Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1877-11-16
VOL. l.. NEW SERIES. VOL. XIII

her little round of error ana pain had heer
run and her innocent, pretty face might
have been that of a child. She never usct
any sort of cant $50 common among women
who have been in refuCes), but had appa
rently somehow got hold of very living and
real religion, which gave her real comfort
and courage, and inspired her with the bean
tiiul spirit with which she bore her frighttnI
snfierings. On the wall opposite her bed
there hung by chance prin. of the Lost
Sheep and Mary s., looking Mt it one day,
said to me, THAT is Just what | was. and
what happened to me : hut | nm being
brought safe home now" For long time
before her death, her weakness was such that
she was quito incapable of lifting herself up
in bed, or of supporting herself when lifted,
and she, of course, continued to lie with her
head on the pillow while life gradually and
painfully ebbed away, and she seemingly be-
| came nearly unconscious In this state she
had been left one Saturday night by the
nurse in attendance. Early Mt dawn next
morning an Easter morning as 1t chanced-
the poor old women who occupied the other
beds in the ward were startled from thoir
sleep by seeing Mary 5 suddenly spring
up to n sitting posture in her bed, with her
arms outstretched and her face raised, as if
in a perfect rapture of joy and welcome
The next instant the body of the foor girl
fell back corpse. Her death had taken
place in that moment of mysterious &c
stacy.
\ totally different case again was that OF n
n4AH Of high intellectual distinction. well
known in the world of letters. When dying
peacefully, ms became the close of n pro
ioundly religious lite, and having already lost
the power of speech. he was observed sud
denly to look up, as if at some spectacle in
10 a.. ~.
of solemn surprise and awe, very character
istic, it is said, of his habitual frame of
mind At that instant, and before the look
had time to falter or change, the shadow of
death passed over his face. and the end had
come
In yet another case am told that at the
last moment SO bright light seemed sud
denly to shine from the face of dying man,
that the clergyman and another friend who
were attending him actually turned simulta-
neously to the window to seek for the cnuse.
Another incident of very striking char
acter occurred in well known family, one
OF whose members narrated it to me. A dy-
ing lady, exhibiting the aspect of joyful sur
prise to which We have so often referred,
spoke of seeing. one after another, three of
her brothers who had long been dead, and
then apparently recognized last of all n
fourth brother, who was believed by the by
ISLANDERS to be still living in India. The
coupling OF his name with that OF his dead
brothers excited much awe and horror in the
mind of one of the persons present, that she
rushed half senseless from the room In
due course of time letters were received an
nouncing the death OF the brother III India,
which had occurred some time before his dy-
ing sister seemed to recognize him.
Again. IN another case, gentleman who
had lost ms only son some years preNlonsly'
and who had never recovered the afilcting |
event, exclaimed suddenly when dying, with |
the ar OF man making most rapturous
discovery - see nm ! see nm
MOI TO multiply such anecdotes 100 lar
anecdotes whieh certainly possess uhlior-
mlty pointing TO some similar cause whether
that cause be physiological or psychical-l
VIII now conclude with one authenticated by
near relative OF the persons concerned.
late well known bishop was commonly called
by his sisters "Charlle, and hiS eldest sister
bore the name OF LIZ They had both
been dead Tor some years when their younger
SISTER, Mrs W, also dled, but before her
ieath appeared to behold them both. while
ylng stlil and apparently unconscious sho
opened her eyes and looked earn-
,stly across the room, as If she saw some one
snterlng. Presently, as II overJoyed, She
acclaimed; 90 Charlie and then, after
moments pause, with new start OF delight
rs If he had been joined by some one else,
he went on, 'And Llz and then added,
How beautiful you are Alter seeming to
'aZe on the two beloved forms for a few nln-