Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1874-01-17
About 70 be Buried Alive.
Remarkable Escape from n Terrible
Death.


Death.
In the northern part of the city of st.
Joseph, Mo-, says a local paper, lives a
carpenter, with his family, who are ma
tives of France, and have been in this
country abont 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 Goth day of June last.
She speaks French, German, and Eng
lish huently, and in conversation ex-
hibits an uncommon intensity of mental
action and vividness of mental vision.
She is fair complexioned and very
beautiful, with lustrous eyes, sunny
hair, and a 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 sim
cerity could not be doubted, this occa-
stoned some alarm in the minds of her
parents.
The health of the child has not been
good for several months, and on Satur-
day 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 SO well that she would never be
sick any more. Her mother tried to
dismiss the subject from her mind, but
she could not stop talking, and con-
tinued, describing her sister, saying
that she was standing near dressed in
pure white, her face bright and shining,
her hair illumined 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 in, as they supposed that
death had already fallen upon their
child. 1t was about 10 o'clock in the
morning when the apparent death oc-
CURED. The body was kept till Sun
day afternoon about o'clock, nearly
thirty-six hours, during which time nc
sign of returning life had been noticed.
The final 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 carriage.
After proceeding some distance, and
coming down Third street, the quick
ear of the saddened mother caught the
echo of familiar cry, and she gave ex
preston to her suspicion that it came
from the coffin of her child. Her sus.
picion was overruled, but in a few mo-
ments second cry was heard, and, il
compliance with the wishes of the mo-
Their, 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 coffir
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 tori
from herself her death robes.
She was quickly taken from the coffir
and carried into the house of French
lady at hand, where they bathed her il
vinegar. She recovered her strength
rapidly, and in a short time ives takel
| W U1o uOluc SIG HUI l6Ib Only lev
hours before an apparent corpse. Sine,
that time she has been as we'll as for TIL,
last few months. Her parents max,
every effort to keep her mind from re
verting to the terrible episode in hel
young life, fearing that there is fear
full fascination in it to her.
: She says that while others though
her dead, she could feel their toucl
and hear distinctly all that was said
but could not move single muscle O
make the slightest sign. She kney
when they dressed her for the coffin
when she was laid in it, and heard tn
terrible lid fastened down, but coult
not make motion, and was utterl,
!, powerless until the hearse had gon,
some distance, when the physical force
were probably set in motion again b.
the motion of the vehicle.
She describes with singular enthusi
> asm and power, for one so young, tn
i beatifc sights that. she saw while en-
tranced, many different beings appear
ing to her in wonderful beauty.