The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1853-05-17
-aatu nter Dattbe Aaarn.'


lVlnS OF some value on him; and
when he was strong enough to bear
the disclosure, his wife informed him
OF the loan so nobly bestowed on
them, and the suffering from which
he had been so marvellously preserv.
ed. The lesson was not lost. The
new rector hcnceforword strove to
unite prudence and generosity; and
career Of worldly prosperity, as
we'll as the far greater blessing of an
implicit and cheerful faith in Provi-
dence, attended the renewed life Of
the sleeper awakcned.
In this instance, the sleep or
trance was dreamless and uncon-
scious. But there is one remarkable
case on record, in which the body
only of the sleeper was subject to
this death-likc thraldom Of slumber,
the mind remaining awake; and the
account given by the individual who
entered this interval Jf life in death,
is very singular and interesting
She was an attendant on a German
princess; and, after being confined
to her bed for great length of time,
with nervous disorder, to all ap.
pearance died. She fRas laid in a
coffin, and the day fixed for her in
termcnt arrived. In accordance
with the custom Of the place, funeral
songs and hymns were sung outside
the door Of the chamber in which the
fair corpse lag. Within they were
preparing to nail on the lid Of the
coffin, when a slightsmoisturc was
observed on the brow Of the dead.
The supposed corpse was of course
Immediately removed to a different
couch, and every means used to re-
store suspended vitality. She lecov-
cred: and gave the following singu-
lar account Of her sensations:
'Shc was perfectly conscious of all
that passed around he9 she distinctly
heard her friends speaking and la
menting her death; she felt them
clothe hei'in the s gal,a IN. TIC.
grave, and place her in the coffin. -
This knowledge produced mental
anxiety she could not describe. She
tried to speak or cry, but vainly; she
had no power Of uttcrancc; it was
equally impossible for her to raise
her hand or open her eyes, as she
vainly endcayorcd to do. She felt
as ii she were imprisoned in dead
body. But when she heard them
talk Of mailing the iii on her, and
the mournful music Of the funeral
hymns reached her ear, the anguish
CT her mind attained its height, and
agony mastering that awful spell of
unatural slumbcr, produced the mois-
turc on her brow, which saved her
from being cntombed alive
Que more little anccdote of q some
what similar kind, which was related
to us on the authority Of a Hastings
fisherman, and We will close our pa.
per. 1t occurred during the cholera.
The people of England have an
episcopal horror Of this terrible
sconrsc, and nothing will induce
them to believe that the infection is
in the the air. and not in the person
affected by the complaint; conse-
lucntly it was difficult, in some pla,
ccs, to persuade them to perform the
last Offices for the dead, and they
hurried the interment of the victims
of the pcstllcnce with unsccmly pre-
cipitaton.
a poor scafanng man, who had
been long absent from his native land.
returning home at the time it was
raging, found that his wife had been
dead about three days, and that her
coffin had been placed in a room with
those of others, who lodging in the
same dwelling, had also persisted Of
the disease. Greatly afflicted, the
sailor insisted on seeing his dead
wife. The ncighbors would have dis.
"o''NS" i!iiI, DHt MS dHCCllOn ana
grief disdaincd all fear, and he rush
cd into the chamber Of death.
There, forcing open the lid of the
coffin, and bending over the corpse
the rude mariner shed tears which
fell fast upon the pallid face, when
suddenly q sound, something like a
sigh, was emitted from the white Hps.
and the next minute the exhausted
and dcath.likc sleeper opened her
eyes and gazcd upon his face? The
JOY Of the poor fellow may be imagia-
ed.
We might multiply instances Of
this phenomenon, but as they would
PROBABLY be familiar to the reader.
we shall but add q wish that the old
adagc, TOO much Of a good thing
may not be found practical truth
with regard to his sleep; and wish.
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