The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1873-02-14

Buried Alive-A Marvellous Revela-
ton by the Priestess of the Vou-
dous.
From the New Orleans Republican.
1t is not every one who possesses
the power to commune with the
dead. 1t is true Spiritualists hold
some such doctrine; that there is a
hidden life in which the disembodied
and corporal essences known as bu-
man souls have the faculty of inter-
course. Be that as it may; /; is Ger
tain that some persons are so con-
stituted as to excite in this way
strange influences in their fellows.
An illustration of this theory or
fact can be obtained by visit to a
person in New Orleans known as the
Priestess of the Voudous.
She lives in q quiet little alley run
nlng out from Marais street, over
hung by old tumble down buildings,
redOlent with evidences of decay.
The green moss of nearly half a cen
tury covers the roofs. and castings,
the windows and the doorsteps reek
with accumulated damps. Now and
then on sunshiny days 3 few strag,
Cling rays of light penetrate the
gloomy alley with Intellectual at
tempts to make visible the surround
ings. But dusk and gloom are the
prevailing characteristics Of the
place.
The first glance into this desolate
looking, out-of-the way abode would
chill the beholder with sort of su-
perstitious awe. The supernatural
seems to have stamped it with an in
delible impression. But this feel
ing is doubly enhanced when, on
entering the low doorway, the visi-
tor is ushered into the presence of
weird, mysterious being, hollow
eyed, and hollow. checked, with long
struggling elf-locks, and form aten-
usGed to the verge of emaciation. 1t
is a woman, surely; but the presence
discloses none Of the tender at
tribntGs and softer traits of the
sex. The looks are repellant, and
few nerves are capable of withstand
ing the fierce, glowing light that
seems to leap and flash out of the
hollow eyes.
The room is seantily furnished. A
few chairs, an old table, a jug of
water, and some coarse prints are all.
A chintz curtain hides a doorway
leading into an adjoining room; but
into this apartment no visitor has
ever entered. 1t is sacre / to the in
carnations, and, as the superstitious
believe, to be associated with evil
spirits.
Some years since this woman was
made the medium of strange reve-
lation. A young lady had died in
her neighborhood under peculiar
circumstances. She was betrothed,
and shortly after to have been mar
ried. Apparently enjoying perfect
health, she retired to her room at
night, and was found dead In the
morning. The physicians said it
was not natural death. Some
sudden shock, some terrible blow.
some fearful convulsion of the mind,
snapped the springs of life. What
was it? Tie chamber had been
perfectly secured before the lady re-
tiled, and revealed nothing out of
place in the morning. No one but
herself had entered lt-no one had
left It. Yet the victim lay there
stark and stiff, and scared to death.
Surrounded with the furniture and
belongings she had been accustomed
to from infancy, it was impossible to
conceive the cause of her fright.
The terrible blow almost shattered
her mothers reason. An only child.
she could not realize the fact of
her death, and entreated that she
might not be buried at once. It NAV
have been that a taint Of suspicion
in her mind induced her to visit the
Voudou Priestess and ask her advice.
At any rate she did so. As she en-
entered the door the woman said to
her:
81 know why you have come.
Your daughter is not dead. Let
her not be buried; she will revive on
Wednesday,"
Confirmed IN her hopes the mother
hastened back to her residence to
find the preparations for the funeral
already far advanced. She protest
ed and entreated in vain. They
buried the girl despite all the mother
could say to the contrary.
A week afterward, however-the
Wednesday named by the Voudou
the mother was allowed to visit
the tomb, and at her request the
vault was opened. Suddenly the
sound of loud shrieks broke upon
the ear, and tearing open the coffin
the mother clasped her frantic child |
in her arms. She had just come in
time-an hour later and the young |
lady would have fallen victim to |
the buried alive How did the
Vaudou know it?