Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1871-08-10

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n nv f1gsrs ard toes, crept gradually up
nv srns ard lees, until they appeared TO
be roue entirely, and was only trunk.
By degrees my body became insensible,
arS a. last felt hat there was nothing of
me but my he'd. / recognized my exist
soce fully, but ii was not in my body
Only in fhst little sphere the head, which
seemed 70 occupy the entire coffin
was now fully satisfied that / was
rapidly approaching desth. | believed
thai my body was already frozen, and
ihs, NY spirit would soon leave the brain,
which seemed 20 be its last retreating-
place before taking its fight. / gave up
al hope. and was endeavoring to prepare
myself for the change which would occur
when the slender thread which held me
20 the Uranium l inhabited should be
broken
While so waiting, by some process
which Can neither explain nor account
for, suddenly saw distinctly all that was
in the room in which my body was lying.
More than this, / saw, apparently just be-
low me, SIS if were floating in the air
above il, the ice-box in which my body
was lying, and in it my own body. There
ii lsy, covered with ice, my pale face look
ing directly upward, my eyelids closed,
snd on each of them five-cent nickel.
Ny philosophy was now completely
fioored. Whether was dead or alive
could not determine / still seemed in
some way connected with my own body,
but not an actual occupant of it. / had
no sensation, and doubted whether should
ever again experience any. had no longer
the dread of suffering which had distres ed
me when l was expecting scientific mutila-
ton in the waiting room of the station. l
even could watch the preparations for my
own funeral with something OF the in
difference of an unconcerned spectator.
The undertaken was viewing his finished
work with apparent satisfaction, and,
gathering up the spoils of his trade, was
preparing to leave the room. / did not
feel entirely satisfied with the familiar
carelessness with which he had manipu-
lated my body so soon as my wife left the
room, rolling it about with professional
recklessness and Indifference. l had
known Sniff somewhat intimately, and
thought, for old acquaintance sake at
least, he should have shown little con-
sideration for my mortal remains. for
gave him, however, when l afterward
witnessed the scientific manner in which
he displayed to the best advantage my
features in the handsome coffin he had
provided, and the real qualification he ap,
peared 70 take in seeing his work well
done.
can only glance at what occurred while
was waiting for my funeral. remem-
Der how, during the long night, watched
over my own coffin, linked to, yet appar-
emily separated from, my own body view
ing my own pale countenance by the dim
~ burning gas-light overhead /; listening to
the never -cea.ing drip, drip" of the water
from the melting ice; observing how the
morning sun again shone cheenully, but
could not dispel the gloom of my little
household; how the undertaken busted
himself about my body, unconscious that
he was watched by his late occupant how
my friends came during the day, viewed
the remains Of their late companion, ex-
pressed their sympathies to my wife, and
went away.
must not OMIT to mention mysterious
phenomenon which occurred while | was
apparently separated from my body. Dur
ing the day my wife had passed a longer
time than usual without entering the room
in which I was / felt desire for her
presence, and was wondering how she
could be occupied. While so doing / I'M
expectedly found myself by her side in
the room on the second floor where she
was accustomed to spend most Of her time
She was sitting, apparently in sorrowful
meditation, in the easy chair | had so often
seen her occupy, while near her was the
vacant seat usually selected for myself.
Her sad, pale cOuntenance did not alter its
expression, and she evidently knew moth
ing Of my presence. A dressmaker in the
room, engaged in the preparation of
mourning apparel, was equally ignorant of
the presence Of third person. / found
that by simple effort Of the will l could
come and go as l chose, and during the
day experienced new and unexpected
source of consolation in watching, though
unseen, at my wife's side
This new power of locomotion, of which
] accidentally discovered that | was the
possessor, | exercised still farther. Nv
thoughts at one time reverted to the
scene Of the accident upon the Erie
road, and in moment l WAS
there. The spectators Of two days be-
fore had deserted the place, the overturned
engine had been righted and placed on a
truck, the fragments of the demolished
cars had been removed from the sight of
passing trairag the waiting room, my hor-
rible prison, was open and unoccupied, and
only baggage-master and a switch tender
were to be seen in the neighborhood.
My thou ghts turned to my red haired
companion and fellow-sufferer. While
thinking of him found myself in neat
inland village which l had never before
visited. A modest wooden house, painted
white and with green venetian blinds,
presented itself to my view. Led by some
influence which cannot explain, found
myself inside room which seemed to be
the parlor. There l saw a neat coffin,
with the lid partially removed, bearing on
silver plate the inscription, James
B, aged 80. Died June 10Th, 1S-."
In the coffin was the body of the compan-
ion of my journey, Of whom / had been
thinking. A depression, forming a line
around his forehead, caused by partial
separation of the divided portions of the
skull, was all that told of the late work of
the surgeon. felt guilty of an intrusion.
and was glad to find myself again at home
The hour for my funeral arrived
Friends who had been respectfully in.
vited to be present began to appear NV
kind pastor offered the remarks usual on
such occasions, and ascribed to me virtues
which / fear | never possessed. The
whole proceeding had the same rnattar &c