Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1871-08-31
THE BURIED ALIVE.
FRom,7HE DIARY OF A PHYSICIAN.

. 1
.Ing .ssfsaimofr-- n 33g3s %
l had been for some time i'll OF
: a low and lingering fever. M,
strength gradually wasted, bu
the senses of my life seemed t,
become more and more acute a
my corporeal powersbecame weak
ler. I36odld seesby the hooks of
tthe doctor, that. he despaired of
my recovery; and the soft anc
whispering sorrow Of my friend,
taught me thateI had nothing tc
hope.
One day toward evening the
Icrisis took place was seized
with a strange and indescribable
qaivering-a rushing sound was
in my ears . saw around my
couch iunumerable faces; they
were brightS and visionary, and
without bodies.S
There vas Highland solemnity,
and T tried.to move but could not.
For a short time a5terrible confu-
sion overwhelmed me, and when
! it passed off alE my aecoHections
returned with the most perfect
misunderstanding powerof mo-
ton had departed.-s { s
I heard the sound ofweeping at
my pilIow,g and the voice of my
nurse say:$ s
"IIe is dead
i cannot dcscribe: what T felt at
these words. ] exerted my ut
most power Of volition to stir my
self, but could not move even an
eyelid. After a short pause my
friend drew near, aud sobbing and
convulsed with grief, drew his
hands over my face and closed my
eyes. .sl 2 HDgQG1 1ka'HgE
The world was'tlien darkened,
but still Iacould hear, and feel
and suffer, ssiqaT t7a5l.4l
When my eyes, were closed, |
heard by the attendants that my
friend had left the rooIn,2 and /
soon found the undertakers were
preparing to habit me in the gar
ments Of thegrave. Theirthcught-
lessness was more awful than the
grief of friends. They laughed
at one another as they turned me
from side 10 side, and treated
what they believed TO be a corpse
with the most appalling ribaldry.
When they had LAID, me out
these wretches retired, and the de-
graded formality of affectedmourn-
ing commenced. For three days
a number of friends called to see
me. heard them In low accents
speak of what was, and more
than one touched me with his fin
gers. On the third day somesof
them talked of the smell of cor
ruption in the room.
The coffin was procured ; | was
lifted and laid in; my friend
placed my head on what was
deemed its last pillow, and j felt
his tears drop on my face.
When all who had particular
interest in me had for Short time
looked at me in the coffin, l heard
them retire, and the undertaker's
men placed the lidon fhescoffin
and screwed it down. There
were two or three of them pres
ent, one bad occasion to 60 away
before the task was done. {. | heard
the one who was left behind be-
gin to whistle as he turned the
screw nails, but he checked him
self and completed 7the work in
silence. $54IfEE gFl2g igI9 I
/ was then let alone every one
summed the room. knew, how
ever, that | was not yet buried,
and though dark and snotiohless,
/ had still hope, but this was not
to be permitted long. The day
of interment arrived-I felt the
coffin lifted and borne away-I
heard and felt it placed in the
hearse. There was a crowd of.
people around some person spoke
sorrowfully Of me. The hearse
began to novel knew it car
ried me to the grave. 1t halted,
and the coffin was taken out; |
felt myself carried on the shouE
1ers of men, by the inequalityof
The motion. A pause ensued i e.
heard the cords of the coffin moye;;
felt it swing as dependent by
hem; it was lowered and rested
IN the bottom of the grave. The
cords were dropped on the lid
heard them fall. Dreadful was
he exertion I then made to exert {
he power of action, bnt:my whole !
frame was immovable. yla sE'
Soon after a few handsful of
earth was thrown upon the coffin.
then there was another pause, at
Ter which the shovel was employed.