The Baltimore County union., 1867-07-13
Misrellameons.
THE DEATH-BELL.

dread Of being buried alive that a system or pre-
caution against the premature ~, is In vogue, by
which more than one person has been restored TO
life aud friends, after being Inoufued as dead
The plan Is ior the corpse TO i'c placed IN corn-
Portable apartment, with face uncovered. aud
with cord or wire attached 10 the hands 10
such manner tina, the slightest movement will
cause the iinkling Ji hell In an alioiniu sIslrt-
tneni where some one il always On the waich Till
there either sigus Vt III, or decomposition to
give the ASSURANCE 0i hoI'elcss death This custom
has led TO some striking srents aud curious rrve-
laiions sud one 80 the most remarkable ~ lbese
We are nov about to put on fecurd receive
cd u, not r.it long since from the lip. 80 The
narrator
had i've bosvtn COMPANIONS. and xe three
were neatly always together when onr circuul-
stances would permit We were not alike In
scarcely any particular and for this reason. per-
haps, we liked cHcl other al the better. We dif.
fered on nearly every point In science. at. liter
atuIe, philosophy. sud argued every point We
differed on
On oue thing, hOweter. We did agfte, aud
iha, Was the possibility OF heing huriel alive,
aud the ubuiierable horror which must attend
The subsequent consciousness Of the fact. 30. in
health, we solemnly pledged ourselves that u
within reaching 1f Que another ~ the time VI The
supposed decease o: either the living should
faithful, watch by the sen.rlcss form ill tie
turn of life. or the certainty of death.
uy yuuager friend. Adolplr Ilu'-I. ~. the
hHi TO 60 lie was q believer in ;hr isnn,,rtsli.
IS Of the s,,l aul the identity ~ the spirit with
tbs, occupying the mortal ienem-ni ~ course
We made oui arrangements Tot watching the
corpse according 60 ouE compact. bat without
the slightest huie oi ever -tring anu'cr spark of
life in that loved forn
'' Il vas on the second night after the lrAIh VI
llOfer. that Carl and were sitting ia sn ajjoiu.
ing apartment. conversing ahon, the deceased
and his religious belief. We had attached a
small cord to the fingers at the corpse and con-
nected il with sulall bell close TO Ys that we
could be warned Of any movement without be-
ing obliged 10 remain beside the body, which,
for various reasons would not hare been agTcea-
bic 10 us.
"'f Adolphe ideas in regard io the future
state are correct Observed Gail, ia the course of
hi. remarks. there Is no Certainty that he nav
not nov he With u.s. even in this room
Yes, ie,urrcd ], IL ihcy are correct. which
DO not believe When man !. dead, be is
dead at least. as far as the world is conoTncd.
I, may fairly lc presumed they arc based
On facts, when they cannot be reasonably con-
iroveried. II man exists after death ~ rowing
spirit. give me evidence Off and then ask me
10 believe.
a. And what Abou, ghosts ? said Carl, who
was both skep,ical aud sznersiiiious-and he
glanced fur,ivcly and iiml Bound the room
as he spoke, as II he expec'sttn encounter some
fearful sppafiiion.
Bah" exclaimed I, couiesnptuously you
know my opinion of ghosts and hobeoblns-
,ha, they have no existence excep, In the brain
Of timid fools.
At this moment We heard, or rather fancied
We heard. strange noise In the adjoining apart
meni
"'wha, vas I, inquired catl. in ,imid
whisper.
:" Nothing, replied |, rousing myself with .
full discrimination 10 shake or what conceived
to be foolish fancy. Are VIC men or children
10 get frightened At the noise of rat -
" Iiusk bark ] hear something still =
whispered Carl, now fairly trembling with fear
"' Then u there s anything We mus, know
what II is = said !, as ! rose and took up the
win you accompany me or shall 20 alone p
Z" Carl iieilsiein slowly and silently rose, as
one who had been called upon 10 perform a
fearful duty but scarcely had be got upon bis
feet, when the little bell connected with The dead
was rung violently.
MY nervous system never received such q
shock before nor since. Il seemed for the mo-
from my band and wss extinguished, and great
beads OF Precipitation stood all over me.
But remained inactive only for the time IL
would take 90 count ten. Reasoning that my
friend had come 20 life, and needed immediate
assistance. hastily procured another light ; and
merely glAncing At Carl, who had fallen back
upon his seat, white and helpless ffom bis sudden
fright, rushed Into the apartment, OF the corpse,
expecting TO fnd Adolphs living, II not actually
sitting up or standing.
TO my utter astonishmeni, however, found
only the dead form Of my ftiend--eold, rigid,
motiouless. There was such an infiexible look
Of death on the features, that could not believe
there was q single spark of life In the body, and
9 close examination Of the lips and heart proved
there was none In reality. And yet the hands
bad bad ben moved, and y:,s dr,wn TO one On. aide
which was hanging somewhat loose than % u
stirred BY any internal power.
But what had moved the hands and Iuug ths
bell This was the startling mystery. The room
was not large, contained no great amount oi
furniture, and was easily searched. ] had jnsl
passed the light under The bed aud around and
behind everything, when Carl appeared a, the
door, pale. trembling, and covered with cold,
clammy perspiration.
10 be alive he rather gasped than said.
:" No, ] replied, nor has there been any lifs
In him SINCE bis breath went out
"'what rung the bell then 2 be calculated
ntrvously grasplng chair fof support
THAT e the mystery am trying 10 solve,
sAid J.. y, is possible ihers may BE- some gersOE
concealed here
'Icauiiously opened the door Of long, desI
closet % spoke, In which hung the clothes 0
the deceased, and went In aud examined II thor
ouehly. No other human being was there, ant
nothing had been disturbed. There was no out
let 20 The room except door communicating will
The apartment In which We had been watching
and two windows looking out upon lawn, ant
the snshes were closed and The curtalns drawn
showing no signs Of recent disturbance. W
then re-sxamlnsd The room, and particularly th
bed, but without making any new discovery.
This 10 ali very ssrauger said I, half muslBe
", and looking impaiisnily at Carl, very s,rsns
indeed =
" II must have beea something supsruaiural
be replied, In hollow whisper aud moving ovs
10 The chest In the corner, be sank down upon II
.'As be did %, The sharp click Of the spring
lock caused him 10 bound up - " shot. For