Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1869-07-06
From the New Orkstar. June q
a Night of Horrors,

One of the most remarkable instances of
restored animation which has ever taken place
in this city occurred on Sunday night last in
Yarick street, near MeDougal, the particulars
of which are as follows:
An aged lady, named Rebecca Townsend,
who has been ailing fes. several weeks past,
expired, as was supposed, on Sunday morning
last That she really was dead no one who
saw her for moment ilesitated to believe
The set eyeballs, the rigid limbs and the ap>
parent cessation of respiration, all pointed to
the supposed fact that death had come to the
reliet of the invalid.
Accordingly, on Sunday the sorfowing
household, acting on this belief commenced
making preparations for the burial of the body.
A burial permit was obtained, a coffin ordered,
and the remaiLs washed and attired in the ha-
bilIments OF the grave. Delay arising relative
to the preparation OF the coffin, the remains
were temporarily laid out upon the bed in
and the services of watcher "a young female
residing in neghbOring house, were secured
to attend the body during Sunday night.
About | clock, on Sunday evening, the
members OF the household retired, leaving the
watcher alone to her dsagreeable task. As
the young lady states, she became drOwsy
about o'clock in the morning, and enscon-
cling herself 10 an arm chair, short distance
from the corpse, soon Tell into doze. She
had slept above an hour, when-she was awak-
cned by a low moaning sound, which ap-
parently issued from the couch upon which
lay the supposed corpse. Startled by the
strange noise, the watcher immediately sprauS
from her chair and approached the bed for
the purpose of ascertaining the cause of the
mysterious sounds. 1t this moment the
noise suddenly ceased. There lay the corpse
Just as the watcher had left it one hour
before, the eyes still set as in death, the limbs
still rigid, aud not sign of life visible.
Believing the sounds which she fancied she
had heard we're but fancies conf ured up by
a mind excited by the uncomfortable position
iu which she was placed, the watcher returned
to her seat and resumed her nap. She had
not remained in this condition more than half
an hour, when she was again aroused by
sounds similar to those which had previously
alarmed her. Again she sprang FROM her
chair and approached the bedside, when her
eyes met the wandering gaze of the supposed
corpse. Could it be possible that shB vas
dreaming? She passed her hands to her
eyes to convince herself that she did not sleep.
Slowly the eyes Of the corpse commenced rol
ling in their sockets, the muscles Of the face
relaxed, the jaws contracted, and, the fimy
eyebalIs rested upon the couhtenauce ct the
appalled, watcher, they appeared to entreat
the woman to come to her relief.
Horror rveted the watcher to the spot. She
attempted to scream Tor assistance. hut her
tongue refused her utterance. As she con-
tnued to @aze upon the living corpse, the
arms began to move and tie right hand was
slowly lifted to the mouth as if the corpse i'm
plored drink. The corpse next commenced
an upright position, and, finally, after an eff
fort Of several minutes, sat bolt upright in
bed.
This last movement proved too much for the
nerves of the fright stricken watcher aud
staggering from the bedside she fell fainting
on the f1uor.
The noise occasioned by the fall awoke
the inmates Of the house, who fastened to
the room. There sat the woman still upright
in bcd at the foot of which lay the convulsed
form OF the terror stricken watcher.
Discovering the state Of affairs, the house
hold Immediately dispatched a servant for the
nearest physician, who shortly after arrived
upon the scene, and by due application of res
toratives succeeded in reviving the supposed
corpse sufficiently to enable her to respire free.
ly. The watcher, by the administration of
the proper restoratives was, utter much diff
Guilty, also restored to Consciousness, but her
nerves received a shock which will probably
tell upon her constitution until her dying day.
She VOWS she will never again serve as the
watcher Of a corpse, aid no wonder at it: