Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-01-03
Almosf Rurfed Alixe

A CHILD LYING IN A TRANCE Is coFFTNRp AND
ON THE WAY TO THE GRAVE WHEN KE-
STORED TO coNsciousSKss-A NARROW rs
CAFE FRoM A HORRIBLE DEATH.
The st. Joseph (Mo) Herald Of December
25th, relates the following strange story: Gin
the northerp part Of the city lives a carpenter.
with his family, who are natives OF France, and
have been I'm this country about eight years.
One of their children Is a little girl name Mary
ard the subject OF this singular story. The child
wss born in Paris, and was IL years ole on the
2Gth Of June last. She speaks French, German
and English huently, and m conversation eN-
hihits uncommon intensity Of mental action
and vividness Of mental vision. She Is fair COM
plected and very beautiful. with lustrOus eye,
sunny hair and a look Of spiritual maturity In
her countenance. She has sometimes said tn
she could see the forms Of persons who have
died, and As her sincerity could not be doubted,
this caused some alarm In the minds Of her par
eDts. 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 IN angel form and spoke
TO her, telling her that she would make her we'll,
50 that she would never be sick any more. Her
mother tried 20 persuade her TO dismiss the sub
ject from her mind, but she could not stop talk
ing and continued, describing her spirit sister.
saying that she was standing near. dressed in
pure white, her face bright and shining. her
hair illuminated with silver light, and golden
dew drops dripping from her wings. She could
also see her dead brother, who came close 20
her sisters sice, While talking. her strength
worst fOrebodings Of the parents had been real
lied, and they prepared the body for burial.
No physician was called, as they Supposed that
Geach bad already fallen upon their child. lt
was about 10 O'Clock IN the morning when the
apparent desth occurred. The body was kept
until Sunday afternoon about I O'Clock, nearly
thirty hours, during which time no signs OF
returning life had been noticed. The final look
at the remains was taken, che c0hln was sealed
mp and placed In the hearse. and the little cor
iege started for the grave, the parents Following
the hearse in a carriage.
After proceeding some distance and coming
down Third street. the quick ear OF the sad-
dened mother caught the echo of a familiar
cry, and she gave expression TO her suspicion
that II came from the cOfi OF her child. Her
suspicion was overruled, but in a few moments
a second cry was heard, and in compliance with
the wishes of the mother the hearse was stopped
ana the cot1n drawn ont. The struggles of
what was supposed 20 be the lifeless BODY could
now be plainly heard. The coffin was quickly
opened and the child found to be alive, TO the
amszement and unspeaksble 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 a French lady at hand,
where they bsthed her in vinegar. She recOy-
cred her strength rapidly, and in a short time
was taken to the home which she had left only
a 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 20
keep her mind from revertng to the terrible
episode IN her young life, fearing that there is
She says that while others thought her dead
she could feel their touch and hear distinctly all
that was said, but could not move q 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 fas-
tened down, but could not make a motion and
was utterly powerless until the hearse had gone
some distance, when the physical forces we're
probably set in motion again by the motion of
the vehicle. She describes with singular enthu-
sissm and power, for one so young, the beatifc
sights that she saw while entranced, many diff
ierent beings appearing to her in wonderful
beauty.
As We stated. the family have disliked the sf-
fair to become public, and have thus far en-
Geavored 10 keep II secret, and it was only yes
terday that il came to our ears.