The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1878-11-20

rfencelesS family. why, it was Can
to make one rave. To all my other incen-
tives to betray my existence was added
this-and confess it was the strongest OF
ALTO protect my family from this lying
thief, who would willingly strip them Of
- last cent.
How long had remained alone cannot
tell, for the severe anxiety produced by
the news l had heard, caused me to lapse
into another fit of Inconsistencies, from
which again recovered just as the door
was closing gently, and heard the soft
footsteps of new conner upon the carpet.
The sheet was again turned down, and the
face-cloth removed; but this time | felt
the touch of tender, loving hand that
had soothed my fevered brow all through
the painful illness. A few low sobs, and
my trusting, loving wife threw herself
across the bed, and exclaimed, "Oh, my
dear, dear husband how can l ever part
with youp Why was not taken instead? ?
O Lord beg that either may be taken
to join him above, or that he may return
to walk by my side through the lonely
vale of life"
A few moments of silence ensued, broken
only by the sobs of my wife, as she lay
convulsed with grief, across my bed. How
l longed to throw my arms about her neck,
and return the warm kisses she had left
tingling on my brow! 1 concentrated
every effort again, but all to no purposes
l could not burst the iron band of par
alysis that had control Of every nerve and
muscle. Presently some one came and
took her away, my wife, my only friend,
and l was left to myself again for a long
time.
After nightfall lay musing upon my
strange condition, and thought of all the
singular cases Of trance Of which l had
ever heard, thought Of the many instances
in which people had been buried alive.
and feared that such would be my horri.
BILE fate.
AS night drew on apace, and l heard
some of the inmates of the house
indulging in profound snole, !
thought to compose my own mind in
sleep, in the hope that slumber might
give me renewed strength for the morn.
ing, when resolved upon another effort
to regain my freedom, and escape the
fate that was being prepared for me.
But sleep was entirely out Of the question;
and what seemed very strange to me, my
mind. although harassed continually, did
not experience the slightest WEAKNESS.
Some young people, who were "sitting
up with the corpse" came frequently and
always very timidly, to change the cloths
upon my face; and am certain that if
upon some of their occasional visits they
had found me sitting up in bed las very
much longed to do), it would have fright.
ened some of them nearly to death. Up
on such occasions l could catch a slight
| glimmer Of the light through my eyelids;
and am not positive whether the smile
| that one of the number observed upon my
lips was not provoked by the tremulous
hand that had recently taken the cloth
from off my face, and the perfect awe
which they evidently entertained for me. >
Morning came at last, and with it the
coffin in which | was to be entombed
Contrary to my most earnest hopes,
was unable to convey the slightest sign Of
life to those who were employed in re-
moving me into the marrow house," ant
when once confined in it I gave up nearly
all hope for the future, for my position
was so cramped as to render the stronges
man incapable of moving after . few
hours confinement.
Fortunately for me, the coffin lid hat
not been screwed down very snugly be
fore going to the church, and the inter
stices admitted both air and sound. AL
though there could not have been any
} perceptible respiration, still think th'
lungs must have been infated occasionall,
by very slow and imperfect process, ant
there must have been slight futter O
the heart, at least once every few minute
during the entire period that had re
manned thus palsied.
Although the space of time could no
have exceeded an hour, yet it seemed
moderate lifetime to me before we reaches
the church; and | heard an occasiona
sob, and at last the measured, solemn tone
of the minister as he read the opening
prayers.
Then the low thunder of the organ, pre-
ceding the tempest of solemn minstrelsy
began; and finally, the organs grand out
burst of sorrow seem to roll away int
heaven, where its tones were lost amid tn
sweet harmony Of angels.
Some one was turning away at tn
screws Of my cofin-Gd, and l knew tha
oa1,1 oL