Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1872-02-22

viewing his own corpse.
Weird Experienceof q Youth Who
was Shipwrecked - How He
Drank In the Funeral Sermon,
and the Sobs of BIS Relatives.
From the Beloit Tree Press.

anu bhC SUI VA tAA'o e$SAut~S~S'
From the Beloit Free Press.
Among the more prominent vis-
itors who were passing the holi,
days with their friends and erela-
tives in this city, is Mr.. Cecil
&C., Of Brewerton, New York.
About five years ago, Mr.. c. went
boating on Oneida lake, with two
companions. They unmoored
! the boat and rowed for the dis
tance of two miles to an island
that lifted itself from the waves,
Here they spent a few hours in
collecting shells and botanic speci-
mers, until q black, thunder la
den cloud in the west warned
them that a violent storm was
blowing, and they speedily set
out on their return. They had
nearly reached the mainland when
their little craft was turned keel
upward by a squnll, and they
were left struggling and painting
in the water. Mr.. c. saw bis two
companions swimming toward the
shore, and attempted TO follow
them, but in vain A delight.
full sensation Of repose took pos
session of him. Then all was
cLaos-blank. z.as .e'
lie was rescuedsby his compan-i
ions, and upon his return to con.
soiousness he opened his eyes, T.
move his hands, TO speak, but
found himself unable to move q
muscle. s't.5 Fl.
As he lay in this condition..
memory pictured to. him all, that
had transpired up to the mo-
ment when he became insensible.
Then he marveled whether he
was alive OF dead or alive What
meant this hush-this chill-this
blackness of darkness that en-
compassed him? Where was be ?
What was he? Would he al
ways be thus2 r.ss 's
Time passed on, anG hefelt his
thoughts and ideas contracting ill.,
to narrower and narrower
sphere, until nothing but, the one
central knowledge Of existence
continued to assert itself.
But suddenly a crash, as if all
the Titan thunder gods had blown
their trumpets in unison, smote
upon ring--a deluge of
light, like the Concentrated rays
of million suns, burst upon his
vision; there was a sevaring of
soul and sense, and he stood in
spirit beside his violet strewn cof-
fin and read tie inscription Ce.1
Gil c., born in Baltimore,
Maryl@nd, June %, 1916, died at
Brewerton, New York, June %,
aged twenty years, Through the
oval glass at the head OF the cas-
ket he could see his face frozen
into the white rigidity OF death.
His friends and relatives were
seated around the room, and the
pastor was preaching the funeral
sermon, interrupted now and then
by the listeners. Through the
open window the glory Of sum.
mer day was drifting in, fragrant
with the sweet breath Of the clo-
yer fields, and musical with the
songs of birds. He saw q latent
beauty in everything he looked
upon, a latent melody in every.
thing he heard-and he realized
how rude and imperfect are all
our dreams of happiness in the
flesh, as compared with these
which the immortals know.
But like a fash of lightning
there came a loss ofidentity again
utter annihilation for an uncer.
tain lapse of time, and when he
again awoke to sense Of his con
dition, Lis spirit once more tenan-
ted his body--his coffin had been
borne to the cemetery, and he
heard the sexton preparing to
lower him to his last resting place
in the dust. Now. for the first
time, a great horror fell upon him.
He was to be entombed alive-to
he left alone with the night, and
the terror. and the grim compa-
nv of skeletons mouldering around
him. He would regain cnn-
seriousness when too late--would
strike the close wall Of his prison,
but TO no purpose--call, and there
would be no answer--pray and
the very heavens would be pitiless,
shrek. tear his flesh with his fin
gers. curse, and ravinG die, =
Summoning up all his will, he
L. y
utilized it in an effort TO break the
AI1 lhnk hnd cnizad him and