Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1874-01-15
Almost Buried Alive.


The St, Joseph (Mo. } Herald of De
cem5er 25tL relates the following
strange story:
In the northern part Of the city lives
a carpenter and his family, who are
natives of France. and have been in
this country about eight years. One
of their children is a little girl named
Mary, and the subject of this singular
story. The child was born in Paris
and was IL years old on the 26th of
June last, She speaks French, Ger
man and Euglish fiuently, and in con
versation exhibits an uncommon in
ten~ity of mental action and vividness
of mental vision. She is fair com
plected and very beautiful, with lus
trous eyes, sunny hair, and a look of
spiritual happiness 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
urday morning, three weeks ago, she
startled her mother by saying 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 we'll so that she would never
he sick any more. Her mother tried
to persuade her to dismiss the subject
from her mind. but she could not stop
talking, and continued, describing her
spirit sister, saying that she was stand
Jag near, dressed in pure white, her
face bright and shining, her hair il
lumined with silver light, and golden
dew drops dripping from her wings
She could also see her dead brother,
who came close to her sister side
While talking, her strength gave way,
and sank away as in death.
The worst forebodings of the pa
rents had been realized, and they pre-
pared the body for burial. No ply
sician was called, as they supposed
taat 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 4 O'Clock,
nearly thirty hours, during which
time no signs of returning life had
been noticed. The final look at the
remains WAS taken, the coffin sealed
up and placed in a hearse, and the lit
tie cortege started for the grave, the
parents following the hearse in car
riage.
After 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 expression to her suspicion
that it came from the coffin of her
child. Her suspicion was overrnled,
but in few moments the 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 collin was quickly
opened. and the child found to be alive,
to the amazement and unspeakable
delight of the parents. In her strug-
giles she had nearly torn from herself
her death robes.
She was quickly taken from the cof-
fin and carried into the house Of a
French lady at hand, where they bathed
her in venegar. She recovered her
strength rapidly, and in short time
was tahen to the home which she had
left only few hours before an appar-
ent corpse. Since that time she has
been as we'll as for the last few
months. Her parents make every eff
tort to keep her mind from reverting
to the terrible episode in her young
life, tearing that there is fatal fasci-
nation 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
could 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 q motion, and was utterly
powerless until the hearse had gone
some distance, when the physical for
ces were probably set in motion ag ain
by the motion of the vehicle.
She describes with singular enthu
siasm and power, for one so young,
the beautific sights that she saw while
entranced, many different beings ap-
pearng to her in wonderful beauty.
AS we stated, the family have dis
liked the affair to become public, and
haye thus far endeavored to keep it
secret, and it was only yesterday that
it came to our ears.