Wyoming democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Wyoming Co., Pa.) 1867-1940, 1867-12-04
In. Eft ftE atE
THE DEATH-BELL.

I
general dread of being buried alive, that a
system Of precaution against this prema-
ture act, is In vogue, by which more than
one person has been restored to life and
friends after being mourned as dead. The
plan is for the corpse to be. placed IN
comfortable apartment, with face uncover
ed, and with cord or wire attached to the
hands in such manner that the slightest
movom ent will cause the tinkling OF a lit
tie bell in an adjoining apartment, where
some one is always on the watch till there
are either signs of life or decomposition,
to give the assurance of hopeless DEATH
This custom has led to some striking scenes
and curious revelations and one OF the
m ost remarkable of these we are now about
to put ON record, as we received it, not
| long since, from the narralor:- A.. -;.-
g had two bosom companions, and we
three were nearly always together when
our circumstances would permit. We
were not alike in scarcely any particular,
and for this reason, perhaps, we liked each
other all the better. We differed on near.
ly every point in science, art, literature,
philosophy, and religion, and argued every
point we differed on. .,..s.a. a-
son one thing, however, we did agree.
and that was the possibility of being buried
| alive, and the unutterable horror which
must attend the, subsequent consciousness
of the fact. So, in health, we solemnly
pledged ourselves that if within reach of
one another at the time of the supposed
decease of either, the living should faith
fully watch by the senseless form till the
return of life or the certainty of death.
MY yonng friend, Adolph Hofer, was
the first to 90. He was believer in the
immortality of the soul, and the identity of
the spirit with that occupying the mortal
tenement. OF course we made our arrange
ments for watching the corpse according
to our compact, but without the slightest
hope of ever seeing another spark of life
in that loved form. ...
1t was on the second night after the
death of Hofer that Carl ard [ were sit
ting in an adjoining apartment, conversing
about the deceased and his religious belief.
We bad attached small cord TO the fin
gers of the corpse, and connected it with
a little bell close TO us, so that we could
be warned of any movement, without being
obliged to remain beside the body, which.
for various reasons, would not be agreeable
to US. ....... If
"If his views in regard to future state
are correct" observed Carl, "there is no
certainty that he may not now be with US,
ar.p in thie rpnrn
Yes returned |, "if they are correct,
which | do not believe. When a man is
dead he is dead, at least as far as this world
Is concerned" ....
cit may fairly be presumed they are
based on facts when they cannot be reason
ably controverled. If man exists after
death as rowing spirit, give me some ey
idence of it, and then ask me to believe
And what about ghosts % said Carl,
who was both skeptical and superstitious-
and be glanced furtively and timidly
around the room as he spoke, as if he had
expected to encounter some fearful appa-
rition. -r..s
"Bah " exclaimed !, contemptuou.ly /;
you know my opinion OF ghosts and hob.
goblins-that they have no existence, ex
cept in the brains of tinid fools.
At this moment we heard, or rather
fancied we heard, strange noise in the
adjoining apartment.
"What was that y inquired Carl, in a
timid whisper.
Nothing" replied |, rousing myself
with full determination to shake off what
believed to be foolish fancy. g Are
we men or children, TO get frightened at
the noise of a rat" r.
Hush bark (! hear something still" 4"
whispered Carl, Low fairly trembling with
fear.
"Then if there is anything, we must
know what it is" said |, as rose and took
up the light for the purpose of going to
look at the corpse. "Wlli you accompany
me, or shall / 90 alone ?' ....
"CarI Heilsten slowly and steadily arose,
as one who felt called upon to perform a
fearful duty; but he had scarcely got upon
his feet, when the little bell connected with
the dead was rung violently. .... .........
"My nervous system never received such
shock before or since. 1t seemed for a
moment as if / was paralizrd The light
dropped from my hands and was ex,in-
guished, and great beads OF perspiration
stood all over me- But | remained mac
tive only for the time for one to count ten.
Reasoning that my friend had come to life
and needed my immediate assistance,
hastily procured another light, and merely
glancing at Carl. who had fallen back on
his seat, white and helpless with sudden
fright, rushed into the apartment of the
corpse, expecting 10 find Adolph living. if
not actually sitting up or standing.
" To my utter astonishment, however, l
found only the dead form of my friend
cold, rigid, motionless! There was such
an infeUble look on the features, that |
could not believe there was single
spark of life in the body, and close exam
ination Of the lips and heart proved that
there was none in reality. And yet the
hands had been moved, and were drawn to
one side, but rather as if jerked there by
the beIl-cord. which was hanging some
what loose, than as if stirred by an inter
! nal ppwar . .s ...