The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1871-12-16
NUMBER IS.

TO Oshkosh passed like those things that
happen in q dream. We cot there and
was taken 70 my brothers house. uo
ieit terrible bad when l was brouqbt
home. hadn't any idea that he tboy@bt
as much of me as he did, poor fellow
could hear him cry and talk and still I
hadn't the power 10 move muscle
was put in a coffin and it finally came on,
that was TO be taken 10 Waiertown ts
be buried My old mother lived there
you know. Q, boys, l hope none of vo,,
will ever be made 10 feel the horrors fbot
ieit when l knew that I was boxad ~,
IN coffin and would soon be buried !
Seven years have gone by since then. bot
L never think Of il without a chill
could feel them putting on t!ss Id of
the coffin and then | knew was fastened
up.
From that time until the cover Of ibs
coffin was raised again haven't apv re-.
collection Of what happened, only tiat
was continually in motion. Though I
couldn't open my eyes, ! gorter felt that -
was dark, and | was going somewhere
Ali of 4 sudden I felt that soma one v,s
turning the screws Of tie cUffia- lid. and
after a while the cover was taken off.
My poor mother screamed as tbouoh
her heart was broke. l couldn't s,ir. and
yet / could feel the warm drops from her
eyes upon my face:
would rather de a thousand tines
over than go through the horrible soffsr>
ing Of that affair again. There | va.
dead and going to be buried, and vet so
near alive that knew what vas going
on. Boys, you may talk, but there IS
nobody IN this world that thinks as much
of you as your mother You can imap-
Inc my feelings-Ro. you can't have the
least notion of how ! felt when she was
taking on so over me-
Alter while l could feel that nv
mother had stopped crying. Then
thought she must have tainted. l never
was much in the praying line, but if any
one made strong try TO call on God for
assistance, did then. l could feel nv
mothers soft hand laid on my head.
George - said he to my brother, ssbis
torrid don't feel very cold. How strange
1t isl
Then Georges hand was put on my
forrid. and l could fee! BIN place his hand
upon my breast.
They seemed to tLink that I might not
be dead.
Pretty soon a neighbor came in and
there vas a good deal Of talking that
couldn't understand. Then I was lifted
out Of The coffin and placed in bed.
was rubbed al over with coarse towel.
Still couldn't stir or open my eyes.
They gave up all hopes and left me.
Then my mother came te give me one
last look. | could feel her near me Just
as she used to be when was boy. and
her hand smoothcd my bair in the old
way that sceIned to take me back 10 the
time when | wasn't so bad as | am now.
l tried with all the force I could to
speak. ! made one strong effort TO rouse
myself, and finally broke The spell and
looked Up.
My mother tainted, but help soon came,
and after taking some medicine and doe
tors stuff, was able TO think freely and
breathe again.
In little while I was well again, ex>
cePt an ugly scar or the back of my neck.
The doctors said had narrow es-
cape. My spinal cord, they said, had
been struck by branch of the tree, and
was as good as dead. It was moro
than miracle that I was ever brought to.
They had good deal to say about para
lying my nervous system and stopping
my circulation and all that, but at any
rate got well.
didn't chop any more that winter.