attention was
paid TO the mans asseveration; but his
evident terror, and the dogged obstina-
cy with which he persisted in his story,
had, at length, their natural effect upon
the crowd. Spades were hurriedly
procured, and the grave, which was
shamefuly shallow, was, in few min
utes, so far thrown open that the head
of its occupant appeared. He was
then, seeming Y dead; but he sat nearly
erect within his coffin, the lid Of which,
in his furious struggles, he had partially
uplifted.
He was forthwith conveyed to the
nearest Hospital, and there pronounced
to be still living, g,although in an asphylic
condition. After some hours, he revi-
we'd, recognized individuals OF his ac-
quaintance, and, in broken sentences,
spoke Of his agonies in the grave.
From what he related, it was clear
that he must have been conscious Of
life for more than an hour, while inhu-
med, before lapsing INTO lnsensibility.
The grave was carelessly and loosely
filled with an exceedingly. porous soil;
and thus some air was necessarily ad-
mitted. He heard the footsteps Of the
crowd overhead, and endeavored to
make himself heard in turn. twas the