Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1875-12-18


crueI OF all the arts of decapItation. The
Spanish garrOte. which by one fell screw i'm
the back of the neck paralyzes all sensation
at once, is Tar more merciful, although no
one who has been subjected to its tender mer.
cies has ever come back to tell us il there be
not one instant of intense agony, as there
probably is.
However, to return to the phenomena, all
who have looked upon the faces of the dead
have been struck with that change of ex-
preston Mhlc en-, comes over them in twenty
1t is, thank God, almost always a happy ex-
preston one which seems to say that the
words OF the prayer book We're wen CHOSEN.
and that che rests from his labors." Byron
refers to IL, In his immortal way, in the we'll
known lines:
He who hath bent him DER the dead
Ere the first day of death is fled,
The first dark day of nothinguess
F as last o. OF ce danger and diss,rs:s.
Have swept the lines where beauty lingers,)
Snd marked the mild, angelic air,
The rapture Of repose that's there.
So fair, so calm, so softly sealed.
Inc nrst, last look by death revealed ~
All TINS is well known, and has done much
10 strengthen the Christians hope, and to
ehaoIe US, VINO have buried our dearest trea-
sures, to combat the Giant Despair; but
there has come another and more difficult
pronlem 10 solve; one which revives the old
tfadl lions OF ghOuls and vampires: one
when was not pleasant to contemplate at
dead OF highland that is that the dead have
been seen To smile.
from the battle held, or, rather
the most startling of recent anecdotes on the
SUBJECT was that of nurse at Sangers Sta
tloh during our late war, who declared that
Two dead men, whom she had laid out the
night before, had smiled perceptibly amid
their cerements as a wounded suffer was
narrat1ng some of his wrongs Now the
idea OF suffer having any wrongs, or hav-
Ing done otherwise than perpetrate them,
was an idea calculated to create a smile be,
meath the ribs of death: but the Surgeon was
very much struck by the gravity with which
nj fhn t<H.,
with some anxiety, for he thought she had
gone insane from Overwork. She was not a
h1Ied nurse, but lady volunteer, and of re-
variable GOODNESS and intelligence
She, however, bore his scrutiny calmly,
ana begged of him TO examine the two dead
soldiers before they were consigned to hasty
ana lnhospitable graves; He did, and found
them quite dead. She al ways adhered to her
story, and does to this day.
Inc second anecdOte is perhaps as remark
aoIe. IL comes from a western city, and
mas been mentioned in one or two medical
WORKS. This story is Of a lady of about SO
years OF age. remarkably beautiful woman,
ana the mother OF four children, three sons
and daughter. She had suffered much
from the unreasonable jealousy of her hus-
band, who, although he loved her much, had
one OF nose ungovernably jealous tempera-
her character of de MOntfOrt, in the .Plays
OF the Passions" She was q woman of re-
marka6le prOpriety of conduct and patient
with his 1nf1rmity; an excess of goodness not
often found in the innocent, who are NOT fond
OF being suspected, as q general rule.
Her best friend and constant defender was
tne sister OF her husband and the wife of the
FAMILY physician. 1t was to her indifference
mat the poor lady owed what peace she en-
Joyed for the last few years of her life. She
was attacked by heart disease and suffered
greatly, but was able to go about and drive
OUT for several months. During the progress
OF this illness her husband took up a terri
pie jealousy OF the family physician, his
own Dr0ther-in-law, fact which he did not
communicate to his sister, the PHYSICIANS
wife One day, the poor invalid, while driv-
ing; Ielt parOxysm Of pain coming on, and
the doctor. He did so. She got out. went
In, and, finding him with other patients i'm
nls once, received draught of digitails or
s snd SrhsT at his hands
d1ately to leave her to take care of the other
patients, he called his wife and left her in
charge OF her sister-in-law, telling her to
take care OF her and see her to her Carriage,
as she was In precarious condition. The
Two ladies talked together for a half hour
wnen the sufferer arose and declared her in
Inc door OF her carriage when she fell dead
On The sidewalk. She was of course brou ght
back 10 the doctors Office, where, after every
effort to resuscitate her had failed, her huS-
pahd was sent for and her limbs were COM
posed in death.
When the jealous man arrived his fury
knew no bounds. He accused the dead in
opprobriOus terms; he accused the doctor of
having ruined his domestic peace; he rayed
like q mailman; nay, he even refused to ha We
me remains brought to his own house, and
declared that his wife might be buried In the
street for all he cared. This awful scene was
ended by the arrival of the eldest son, a
young man of remarkable character, decision
and energy. He took his father home and
locked him up and caused the remains of his
mOther to be also brought home, and made
arrangements for her burial.
lay IN her coffin, her children weeping around
her, and her husband, pale and haggard, the
greatest sufferer Of all, stood at her feet, the
DOCTORS wife, the sister-in. law, arrived. 1t
seems that she had tainted from the shock of
seeing her sister die, and had herself been
carried off to her own room, SO that she had
not known OF the dreadful scene in the doc
tors Office, nor OF her brothers new access of
Jury; SO she began quite unconsciously to
tell him and the children of her last CONVEX.
satlon with their mother. AS she did so the
relenf. "Were you with her during that visit
TO your husbands Officer" said he
Yes, every moment" said the loyal wo-
man.
They all looked at the dead woman: as
they did so the rigid mouth relaxed and the
two rows of teeth became visible; the smile
was smile; the husband looked at il with
eyes which started from his head; the young
est BOY fell down In ut; the eldest son. still
hand on the cold, pale brow.
Are you alive, dear mamma?' said he;
the smile changed; 1t grew infinitely tender
ohu oWCCt, ouu LILO fuOuLQ CLOSED as IT had
opened, mysteriously.
He ran out Of the room, exclaiming "She
lives! will 60 for the doctor"
During the time one witness remained
chained, as he Afterwards said, to his post of
observation; 1t was the second son, boy of
10. The father had moved to pick up the
poor youngest boy, who had fallen In q at:
tne aunt WAS consoling the your gest child q
girl yet too young to understand the dread
ful scene, yet destined to be haunted by IL for
life; SO that their accounts OF the phenome.
non were various and somewhat Contradict
tory. But the second boy, Theodore. did not
take his eye from his mothers face He and
Augustine, the eldest, confirmed each Others
statements to the doctor, and Theodore said
that, as the smile died away, q slight shud-
der seemed to pass over the face
The doctor found her to be quite dead and
after, OF course, every precautiOn being
taken against premature interment, she was
buried In her grave, where, let us hope she
rests In peace. 1t would seem as II that smile
was the dead wOman's revenge, as IL she
said: - - A0
my spirit shrunk not to sustain
The searching throea Of &c aaAless main
"Then let life 60 to Him Whs gave
When high and hs.py: need nowsp
The next best authenticated story comes
nom the records OF the Franco Prussian
war.
1t seems that one of the red. cross nuraas