Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1857-03-20
IRASBURGH, VERMONT, FRIDAY MARCH 20. 1857.

=
ing, and lamenting that had ever beer
born. The many blessings I had were
as nothing. What were they, in com.
parison with what was ddniea to me p
Like spoiled child, l disdained all my
toys, because there was one beyond my
grasp. Oh, how is that night written
deep on my memory-burned into my
heart! No soft hand to soothe away the
anguish, and, alas / knew not where to
find comfort when no earthly friend was
near.
Hours must have passed, before, ex-
hausted by my overwrought feelings, !
fell in a strange slumber-so deep that
was unconscious of my own breathing,
and yet actually conscious of objects
around. I had my eyes closed, but | felt
the darkness pressing upon their ids
1t seems as if even my heart stood still,
So horrible was my sensations that /
longed to rouse myself, but, like person
in nightmare, I was unable to stir; SO
| lay until it seemed Ito grow lighter
around me, and heard James (the SER
vant) enter the room. / heard him step
carefully and noiselessly for fear of dis
turbing my slumber. I heard him stop,
surprised, at the foot of my bed, at see
ing me still dressed as I had been the day
before. He seemed at first to hesitate
about calling me. He would walk about
the room and then return to the bed, as if
there was something in my appearance
which drew him there. Ilonged for him
to touch me and rouse me from my hor-
rible nightmare. At last he came close
to me and called, Massa William
Massa William p' I did not move-I
could not move. He laid his hand on
mine. It was icy cold against his, and
he rushed, Mortified, from tie room. All
this I felt, but could not move. Then
knew that Twas in living death.
Oh, why was it that the agony at my
heart did not send the curdling blood
through my veins But no; the same
awful stiffness reigned throughout my
whole frame. Oh, what would not
nnscIe = reis = tifF tfs ws fhhee2 n2Eg irg
soul in dead bodyi My hands laid
crossed serenely over my breast, as if to
tell of quiet within; my features, | felt,
were placid and calm. My frame seem
ed no longer part of myself. Ny soul
writhed in agony and silence within my
she'll. I heard my mothers shrek, my
fathers groan and there was another
sound-it seemed ike wall of anguish
from breaking heart. Whose was it Z
And the imprisoned feelings quivered
and shook with something between plea
sure and pain, but they gave no outward
sign.
heard the confusion about the house
the physician, the minister sent for; or.
ders issued with the greatest rapidity, bu
each one heard and felt by me. seem
ed to be a mass of feeling, and each cir
cumstance vibrated painfully against tht
tightly strung chord descending through
my whole frame, and in its descent, touch
ing each nerve, sending through me I
thrill of the intensest anguish, the mos
exquisite suffering but there was thi
same awful stiffness reigning without
They gathered around my bed-my ia
ther, my mother, the servants, all.
heard their deep sobs. / heard the grie
too deep for tears-so sudden, so latel,
in health, and now dead / shuddered a
the word but the shell upon the be-
was silent-quiet as ever. My mother
form pressed the bed beside me, her ago
ny giving vent only occasionally in word
such as" Oh! had he been but chill
of God, 7 ennId have horne If: bnt dea
without hoper'
The doctor came. My eyeIids wer
raised. Through those half-closed POI
tails I gazed once more on the faces ] $
loved; but my feelings gave no express
ion to those fiIm-covered pupils. M
vest was undone. heard the sad dec
laration, in tones of deep sympathy, IN
puIsation-all over" Ifelt my mothe
/ fall lifeless beside mel heard my fl
ther's frenzied expressions of grief, an
I was left to be shrouded for the grav'
It was done by the tender, loving hand
of our own domestics, amidst many teal
over poor AIassa Willie" but this di
not prevent the thrill of horror, doubl
intense because it only touched him.
/ / was laid upon my own bed, each lin
Strengthened, each fold laid in its place
the windows opened to prevent, as
shudderingly thought, the quick rayagt
of decay; and with many sigh an