Democratic banner., 1846-11-16
A NIGHT IN A COFFIN.

passage from New York to this place. The
night was beautiful, and the gallant vessel
pioughedher gilded path uver the bosom of
the star studded sea, as gracefully as the
belle when. she trips the ball room fioor.-
One old lady, after communing with the
blue waters for about an hour, broke out in
a phrenzy of gratitude after the following
manner: SWELL" said she, looking oblique-
Iy at the swelling sails, 81 don't believe that
we are going more than two hours a knot
this blessed night; but only think of the
goodness Of Providence, in making this great
big sea, and putin salt in it to keep it all
the while fresh"
This philosophical observation caused a
general laugh; and Socrates in p~etticoats
played the snarling cynic during the rest
of the evening. 4 group of US were gath
cred around asmall table In the gentlemen's
cabin each one telling his chair breadth
'scapes," and adventures by flood and field.
We were then in the Gulf Stream just a.
breast Havana, and that fact being casually
remarked, one Of the passengers who had
not smiled during the evening took a cigar
out of his mouth, and said he wished to con-
tribute his share to the amusement of the
evening. .
"In 1927, business called me to the city
you are Just n W passing. / had been
there not more than two weeks, when l
found myself attacked by that most dread
ed of scourges the smallpox. l had eve
ry attention that care or the kindness of
strangers coud bestow; at the end of FIVE
days the attendant physician gave me up
for lost. Until this time l never thought
of death, but when this intelligence reach
led me- chung more eagerly to life than
ever. The million rays of the thoughts
that rushed with their swift wing through
my bewildered brain, formed one grand 70
Gus, and that was life. And had a right
TO live gentlemen. for but a few months be-
fore | had married a young girl, and she
and her mother were entirely dependent on
me for support. On the evening of the
Sixth day, l recollect that ! dreamed of my
wife and home, and all that on earth was
dear to me. Then | sunk into a sweet
sleep, and then existence seemed blotted
from my mind. There was n sensation
that | recollcct however, and that was
Il feeling of darkness. All was black, mo-
~tonous, void, and the first return of ap-
preaching life was made known to me by
a GOODNESS that seemed to enter every pore
IF my system. opened my eyes: and my
first thought was that / was blind, for |
knew that this distressing affection was Of
ten the product of this disease. Then |
threw my arms upwards, and from some
obstacle they were thrown back heavily
upon my breast. Ifelt encompassed on all
sides by a warm, moist wall of wood-sud-
denly all my senses cameto me in their full
vigor-I recollected / smelt something like
that which | then inhaled, whenever |
stood by the dead-the big drops Of perspi-
ration Stooj upon my brow, and in an in.
slant the horrid thought flashed upon me,
that / wQs in my coffin! Oh God! / may
have sinned, but that one thought was aw-
full enough to have repaid a life of crime!
Perhaps was in my grave-dOwn deep in
the ground, and recollected of hearing of
men that had been buried in pits-laid.
crosswise and lengthwise of each other,
and that when they had decayed their bones
were used for manure. A thousand such
thoughts as these flashed quicker than the
lightning across my tortured brain, and with
one mad shrek | sprang upwards, and there
was light!
| looked around, and in a moment ortwoI
| discovered that / was in a church. Can
dies were burning on the decorated altar
piece, and pictures of the Crucifxion and
the Virgin and her child, and other scrip
tural incidents hung upon the walls Il
heard a shrek, and turning quickly about
| saw all old priest near me. who with out
stretched arms, pallid face, and chatteIing
teeth seemedto be the very personification
of fear. approached him, but he retreat
cd, and holding up a cross, cried out,
sen el nombre Dios! quien es el?"
Iquickly assured him of my being a man
of flesh and blood like himself, although at
first he did not seem t6s believe me, and
then he related to me how ] had been sup
posed to be dead; that | was brought to the
church by my friends about four hours be-
fore, and that at daylight the next morning
had it not been for the interpositioh of the,
Holy Mother, near whose picture my coffin
stood, I would have been in the burying
ground. "a ra1
.'And now gentlemen added the rector
~