Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-06-08
Suspended Animation.

From the Cleveland Plaindealer. May So.l
One of the most remarkable cases that
we have ever been called upon TO chron.
icle, has lately come under our, notice,
and we propose to lay the facts before
the, public exactly.as they are. .Dr
On Lorain street, above Jersey, there
resides with her step father, a young
lady, Miss Ellen X. White, who is prob
ably betweens seventeen andtgeighteen
years of age, very prepossessing in her
manner, and very finely educated. About
six weeks ago she was taken dangerously
i'll with what the family physician pro-
nounced typhoid fever, aud some days
she was so low that all hopes of her re-
covery were given up. She rallied, how
ever, and, under careful nursing, and
skillful treatment, she was in fair way
to recover, when, about two weeks ago,
she sank rapidly, until the breath seemed
to leave her body, and she was pro.
nouuced corpse Her body was prepared
for the grave, and preparations were made
by her bereaved parent and friends for
the funeral, when her mother, who could
not be made to realize the fact that her
only daughter was dead to her forever,
noticed that though the limbs Of the
daughter were rigid, yet the body re-
tanned its warmth. Physicians were
called, but they decided that she was
dead, and every attempt to resue her
failing, it was determined last Sun
day to consign her to the grave, and a
coffin was procured. On Saturday,
while one Of the neighbors and the
mother were standing by the side OF the
supposed corpse, the door which had
been left open blew shut with a loud
noise, which had the effect of SO acting
upon the girl as to bring her to, and set
her life blood in motion. She sprang up
in bed and throwing her arms around
her mothers neck, wept tears of joy
over her escape from the horrid death OF
being buried alive. Who can picture
the feelings of that mother; who can
describe the happiness that came into
that, for two weeks, desolate home, as
the dead came to life Z? We will not
attempt it. -. -,
Our reporter yesterday visited the
house, and was granted an interview
with the young, lady, who he found sit
ting up by the window apparently as
happy as the birds to whose music she
was listening as we entered the room.
Miss White said that when she felt
herself sinking she had no fear of death,
but turned upon her side, and as she did
so, all pain disappeared, and she sank to
sleep as peacefully as child. She lay,
she thinks, unconscious for an hour or
more, for when she came to herself,
though she could not move or speak, she
found that she was laid out for burial.
She could see her mother by her side, and
all those who came TO see her could hear
them talk and understood all they said.
She tried to speak to them but her tongue
refused to do its Office; she tried
to move, but could not; and there she
lay, blessing her mother for her refusal
to allow her to be buried. Upon two
occasions, when her mother was alone
in the room with her, it seemed as though
she left the body, and, standing by the
side of her body, could look down upon
il as she could upon her mother. She
said she was unable 70 describe the feel
ings that she experienced on these occa-
sions. When not tortured with the fear
of being buried alive, she was perfectly
at rest-perfectIy happy, and when the
door slammed, which brought her 10, 1t
seemed as though she was, to use her
own words, compelled to COMMENCE a
hard days work" aslh
Miss White is now in fair way to re-
cover; her strength is gaining rapidly,
and from every indication VIC should
judge she has long. and we hope happy
life before her.