The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1853-03-29
W dD r. | ]. | ! ) " 4 ! i ;
M MElIS3C L A m EOUS
How afmtiaan Z tia Feels when he's Dead.
( on, THE MINIsTER's STORY.

How aman! Feels when he's Dead
8 on, THE i MINISTER'S STORY.
+ Aseries of papers entitled, "Ex-
tracts from the Portfolio of an Excite
SAent:s Seeker have just been com
lienced fiin u Hdtper's Magazine. We
copy one Of the stories, which, though
Z old ds-4fffOr swe think we have read it
Z somewhere beforc-is exceedingly in
teresting: f
tsAOne day when l dined with my
grandfather, the Rev. John Ii was
ofthei party. He was man about
45 years OF age, dressed with pecu-
liar neatness, and entirely in black
AT first / was very much disap-
pointed with his appearance, for he
had:no form nor comeliness to recon-
mend him. He was slightly made
man, with jet-black hair, without one
good feature in his face, except the
eyes, and had somewhat saturine
complexion. His air had something
peculiarly calm and tranquil in it, with
out any affectation of dignity; but
still, grave ease, which implied more
than perceived at the time. When
he smiled, however-and he did so
the moment I6s'as presented to him
his face was lighted up with the sweet
est expression of benevolence | cv-
er beheld. There were two or three
other gentlemen at dinner that day, and
the conversation turned upon multi.
tlde of subjects--Mr. H holding
his part well and easily, on every top
io that was discussed. could see my
grandfather's eyes turned frequently to
l1is face, as if ifremarking something pc
IfSaliar there; but after dinner the mo
tive came out. "Why, John," he said,
ssyou seenain very good health, and
yet when first you came into the
room i thought you must be i'll. |
recollect you quite ruddy young
man; and now
.at'Y gu would say Lam yellow as a
gnine8" replied Mr., Ii, with
IKE, no-but exactly. that answer
ed my grandfather; shut your face
Is has lost all color, and got sort of
leaden look"
"That is owing to the fever l had
some four years ago." replied the rev.
erend gentleman, and of which |
died, if ever man really died and came
to life again, on this side OF the grave"
He smiled as he spoke; and cvery
one present expressing anxiety for
some explanation of what he meant,
he gave an account Of the strange
events that had occurred to him. which
shall endeavor to render almost in
his own words, only remarking that he
is still living, and can probably give
farther details, if executors think it
worth while to ask for them.
Hln the winter Of 1S-," said Mr..
H t'there was great deal of
typhus fever in Edinburgh. 1t was
agloomy, sad winter, changing frc-
quenuy from hard frost to warm
rainy, oppressive weather; and .nev-
or did my native city city better de-
serve the name of Auld Recksie, than
during nearly four months Of that
+, year. The high winds, to which we
are generally subjected in winter, seem
{ ed 70 have ceased altogether: the
smoke, instead Of rising, beat down
upon the city; and notwithstanding its
elevated situation, and fine noun
tain Dir, the streets and houses were
80 martly dark that there was very lit
tie difference between the short,
dim day, ard the long and early
egspight. A.sort Of oppression fell upon
ell mems spirits, which was increased
by the floating rumors of the awful raw
ages ofdisease in the town, brought
home to US, every now and then, by
the death of an acquaintance, friend
or o relation. Gradually the fever in
creased in virulence, and extended
far and wide till it became almost a
pestilence. 1t confined itself to no
class or age. Judges, lawyers, ply
slcians, were smitten, rs well as the
humber classes: old and young alike.
fell before it. Many good men in the
ministry were taken. 1t assumed the
worst form of all, however, in the
prisons of the city, and the account of
its ravages within their walls was
tremendous. As the minister of the
------ Kirk, j was not absolutely called
upon to attend the prisoners; but |
heard that two of my brethren had
# died in consequence of their Jealous
care of the poor souls within those
heavy walls. 1t was with difficulty
that o sufficient number of the clergy
could be found to attend to their spiri.
tual wants, and volunteered to
visit the prisons daily, myself. For
nearly a fortnight, ! continued in the
4 performance of the functions had un-
dertaken, without suffering in the
least, except mentally from witncs-
slng the snl1erings Of others. But
one Saturday night, as | returned
home through the very gloomy streets,
~ felt lasstude upon me, an utter pro
astration of strength, which forced me