Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1863-03-31
A LIVING CORPSE.
BY EMERSON BENNETT.
She is dead y

She is dead y
These three words, proceeding from the
lirs of an eminent physician, and spoken
in the low, solemn tone so generally used
to convey sad tidings, announced to my
weeping friends that had ceased to be.
But the doctor, as doctors often are, was
mistake. ] was not dead. was not even
as eep. heard as distinctly as can now
hear, every word he said. felt as per-
ceItinly as / can now feel the clasp of bis
fingers upon my wrist and pulse. But the
power of motion had ceased-tbe motion Of
will, the motion of lungs, the motion of the
heart All was still throughout the body
as still as if death reigned there. Yet every
sense seemed alive, acutely alive. could
hear, could see, could feel know
not but that could have smelled and tas-
ted.
There was strangeness about these
senses though. l seemed 20 be in the body
and yet out it. seemed to hear with my
ears, see with my eyes, feel with my nerves,
and at the same time to be so independent
of my mortal form as to have complete
identity without it. Where my actual liv-
ing self was, could not merely compre-
bend. My body knew was there, on the
bed, stretched out as if in death, pale, still,
lifeless-and around this body there was
collected my weeping family-my mother,
my husbsnd-my two children-together
with the doctor, and black nurse and ser
want, and some two or three sympathizing
females, strangers to me, who had come in
to inquire about my condition, and remain
! ed to see .:Iv uIe.
was at hotol, in an interior town of
Virgins, and had been travelling for more
than month for the benefit of my health,
which bad been on the decline for a year.
We had left our home in New York. stop.
piag at Philadelphia, Baltimore and WASH
lngton, and were at last on our way to the
famous White Sulphur Springs. Of Green
bTier c,unty, Virginia. travelling slowly
through mountainous region, when had
gradually become SO i'll as to be unable to
proceed. A weeks sickness, during which
had the best medical skill of that region,
and the most devoted care and attention,
mad resulted, as was believed, in my de-.
cease.
1t was about ten o'clock in the morning
OF q beautiful day 10 mid summer. The
WINDOWS OF my apartment were open, and
she cleaT, delightful air that mountainous
region came gently in, bringing the sweet
perfume of flowers, the soft rustic of leaves,
playing with the curtains, and lightly kis-
sing the feVered broWs of the mourners.
And they mouTners indeed-that group of
four of my dearest kin that were gathered
around my bed. There stood my gray hair
ed mother, silently gazing upon my inani-
mate form through the great, scalding tears
that rapidly chased each other down her
cheeks. There stood the beloved partner
Of my bosom, speechless and fearless in bis
heaying agony, slowly rubbing one hand
over the other, with no power to give vent
to the feelings that were internally rendipg
bis manly frame. There stood my two
children-my bright eyed boy Of ten, aud
my sweet little girl of eight-both crying
and sobbing as if their little hearts would
break. Oh, how longed and struggled tc
force my lips, to move and say ! was not
dead THAT loving daughter, wife and
mother was with them in the earthly land.
Slowly, with respectful steps, the doctor
Withdrew, and one by one the other stran
gers followed him, till only the black nurse
and my own family remained.
oh, mammal my dear, dear mamma 2
now burst from my little fair-haired Ada.
as impulsively she seized and PRESSED 10
her bosom the same band the doctor had
let fall-'won't you speak to me again If
only just once dear mamma If only just
once l-speak once more to your dear little
Ada, mamma won't you . Won't youe
Oh, how struggled to comply with her
passionate prayer and what strange
thrill of agony went through my whole
being, when / found myself pOWerless
to move single muscle Of my lifsless
forml
Your poor mamma is dead. my child =
said my own mother, 10 choking voice I;
she will never speak to any one of MS
agaiuI'
No! MOP cried Ada, with q childlike
eagerness-'dear mamms's dead Iwon,t
have her dead-will you, Edgar will Won
papar and she passiapataly kissed nv
hand again and again, and fairly bathed
i with her tears.
oh. my God ! my Gode this blow will
kill men groaned my husband. wrinRing
bis hands and beginning to pace to and
fro.