The Cadiz sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 184?-1851, 1846-02-11

were of an icy GOODNESS.
i AT five minutes before eleven perceived un-
equivocal signs of the mesmeric influence. The
glasay roll of the eye was changed for that ex-
/, preston of uneasy inward examination which is
Lnever seen except in cases of sleep-waking, and
which it is quite impossible TO mistake. With a
few rapid lateral passes made the lips quiver, as
} in incipient sleep, and with few more closed
) them altogether. | was not satisfied, however,
with this, but continued the manipulations vigo-
rously, and with the fullest exertion of the will,
until had completely stiffened the limbs of the
j slumberer, after placing them in a seemingly
j easy position. The legs were at full length the
arms we're nearly so, and rcposed on The bed at a
moderate distance from the loins. The head was
very slightly elevated.
When | had accomplished this, it was fully
midnight, and requested the gentlemen present
10 examine M. Vuldemar's condition. After a
few experiments, they admitted him TO be in an
} unusually perfect state of mesmeric trance. The
t curiosity of both the physicians was greatly ex-
: cited. DIR. D. resolved at once TO remain
! with the patient all night, while DIR. F. took
leave with promise to return at day break. Mr..
: Il and the nurse remained.
We left M. Valdemar entirely undisturbed
, until about three o'clock in the morning when
approached him and found him in precisely the
same condition as when DR. F. went away
that is to say, he lay in the same positions the
pulse was imperceplible; the breathing was gen
tie Scarcely noticeable, unless through the ap-
plication of mirror to the lips); the eyes were
r closed naturally; and the limbs were as rigid and
) cold as marble Still, the general appearance
! was certainly not that of death.
As | approached M. Vademar made kind
of half effort TO influence his right arm in pursuit.
S OF my own, as passed the latter gently to ant
S fro above his person. In such experiments witt
this patient had never perfectly succeeded be
fore, and assuredly had little thought of sue
e ceeding now, but to my astonishment, his arm
9 very readily, although feebly, followed every di
: rectonI assigned it with mine. determined to
hazard few words of conversation.
: an. Vademar,' [ SAID, "are you asecp?" Ht
: made no answer, but perceived tremor abou
: the lips, and was thus induced to repeat the ques
tion, again and again. AT its third repetition
his whole frame was agtated by a very slight
e shivering; the eyclids disclosed themselves 81
! far as to display white line of the ball; the lip!
t moved sIuggishIy, and from between them, in a
j. bare audible whisper, issued the words:
;, "Yos;-asleep now. Do not wake me lie
c me die sol"
II here felt the limbs and found them as rigid
n as ever The right arm, as before, obeyed the
g direction of my hand. | questioned the sleep.
: walker again:
ado you still feel pain in the breast M. Val
demar?"
= The answer now was immediate, but even les
4 audible than before:
] "No pain-I am dying"
| T i 4 H., f. /. l.. q
e ther just then, and nothing more was said ol
2 done until the arrival of DR.. r, who came
1; little before SUNRISE and expressed unboundcc
astonishment at seeing the patient still alive
l After feeling the pulse and applying mirror tC
, the lips, ho requested me TO speak 10 the sleep
s walker again. did so, saying:
an. Vademar, do you still seep?"
: As before, some minutes elapsed ere reply
= was made; and during the interval the dying mar
seemed 10 be collecting his energies TO speak
: AT my fourth repetition of the question he said
: very family, almost inaudibly:
ayes; still asleep-dying."
!. 1t was now the opinion, or rather the wish oil
the physicians, that M. Valdemar should remain
: undsturbed in his present apparently tranquil
f condition, until death should supervene-an
, this, it was generally agreed, must now take
} place within few minutes. / concluded, how
i ever, to speak TO him once more, and merely re.
. peaIed my previous question. s.z.
: While spoke, there camea d marked change
: over the countenanceIof the sleep-waker. Tne
= ewes rolled themselves slowly open, the pupils
c disappearing upwardly, the skin generally assn.
. med cadaverous hue, resembling not so much
parchment as white paper; and the circular nee
lie spots which, hitherto, had been strongly de-
t fined in the centre Of each cheek, iUcAt out al
once. use this expression, because the sud.
: denness Of their departure put me in mind of no
G thing so much as the extingulsf ment Of can.
die by puff of the breath. The upper lip al
the same time, writhed itself away from the teeth
which il had previously covered completely
| while the lower jaw fell with an audible Jerk
T leaving the mouth widely extended, aud discIo-
sing in full view the swollen and bIackened
tongue. presume that no member of the party
, then present had been unaccustomed 10 death.
bed horrors; but so hideous beyond conception
was the appearance of M. Valdcmar at this mo-
0 ment, that there was a general shrinking back
from the region of the bed.
now feel that have cached point of this
y narrative at which every reader will be startled
= into positive disbelief II is my business, how.
] ever, simply to proceed.
There was no longer the fantest sign of vital.
} ity in NJ. Valdemar; and concluding him TO be
: dead, we were consgnng him TO the charge OF
} the nurses, when a strong vibratory motion was
, observed in The tongue. This continued for per-
hnps minute. Al the expiration of this period,
I there issued from the distended and motionless
Jaws a voice--such as it would be madness in
me TO attempt describing. There are, indeed,
two or three epithes which might be considered
as applicable 10 il in part; might say, for exam
ple, that The sound was harsh, and broken, and
hollow; but the hideous whole is indcscrbable
for the simple reason that no similar sounds
have ever Jared upon the ear of humanity
n There were two particulars, nevertheless, which