East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1865-11-15

knew u was my sister, Tor shoY spoke and called
me by name. The door opened and aho camo for
ward cautiously and again spoke rs she APP
preached the bed. She paused moment, and
then, uttcring piercing scream, ran for my
mother Instantly the horror Of the cry brought
the family to my bedside. They lifted my hand.
and It fell again upon the eoverid. They felt my
heart-there was not futter Of pulse. for all
that II seemed 10 II hell itself could not be
worse than the torment was enduring. hoard
quick, oonvulsive sobs, and felt soft hand smooth
| my hair from my brow. Some one said lie must
have died In fit; and yet how calm his face is"
"fes," was the answer, che probably suffered no
pain and died almost Immediately in
his sleep" Then the voices grew more distant
ana mufmuring. and some one lett the room.-
Soon the doors opened, and the face Of the family
physician intercepted the damned spot for mo-
! nent. Now thought /, he will know that am
not dead, and will relieve me Of this situaton.---
lie felt Of my heart and pulse for moment, and
then heard him say in answer to the anxious
inquiries-"Yes, madame, l am sorry 10 say he
Is entirely gone. My art eau avail him nothing"
The voices then became lower and listened in
vain. .Iaf.Tv tt.F 4f
| II was a long, dark psurc--then the shutters
were closed. and persons trod lightly across the
ioor, and spoke TO each other In an undertonc, as
| II the place was sacred. That silent awo which
prevades the chamber of death, and bushes the
Voice us II the senseless clay could hear, had
passed over their spirits like breath stain upon
glass. L heard the lew, confessed murmur of
voices driven through the darkened chamber =
Now and then the door opened, and some one bent
over and gazed at mo, while scalding tears fell
upon my face. Then the room was emptiod OF
all persons, and was left alone in the darkness
and stiffness. / listened for voices, for anything
was better than this dreary stillness-but in vain
| "A spell was on tho house-its sounds Of laugh
ter is rapid footsteps, its hustle and noise were
gsne-every step was careful and slow, and every
n l.
| still lay helpless, and longing for the moment
when I should be able to move and loosen myself
from the close deathly grasp which almost press
ed the life out Of tho body. As lay thus,
suddenly heard birds gush of a song from tree
beneath my window; how joyously it warbled
unconscious OF the agony 80 near it, and how my
heart sickened within mo as heord IL
Soon persons came and wrapped me up in white
linen and swathed NV limbs and made the horri-
bio funeral arrangements. Some one said :" how
ghastly his eyes look" and then gently pressed
down the lids over the balls Of my eyes. Never
till that moment did dream that that accursed
spot on which my gace had been rivited for so
many hours, could become dear 10 me. The
thought that We viewing any object, however
mean, for the last time always raises II in impor
tance, and gives II fcticious charm; aud this
spot 10 me was as n straw 10 n drowning man the
silver line Of sunlight in a prisoners dungeon
the last link with this visible earth strovo in
vain to keep open the iids-slowly they yielded
10 the pressure OF the fingers aud gradually the
range Of vision became more and more confined
until all was entirely out. Never before had the
fear Of being buried alive, suggested itsclf-but
now IT came over me like n gulphing wave.
thought that should bo laid down alive in the
charnel house among dccayiDg corIses and stihed
from the clear breath Of heaven and die of fam
Inc, II indeed i was no. then dead All the
frightful stories Of such occurrences that i had
ever read. came TO my mind, AMI the hope Of ul-
innate recovery grew feeber and feebler.
The night came, and how dreary and unending
IL seemed. One after an other heard tho hours
struck by the clock until at last, from pure ox-
haustion, lost my sensation. Ii must have been
late In the morning when returned to conscious
ness felt hands upon me-they were lifting
me into my coffin / heard them screw in screw
after screw until the lid was fastened. and only /
the narrow space over the face remained open. |
I felt the sides of the coffin jar and rub against
my arms, and despaired that should ever 70.
cover my power of motion.
!, yla coffin was lifted and placed upon the table /
afternoon" was the answer, "he has been now |
dead two days" ! had then been conscious for |
the length Of a whole day Now the time, m
stead OF dragging a weary length, seemed to ny |
with lightning like rapidity. The past seemed
endessly long-the future was therefore shortened
10 a breath a moment The clock ticked faster /
and faster, and time seemed 10 pour itself away In 4
rapid moments, as n rising thunder cloud ctnpues |
its fierce, heavy drops more and more rapidly.
IL was noon-the company gathered -the smut
ters creakod beside me, and the window was
opened felt the warm breath OF the spring air /
steal over my face like delicious odor. i heard
the birds singing among the brnnches anu the
gentle rustling of the swaying trees, as tho winu
stirred among the leaves i thought OF all the
gladsomo earth--of the blue sky-of tho ripping |
brooks, half sunlight half shndow--of tae carly /
evening clouds, whose hnes shift like the eolor
on doves neck-of the stars, Of the moon, OF tn |
swelling and heaving ocean, and chung 10 the
memory Of them with mute despair, loving them 1
tho more tie nearer camo to sing them
At last the dim hum about the room ceased
the clock ticked loudly, and the cergyman's yoico
repeated the first sentences In the service oil the
dead: 81 am the resurrection and the lfe," &c.
Ills voice ceased-I gave myself up 10 despair
tried TO resign myself to the dreadful thought 1
that was 10 be buried alive Some one lifted
the la - srrew II down ere should bc removed
1 heard a faint exclamation from some one bend
ing over me, "Good God he must be alive yet
there drops of perspiration now upon his fore
head Bring mirror and place II to his lips, he |
may breathe yet" II seemed that the extremi-
ty Of my agony had wrung out n cold dew upon
my skin No sooner had the words been spoken,
then there was wild hurry, and suppressed cx-
camsions of fear and doubt, and surprise about
the room. What n moment Of agony was tho
there should be no signs Of breath, was worse
than all before. The mirror was brought, and
then I know by the sudden and fearful cry that
my real state, that of Catochus, was ut last
known.
was blod instantly; between my lips n few
drops Of brandy were forced, and my limbs
and head were fomcntod with heated cloths, with
such effect that in two hours l regoined my pow
or of motion and sat up, though weak from loss
of blood and entirely exhausted by the dreadful
suffering through which | had passed rs through
a Gery ordeal Believe me, those pains would
not suffer again, IL the price should be shower
of all the wealth and glory TINT the world can be-
stow Such suffering does not leave man where
it finds him l arose from my bed an altered
man with my moral and mental constitution
completely changed.
The main incident of the story, no inn
probable IL may SEEM is founded upon fact, and
has occurred within the range of the writer's cx-
pericnce. Catochus is only peculiar form Of
In which the patient retains the use OF
his various senses, while the power of motion IS
entirely suspended, and presents an appearance
which may easily bc mistaken for death. In re-
moving some bodies from the vault Of church {
in neighboring city, on the occasion of erecting
n new church. II was discovered that throe bodies
had assumed such a situation as could only he ac-
counted for on the suppostion OF their having /
been burs sd while in n state Of suspended ant I
nation or stupor, they having turned over in
their collins upon the recurrence Of consciousness
The occurrence Of such fact alone, together
with ths known existence Of diseases which as
sumo the semblancc Of death, should induco the
EXTREMIST caution, and moke IL a matter of duty |
TO apply before burial, such tests as TO leave no
shadow Of doubt and no room for mistako with |
regard to the actual fact Of death,
---~ -
PREPARE FOR Mucm SSow.-Our old |
est people, says the Toledo Record,
....c..11.. ..ot.I tbo 90 o;.rna i