Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1860-07-13
Giabt Reaoina.
A STRANGE INCIDENT.

Some years ago, in Providence, Rhode
Island, there lived man by the name Of
Brown, shoemaker by trade He was
a single man his father had been dead
some years He, with his mother, resided
in what was then called Olney's Lane; his
mother was taken sick and, as was SUP
posed, died 1t being in the spring, and
the ground still frozen, she was put in a
tomb This tomb belonged tc a doctor,
who, as report says, at sundry times would
make use of the dead bodies in that tsmb.
to gain greater knowledge in the ana
tomical science. The night after the dav
of the funeral, Mr. Brown went to bed as
would be expected, with sorrowful heart;
he had not been asleep, as he SAYS, when
the door of his bedroom opened, and his
mother approached his bed side, and spoke
the following words:
Edward. you have put me in this aw-
full place, where shall never be able to
get out unless you come Immediately and
unlock that heavy door. - $50
He sprang up in bed-but his mother
had gone ; for awhile he was bewildered
not realizing where he was: finally he fell
into a slumber, from which he did not wake
until morning. He went to work, but the
vision had made deep impression upon
his mind soon friend of his came into
the shop, to whom he related it. His
friend told him it was only the imagination
of an excited brain, owing to the grief of
the death of bis mother, and tried to laugh
him out of the idea of her appearing to him.
The day passed off, and gloomy one
it was to him. At the usual time he re-
tired to bed, but had not been asleep
when the door again opened, his mother
again approached his bedside, and uttered
the same words that were uttered the night
before, and then left. He got up, and
walked the room he could not sleep. a
fearful foreboding that all was not right,
rested upon his mind. The next day he
again told his friend about it, and remark
ed that he was fearful that old DR.. R.
had stolen the body, and that the visions
were to warn him of the fact. ~
"Well,' said his friend, "I don't be-
lieve anything in the affair; and supposing
he has, you can do nothing about it, and
it would only make you feel worse to know
it. But the fact is, your mind is borne
down with trouble, and these things appear
in your Imagination. I will come and
sleep with you tonight, and you will for
get these forebodings by having company;
and after a good nights rest you will come
out bright. So forget only fancy of the
BRAIN E +E @ F "}5.
That night Mr. Brown. with his friend
retired about the usual hour. hoping to get
some rest, as he felt better for having his
friend with him. But a; short time had
elapsed before his friend was in a sound
sleep, but the balmy restorer had not yet
visited him, when the door again opened,
and the same specter stood before him, and
thus spoke: Ea as l5s.ga zat .7v
"Why did you not come and let me out?
But no matter; it is too late.
He woke up his friend, but the specter
had gone and with it slumber from bis eye
lids. When the morning dawned, he was
too unwell to leave his bed. His friend
went for the doctor. who, when he arrived
pronounced it an attack of brain fever.
1t was several days before he was able
to leave his room. After while, he went
to work at his business, and the ,circum-
stance which had SO preyed upon his mind
seemed like dream to him. and he had
concluded, as the specter had not since
troubled him, that the whole affair was
only caused by his brain being affected,
and that is the conclusion that most of US
at the present Gay would come to but
mark the sequel. .--
Some three months after this he had en-
gagged the sexton to take the body of his
mother and bury it. While the sexton
and another person were conveying it to
the grave, the recollection of the vision
| flashed upon the mind of Mr. Brown, and
the thought occurred 20 him that be would
have the coffin opened. The sexton told
him that it was all foolishness, as be knew
by the weight that the corpse was in tt
But he thought then that there must have
been something substituted for the corpse,
and he insisted upon having it opened.
The sexton opened the coffin, and what
a sight for the son to behold His moth
er lay upon her face, and when turned
over, the clothing which had covered her
arms and breast, was found torn in frag-
fnsnts, and portion of the flesh of one of
her arms had been gnawed off 1t was
truly a heart rending sight. The truth
flashed upon their minds; she came out of
the trance state which she was in when
placed there, and not having power to
force the lid of the coffin, she had torn the
clothing and eaten the flesh from her arm
whether from starvation or despair, will
4 probably never be known until the great
| day when all secrets shall be laid open
| The circumstance so worked upon the
mind of Mr.. Brown, that he took to drink
| ing, and lived miserable life some two
years, when death relieved him of his mis-
cry in this world.
! This story is no fiction, and we should
| like to see it accounted for on mundane
principles. r ~
HEENAN CoMING HoME.-The prepara-
tions to welcome Heenan home are being
made on large scale. The Herald says:
The pugilistic fraternity of the Empire
City are at this moment in the throes of
great fstic excitement, consequent on the
expected return to his native land, in the
steamer Adriatic, of the redoubtable John
| G. Keenan, champion of America. aud one