The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1874-01-29
ALMOST BURIED ALIVE.
A Child, Lying in Trance, is Coffined
and on the Way to the Grave when
Restored to Consciousness Narrow
Escape from Horrible Death.

and on the Way to the Grave wheI
Restored to Consciousness "A Marrow
Escape from Horrible Death.
The ST. Joseph (Mo Herald of Dec
25th, relates the following strange story
In the northern part of the city lives ;
carpenter, with his family, who are na
tives of France, and have been in thi
country about eight years. One OF thei
children is little girl named Mary, anc
the subject of this singular story. The
child was born in Paris, aud was l. year:
old on the 26th of June last. She speaks
French, German and English fuently
and in conversation exhibits an uncom
mon Intensity of mental action and
vividness of mental vision. She is faiI
Completed and very beautiful, with
lustrous eyes, sunny hair, and look OF
spiritual maturity in her eountenance
She has sometimes said that she could
see the ferns of persons who have died
and as her sincerity could not be doubted
this occasioned some alarm In the minds
Of her parents.
The health of the child has not been
good for several months, and on Saturday
morning, three weeks ago, she startled
her mother by saying that she could sec
her dead sister Louie, who came near her
in an angel form and spoke to her, telling
her that she would never be sick any
more. Her mother tried to persuade her
to dismiss the subject from her miHd, but
she could not stop talking and continued
describing her spirit sister, saving that
she was standing near dressed in pure
white, her face bright and shining, her
hair illuminated with silver white, and
golden dew drops dripping from her
wings. She could also see her dead
brother, who came close to her sister s
side. While talking her strength gave
way, and she sank away as in death.
The worst forebOdiugs of the parents
had been realized, and they prepared the
body for burial. No physician was called,
as they supposed that death had already y
flllen upon their child. 1t was about 10
o'clock in the morning when the appar-
eut death occurred. The body was kept
until Sunday afternoon about o'clock,
nearly thirty hours, during which time
~ siS uS Vi lStul uiuS iiIC udu Uccu uO-
ticed The fual look at the remains was
taken, the coffin was sealed up and placed
in the hearse, and the little cortege started
for the grave, the parents following the
hearse in a carriage.
Alter proceeding some distance and
coming down on Third street the quick
ear of the saddened mother caught the
echo of a familiar cry, and she gave ex-
preston to her suspicion that it came
from the coffin of her child. Her
suspicion was overraled. but in a few
moments second cry was heard, and in
compliance with the wishes Of the mother
the hearse was stopped, and the coffin
drawn out. The struggles of what was
supposed to be the lifeless body could
now be plainly heard. The coffin was
quickly opened and the child found to be
alive, to the amazement and unspeakable
delight of the parents. In her struggles
she had nearly torn from herself her
death robes.
She was quickly taken from the cOffi
and carried into the house of French
lady at hand, where they bathed her in
vinegar. She recovered her strength
rapidly, and in short time was taken to
the home which she had left only Few
hours before, an apparent corpse. Since
that time she has been as well as for the
last few months Her parents make every
effort to keep her mind from reverting to
the terrible episode in her young life,
fearing that there is fatal fascination in
it to her.
She says that while others thought her
dead she could feel their touch and hear
distinctly all that was said, but not move
a single muscle or make the slightest sign.
She knew when they dressed her for the
coffin, when she was laid in it, and heard
the terrible lid fastened down, but could
not make a motion and was utterly power
less, until the hearse had gone some dis
tance, when the physical forces were pro
badly set in motion again by the motion
of the vehicle.
She describes with singular enthusiasm
and power, for one so young, the beatifc
sights that she saw while entranced, many
beings appearing to her in won
derful beauty.
As we stated the family have disliked
the affair to become public, and have thus
far endeavored to keep it secret, and it
was only yesterday that it came to our
ears.