M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1856-06-26

situatlon-l mean widower's-can tell.
My second wife whom have also buried,
was not so penetrating in the faculty of OBJ
seTvation. She was woman OF an admira-
BILE thrift, and to her economy il was that
owe my preservation in the terrible event
that | am about to detail. Had | been in
tered in lead it would have been all over
with me. Willing to save as much money
as possible at my funeral, she had my body
with all the usual and proper grief attendant
on the ceremony, put into stout wooden
coffin, the weight Of which was increased
BY couple of old hundred weights, placed
one at my head, and the other at my feet
Thus the things passed off well, and npney
was saved io.my heirs. hereby castno re-
6ectionsnpo my dear departed wife's regard
me. Twas convinced, as told, her that
fief motive was good, and veil did it turn
out for me that she was so thrifty and con-
siderate. She was true woman, and was
plain in her person--butI wander again
from my story.
lhad most excellent dinner; of this have
perfect recollection. Of more than this
can recollect nothing until coming out of my
fit, as | suppose-for quickly imagined,
feeling the unusual sensations, that was re.
covering from one of them, | say that on
coming TO myself, was surprised 10 feel my
self pinioned aud in utter darkness. l had
no space to stir if | would as | soon found,
while | struggled to loosen sheet or some
such thing, in which was scantily envelop-
ed. My hand would not reach my head
when attempted to make it do so, by rea-
son OF my elbow touching the bottom and nv
hand the top of the enclosure round me.
1t was the attempting to DO this, and find
ing myself naked, except with the aforesaid
covering struck me that had been entombed
alive. The thought rushed suddenly upon
me. My first sensations were those Of simple
surprise. | was like child aroused out OF
a deep sleep, and not sufficiently awake to
recognise its attendants. When the truth
flashed upon me in all its fearful energy,
never can forget the thrill ofhorror that struck
through me. 1t was as ii bullet had pene.
trated my heart, and all the blood in my body
had gusll9d through the wound. Never,nev-
er can hell be more terrible than the sensa-
tions of that moment
| lay motionless for time petrified with
terror. Then clammy dampness burst
forth from every part of my body. My hor-
rible doom seemed inevitable; and so strong
at length became this impression. SO bereft
ol hope appeared my situa tion, ,thatI ultimate.
ly recovered from it only to plunge into the
depths OF calm, resolute despair. Asnot the
iaintest ray of hope could penetrate the dark
ness around my soul, resignation to my fate
followed. began to think OF death cody,
to calculate how long might survive before
famine closed the hour of my existence.
prayed that might have fortitude to die
without repining. Calmly as then felt,
tried if could remember how long man
could live without food. Thus the tranquil
ty of my despair wasmade comparatively easy
if contfasted with the situation in which
felt myself afterwards, when hope began to
glimmer uponme. My days must in the end
be numbered--I must die at ast-I was only
perishing little sooner than otherwise must
have dOne Even from this thought deriv-
ed consolation, and | now think life might
have closed easily upon me, if the pangs Of
hunger had been at all bearable-and | had
been told that they are much more so than
is commonly believed.
If my memory serves me correctly
this calm state of mind did not last long
Reason soon began to whisper to me tha
if had been buried, and the earth closed
round my coffin, should not be able to res
pire, which could not do with ease. die
not Of course dream of the vault in which
was placed, but considered at first had beer
buried in earth. The freedom of respiration
give me the idea that after all | was about t.
be borne to the grave, and that there shoult
be suffocated inevitably.
Such is the inconsistency of the human
mind that |, who had just now resigned my.
self to die by famine imagined this momen.
ary mode of death hundred times more form
idable. The idea that was not yet inferred
increased my anxiety to be heard from with
out. called aloud, and struck the sidesand
the lid OF the coffin to no purpose till was
hoarse and fatigued out, all in vain. A still.
y silence reigned around me amid the unbro-
ken darkness. was now STEPPED in fearful
agony. l shrieked with horror. / plunged
my nails into my thighs and wounded
them. The coffin was soaked in my blood
and, by tearing the wooden sides of my prison
with the same maniaCal feeling, | lacerated
my fingers, and wore the nails to the quick
and some became motionless from exhaus.
ton. When l was myself once more called
aloud my wife's name. prayed, and | feal
blasphemed, for knew not what said; anC
| thus continued until my strength again lef
me and nature once mere sought replenish
ment in temporary insensibility.
At this time had vision Of most in
defnable character, if it was one, and not
glance as am induced to think it was, be
tween the portals of death into the world o
spirits. 1t was all shapeless and formless.-
Images of men and women, often numberles:
in short shadowy outline--came befor
and around me. They seemed as if limbles
from decay. Their featureless heads move,
upon trunks hideously vital-in figure lik,
bodies, which have seen drawn forth from
burned dwelling, each being rather hideou
s-shapen mass than human resemblance
Thick darkness and silence succeeded--th,
darkness and silence of too horrible reality
If as l suspected, slept about this tim
from weaknessit was but to awake again to
more fearful consciousness Of my dreadful
situation. Fresh but vain efforts to max
myself heard were reiterated as far as IN,
strength would allow. | found withou
great difficulty could turn on my side, ant
then over on my belly. tried by lifting M
a back and by violent strain to burst opel
} the coffin lid, but the screws resisted my ut
most strength could not besides. draw u
my knees sufficiently high to afford a tent
part of the purshsseI should otherwise hav
made to bear upon it. had no help but t
return again to the position Of the dead AM
I.rl.. -.