Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1859-05-12
& Grue gkett!,
THE BURIED ALIVE.

gradually wasted, but the sense ol
life see med to become more and
more acute, as my corporeal pow
ers became weaker. ] could see
by the looks of the doctor that be
despaired Of my recover, and the soft
and whispering sorrow of my friends
taught me that | had nothing to
hope.
One day towards the evening the
crisis took place. | Was seized with
strange and indeseribable culver
ing "a rushing sound was in my
ears-I saw around my couch ipnu-
merable strange faces; they were
bright and visionary, and without
bodies. There WAS light and solem-
nifty, and | tried TO move, but could
not. For short time terrible con-
fusion overwhelmed me; and when it
passed of, all my recollection return
ed with the most perfect distinctness,
but the power Of motion had depart
cd. / heard the sound Of weeping
at my pillow. and the voice of the,
nurse say, He is dead ! cannot
describe what | felt at these words.
| exerted my utmost power OF voll-
ton to stir myself, but ! could not
move even an eye-lil. After short
pause my friend drew near; and, Sob
bing and convulsed with grief drew
his hand over my face, and closed
my eyes. The world was then dark
ened, but I could still hear, and feel,
and suffer.
When ny eyes we're closed | heard
by the attendants that my friend
had left tie room. aud | soon after
found that the undertakerS were pre-
pairing to habit me in the garments
of the grave. Their thoughtlessness
was mere awful han the grief of my
friends. They laughed at one en-
other as they turned me from side
to side, and treated what they be-
lieved to be a corpse with the most
ribalery.
When they had laid me out, these
wretches reiited, and the degrading
formality of affecting mourning com
Eenced. For three days a number
Of friends called to see me. / heard
them, in low accents, speak OF what
l was; end more than one touched
me with his finger. On the third
day, some Of them talked Of smell
of corruption in the room.
The coffin was procured; was lift
ed and laid in it; my friend placed my
head on what was deemed its last
pillow, and | felt his tears drop on
my face.
When all who had any peculiar
interest in me baG for short time
looked a: me in the coffin, | heard
them retire, and the undertaken S
men placed the lid on the coffin, and
screwed it down. There we're two
Of them present; one bad occasion
to 90 away before the task vas done.
/ heard the fellow who was left begin
to whistle as he turned the screwnalls,
but he checked himself, and com,
pleted the work in silence.
was then left alone--every one
Summed the room. | knew, howev-
er. that was not yet buried; and
though darkened and moti0nless,
| had still hope; but this vas net per-.
mitted long The day CT interment
arrived, | felt the coffin lifted snd
borne away heard and felt it
placed on the hearse. There was a
crowd Of people around; some of
them spoke sorrowfully Of me. The
hearso began to move, | knew that
it carried me TO the grave. 1t halted
and the coffin was taken out felt
myself carried on shoulders OF men.
by the inequality Of the motion. A
nause ensued-I heard the cords of
the coffin moved felt it swing as
dependent by them. 1t was lowered,
and rested on the bottom OF the
grave. The cords we're dropped up
on the lid heard them fall
Dreadful was the effort | then made
TO exert tho power Of action, but my
whole frame was immoyable.
Soon after few handfuls Of earth
we're tbrown upon the coffin. Then
there was another pause-atter which
the shovel Was employed, and the
rafting mould as it covered me, was