The Richmond Indiana palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1854-1855, 1855-01-19
Number 5.

Number 5.
among the unfeathered any more than the feath-
cred bipeds? Oceans of happiness are lost to
both sexes every year because parties who wish
to be married are not permitted BY sssqaesse to
make the fact known. These unfortunates ight
very properly say 10 the happy married folks,
the frogs said to the boys who were pelting them
with stones: 'sThis may be fun to you. but It's
death to us"--Nercsunfs Ledger.
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PErRIFIEo HUMAN BoDIKs--A VKRIrABLE
WoSDER.-Mr. George Lane. who has charge of
Woodland Cemetery, near this city. was called
upon the other dav bv Mr. Geo. p. Low, who re-
sides about three miles east of Germantown, in
this county, 10 remove the remains Of his first
wife, grand child and other bodies, from a fam
lily burying ground upon his farm. and inter them
in his lot in the Germantown Cemetery. The
buryipg ground wss made m9y years ago. upon
the side of little hih. ins field some distance
from the residence of Mr. L., in accordance with
the custom in the Miami Valley at that day, when
almost every property holder had aburying place
upon his farm.
The first grave opened was that of Mr.. Loy's
first wife, who inferred about twenty -four
years age. On reaching the coffin it was found
TO be perfect-at least to appearance-and the
men proceeded to completely unearth it. and
raise It to the mouth of the grave. This they
ascertained to be difficult task, and the small
force engaged at it was compelled to procure as
sstance. The earth at this time complete
" taken from around the coffin. and removed from
under the coffin as far as it could be reached, but
still it was found ditfc ult to even move it.
The assistance of six men was at length OBJ
tained and it required all the strength they were
in possession of to raise the coffin from its bed
and place it upon the ground At the side of the
grave! 1t was supposed by those engaged In the
lei fhafth tha AS led
on account of its extreme heayiness, but after It
was taxed from the ground it as measurably dry,
and no signs of water could be discovered The
lid was then, with difficulty. removed, when 1t
was ascertained that the body was in An excel
lent state of preservation Upon . close exam
inaton, it was found that the remains would not
give way under the pressure of piece OF board
l. which one of the gentlemen placed on the corpse
: and TINS strange circumstance FED to further IN
\ vestigation. The shroud. and indeed all the Gov
/ ering which was upon the body atxtAe time of
interment, twenty four years ago. had disappear
ed-fiot avestige Of them reInaiped. The body
was perfect. except the right leg, from the knee
to the ankle Joint, whore the flesh seemed 70 have
wasted away, and lay at the boaoun IL 1hs coffin.
in a substance resembling ashes Riked With sand.
With this exception of decxy. the body and limbs
exhibited the same perfectness OF exterior they
did when life and aniihstion wefe M the body.
! The body, indeed, had been petri6ed! 1t was
] by some strange quality Of the earth. and other
causes of which We can form no conjecture, turn
ed into stone of drab, or more properly speak
ing flesh color; and the chisel OF the artist ight
initiate, but could not make so close resemblance
to .'human form divine The smile which
lighted up her countenance at the moment when
death gently united the cord which bound the
soul to clay, still seemed to linger upon the face
of stone! The light of the eyes was gone, and
they were sunken-but from the sightless orbs
the soul seemed to look out upon those who were
viewing, with astonishment, that human form o
stone.
The grave of the grand child Of Mr. Loy was
next entered, and the coffin exhumed 1t was
also found to be heavy, and when opened, Il G
i corpse presented much the same appearance as
/ that of Mrs. 10y 1t was not as perfect how
ever, although petrifed. The body and limbs
had about the same appearance they did in life,
but the exterior had lost its life-like contour
The most remarkable thing connected with the
remains of the child was, that the hair upon the
petrifed skull was to all appearance the same as
in life. Mr.. Lane clipped small ringlet from
the crown and tied it into knot; the other bodies
which were exhumed-one or two in number
were only partially petrifed, and were mostly de-
cayed.
A great many persons, attracted by remark
able phenomena, gathered around these remains
with wondering eyes. The like had been read
about, but never seen by them before; indeed, we
very much doubt whether as great curiesities, in
human petrefaction, were ever before seen, al
: though we have strange accounts coming down
to through misty ages. These bodies of stone
in human shape were reinterred in the Cemetery
at Germantown, where they viii probably remain
until the Great Day." when they will be trans
formed into receptacles for immortal souls
! Dayton Ohio Empire.