Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1874-01-22
Almost Buried Alive-A Remarkable
Escape.


In the northern part of the city lives a
carpenter. with his family, who are ma
tives of France, and have been in this
country about eight years. One of their
children is little girl named Mary, and
the subject of this singular story. The
child was born in Paris, and was eleven
years old on the Goth day of June last
She speaks French, German and English
huently, and in conversation exhibits an
uncommon intensity of mental action and
vividness of mental vision. She is of fair
complexion and very beautiful, with lus-
trous eyes, sunny hair, and look OF
spiritual maturity in her countenance.
She has sometimes said that she could see
the forms 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 see
her dead sister Louise, who came near
her in an angel form and spoke to her,
telling her that she would make her well
so that she would never be sick any more.
Her mother tried to persuade her to dis
miss the subject from her mind, but she
could not stop talking, and continued,
describing her sister, saying that she was
standing near, dressed in pure white, her
| face bright and shining, her hair illum-
ined with silver light, and golden dew
drops dripping from her wings. She
could also see her dead brother, who came
close to her sisters side. While talking
her strength gave way, and she sank away
| as in death.
The worst forebodings of the parents
had been realized and they prepared the
body for burial. No physician had been
called, as they supposed that death had
already fallen upon their child. 1t was
| about ten O'Clock in the morning when
the apparent death occurred. The body
was kept till Sunday afternoon about four
| o'clock, nearly thirty.six hours, during
which time no sign of returning life had
been noticed. The final look at the re-
mains was taken, the coffin was sealed up
and placed In the hearse, and the little
cortege started for the grave, the parents
| folio wing the hearse in carriage.
After proceeding some distance, and
| coming down on Third street, the quick
ear of the saddened mother caught the
echo of familiar cry, and she gave ex-
preston 10 her suspicion that II came
| from the coffin of her child. Her sus'
piciOn was oyerruled, but in few mo-
ments a second cry was heard, and, in
compliance with the wishes ofthe 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 amazcment and unspeakable
delight of the parents. In her struggles
she had nearly torn from herself her
death robes
She was quickly taken from the coffin
| and carried into the house of French
lady at hand, where they bathed her in
vinegar. She recovered her strength rap.
| idly, 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 reyerting to
the terrible episode in her young life,
fearing that there is fearful fascination
| in IL TO her.
She says that while others thought her
dead, she could feel their touch and hear
distinctly all that was said, but could not
move single muscle or make the slight.
est 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 motion, and was ut
| terly powerless until the hearse had gone
some distance, when the physical forces
were probably set in motion again by the
| motion Of the vehicle.
She describes with singular enthusiasm
and power, for one so young, the beatific
sights that she saw while entranced, many
differen: beings appearing TO her in won
derf1l beauty.--St. Joseph (No.) Gazette