The Carolina Spartan. [volume] (Spartanburg, S.C.) 1852-1896, 1856-12-25

struggledto keepit. drew q long breath.
1t was in vain. The breath came Quick
and thick: fell it growing weaker and
weaker My head, my brain seemed to
melt even, and then the last breath ratified
up through my throat, and I vas-dead,
You ask me what were my sensations in
death. | had none. If death be what |
suffered, or rather underwent, then the soul
must be asleep or unconscious. / know
not. am n christian, and not n Sadducee,
and yet that strange experience has a right
TO have shaken my faith.
What did feel, however, when feeling
returned, will tell you. At first it was an
ICY eoldness, far surprising any winter chill
that you can imagine; no outer cold but
complete absence Of warmth. within as we'll
as without, even in the breath Of nv nos.
this. Still felt il most in my hands and
feet My next sensation was one of utter
powerlessness, and that too Of will as well
rs OF muscle. lay was unconscious of
existence-but there was no thought in my
mind. no movement in my body. My heart
may have beat, probably it did so, but
knew 1t not. scarcely even felt the breath
pass through my open mouth, and rs much
as did feel was cold and heavy. ! say
was conscious but that was all. might
have been dead This might have been
the grave. | know not All thought-all
memory-was gone.
Then little by little my feelings grew
sharper felt the cold more keenly still.
and it was frightful agony. Then, too,
felt strange pain in my stomach, as if it
was shrvelled up
know not how long endured this, but
1t seemed 10 rouse my dormant will, and AS
that returned, the use of my other senses
returned likewise. My eyes were closed
but knew that could see, for perceived
weight of dark ess above the SMUT lids
Presently, too grew aware that there was
something in my right hand; and rs my
senses grew keener, anu the agony of cold
and weakness became still more unbarable.
my will grew stronger, my thoughts re
turned dimly, though my memory was ut.
lerly gone, and determined 10 make an
effort TO move. | had no idea that | WAS
dead, for had no memory that had ever
been alive; bat was conscious of existence,
and instinct, | suppose, prompted selfpres-
erva;ion.
My first attempt was to open my eyes,
and in this at length succeeded But IMas
nothing. All was dark. Only when had
lain for some time, gazing upwards did
know that there was a space of dark air
| above, aud that was not shut in close
My next effort was to feel what was in
my hand. Whatever it might be, knew
that 1t Vas smooth, and somewhat warmer
than the icy flesh that beld it. Then
strove 10 raise this arm, but in vain. Again
! and again | tried, till suddenly, with an un-
expected jerk, It bounded up, the muscles
not being wholly under my will and as il
did so, felt some hot drops fall on my
face.
1t was this that saved me-ths, as it
were, that awolie me. These drops brought
the blood mo;e quickly through my ice.
bound veins and thawed me into life. Then
knew at once that held bottle in INV
hanl, and in my frightful gnawing hun
ger, instinct guided 1t to my mouth. |
| poured half the contents down into nv
throat, and oh! how fearfuIy they burned
and yet how completely they restored me-
ii was brandy, and my memory returned
sufficiently for me to know that it was so.
Yet guessed nothing from that. My mind
could not do more than perceive. was
too powerless to draw an inference.
Bat now the pain was lessened, my blood
was warmed, felt that my heart beat. |
WAS conscious shat was alive. And now.
too, though was still unable TO move, |
could feel that | was in some narrow cas-
ing My feet touched something upright
below them. Nv arms were laid close TO
my side and my fingers and elbows found
something upright and wooden on each
side was frighuuly cramped, and this
was new pain, aud source too, OF vague
fear. felt my strength returning, and
longed 10 be FREQ. Yet | could not move.
| felt as if imprisoned, and this feeling was
almost worse than the rest.
raised my arm again with an effort, and
swallowed some more brandy. Then my
sight became clearer, and | discovered a
dim, grey light, as of the morning twilight,
stealing upon the darkness.
Presently could move my arms.
| passed them about my body, and felt a
number OF brass buttons, and the smooth
cloth OF coat and the smoother satin of a
large embroidered waistcoat This taught
me nothing. | thought it quite natural,
but thai WAS ell! | remembered nothing
/ at all.
Then tried to pass my arms over the
wooden casing that held me, and when |
had succeeded in doing so, found some.
thing crisp and flimsy, which reminded me
OF muslin, and something limp and smooth,
which my returning memory told me was
/ ribbons.
asked myself what all this meant
whether | WAS alive OF dead, dreaming or
awake. In vain tried to remember any.
;h'ng about myself: my memory seemed
bound up beyound those simple limits.
But could bear it no longer | made a
great effort and by the aid Of my arms,
raised myself into sitting posture
oh how dreadful was the scene | was
surrounded 10y dead bodies i'm cotiins in eve.