The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1866-01-31
Buried Alive.

|
My strength gradually wasted, but the scenes of m,
| life seemed to become more and more acute as m,
cOTpOreal powers became weaker. could see by th
looks of the doctor that he despared of my recovery
and the soft and whispering sorrow of my friend
taught me that had nothing to hope.
| One day towards evening the crisis took place.
was seized with strange and indescrbabe quivering
| "a rushing sound was in my ears-I saw round my
couch nhumerabe strange faces; they bright anC
visionary and without bodies. There was light anC
solemnlty, and tried to move but could not. For
short time terrible confusion overwhelmed me, anC
when passed off all my recollection returned with the
most perfect distincness but the power of motion haG
departed. heard the sound Of weeping at my pillow
and the voice of the nurse say, "He is dead can
not describe what felt at these words exerted my
utmost power of voton to stir myself but could not
move even an eyelid. After short pause my friend
drew near and sobbng and convused with grief drew
his hand my face and closed my eyes The world
then darkened but could hear and feel and suffer
| When my eyes were closed heard by the attend
ants that my friend had left the room and soon after
found the undertakes preparing to habit in
the garments of the grave Their thoughessness was
more awful than the grefo my friends. They laughed
at another they turned me from side to side, and
treated what they believed a corpse with the most ap
palling ribaldry.
When they laid me out these wretches retired and
the degrading fOrmality of affected mourning COM
menced For three days number of friends called to
see me- heard them in low accents speak of what
was; and more than one touched me with his finger.
On the third day some of them talked of the smell OF
corruption in the room.
The coffin procured was lifted and laid in; my
friend placed my head on what was deemed its last
pillow, and felt his tear drops OH my face
When all who had any particular interest in nc had
for short time looked at me in the coffin, heard them
retire, and the underakers placed the lid on the
coffin and screwed it down. There were two of them
present. one had occasion to go away before the task
was done. heard the fellow who was left begin to
whistle he turned the screw nails but he checked
himself and completed his work in silence. I was then
left alone; every Stunned the room knew, how
ever, that not buried, and though darkened and
moonless had still hope but this was not permitted
long. The day of interment arriredI felt the coffin
lifted and borne away heard and felt placed in the
hearse. There was crowd of people around; some of
them spoke sorrowfulIy of me. The hearse began to
mOve knew that it carried me to the grave. 1t hal
ted and the coffin taken out felt myself carried
the shoulders Of men, by the inequality of the mo-
ton. pause ensued; heard the cords of the coffin
moved--l felt it swing as depended by them. 1t was
lowered and rested on the bottom of the grave The
cords were dropped upon the lid heard them fall
Dreadful was the effort then made to exert the power
of action, but my whole frame was immoyable.
Soon after few handfuls of earth thrown upon
the coffin Then there another Pause-after which
the shovel employed and the sound Of the ratting
mould as it covered me- was far more tremendous than
u.
gradually became less and less and by surging rever
beraton in the coffin, knew that the grave was filed
up and that the sexton trcadug in the earth slap
ping the grave with the fat side OF his spade This
too ceased, and then all was silent
had no means of knowing the lapse of time and
the silence continued. This is death thought l. and
am doomed to remain in the earth till the resurrection
Presently the body will fall into corruption and the
epcurean worm that is only satisfied with the flesh of
man, will come to parake of the banquet that has been
prepared for him with much soeitude and care In
the contemplation of the hdeous thought | heard
low and undersound in the earth me- and fancied
that the worms and reptiles of death were coming
that the mole and rot Of the grave would soon be upon
me. The sound continued to grow louder and nearer
Can it be possible thought, that my friends suspect
they have buried me too soon? The hope was like light
bursting through the gloom of death.
The sound ceased and presently felt the hands of
some dreadful being working about my throat They
dragged me out of the coffin by the head felt again
the living air but it cold and was carried swiftly
away-l thought to Judgment, perhaps perdition
When borne to some distance l thrown like
clod-it was not upon the ground. A moment after |
found myself in carriage end, by the Interchange of
some brief sentences discovered that was il. the
hands of those robbers who live by plundcring the
grave and selling the bodies of parents children and
friends One of the sung snatches and scraps of
obscene songs the cart ratified along over the pave
mcnt of the streets.
by the cOseness OF the air and the change of empera
-ure that was carried into room and being rGdely
stripped of my shroud was placed naked on-a table |
By the conversation of the two fellows with the servant
who had admitted them learned that was that night
TO be dssected
Ny eyes still shut saw nothing; but in short
lime heard, by the hustle in the room that the stu
dents of anatomy were assembling. Some of them
came around the table and examined me minutely /
they pleased to find so good a subject had been
procured. The demonsrator himself at last came in
Previous to beginning the dissection he proposed to
ry me some galvanic experiment. and an apparatus
vas arranged for that purpose The first shock vibra-
ed through all my nerves; they rang and Jngled like
he strings of harp. The students expressed their
admiration at the convusve effect The second shock
hrew my eyes open; and the first person that l saw
vas the doctor who attended me. But still was dead
could, however, discover among the students the
aces with whom l was familiar; and when my ewes were
opened heard my name pronounced by several of the
Students with an accent of awe and compassion and
Wished that it had been some other subject
When they had satisfied themselves with the ealvanic
henOmena the demonsator took the knife and pierced
ne on the bosom with the point. l felt dreadful
racklng, as it were, throughout my whole rame
onvulsve shuddering instantly followed and shrek
# horror from all present The ice of death was
roken up; my trance ended. The utmost exertons
we're made to restore me- and in the of hour
was in the full possession Of all my faculties. Ex