The Van Buren press., 1874-01-13
About to be Buried Alive.
From the St. Louis (Mo.) Gazette.

From the st. Louis (Mo.) Gazette.
In the northern part of the city lives
q carpenter with his family. who are ma.
tives O. 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 alo5su
years old the 26th day ofJune la, Sat
speaks French, German and Enc. sn .lu
entity, and in conversation exhibits an
uncommon intensity ofmenta action and
vividness OF mental vision She is fair
complicated and very beautiful, with lus
trogs eyes, sunny hair, and lock OF
She has sometimes SAID that she could
see the forms Of persons who have died,
and, as her sincerity could not bo doubt
ed, this occasoncd 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 star
tied 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 anv
more Her mother tried to persuade her
to dismiss 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 lluminsd
with silver light, and golden dewdrops
dipping from her wings She could
also see her dead brother, who came close
to her dead sisters side While talking,
her strength gave way, and she sank away
rs 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 10 o'clock in TIE II oruisg when
the apparent death occurred. The body
was kept Till Sunday afternoon about 4
o clock, neatly thirty.slx hours, during
which time no sign Of returning life had
been noticed. The final look at the rs.
mains 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 on Third street, the quick
ear Of the saddcned mother caught the
echo Of a familiar cry, and she gave cx-
preston to her suspicion that it came
from the coffin Of her child. Her sus-
picions we're overruled, but in few mo.
ments second cry was heard, and, in
compliance with the wishes Of the moth
er. 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 tie 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 coffin
aud carried INTO the house Of French
lady at hand, where they bathed her in
vinegar. She recovered her strength
rapidly, and in u short time was taken 10
the home which she had left only fes
hours before an apparent corpse Since
that time she has been as we'll as 10 tae
last few months. Her parerts maize
every effort to keep her mind irom re-
verting to the terrible episode in her
young life, fearing that there is fearful
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 could not
move single muscle or make the slight.
eat sign. She knew when they dressed
her for the coffin, when she was laid in it,
and heard tho terrible lid fastened down,
but could dot make motion, and was
utterly powerless until tho hearse had
gone some distance, when the physical
forces were probably set in m motlon 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 different beings appearing to her
in wOnderful hesutv