Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1878-11-27

travel stained, her boots nearly worn
off her feet. On hearing the news
she had started off without waiting
for extra clothing, without word or
look to any one, and had run the
whole night in order to be in time to
see her boy. As che entered the room
she pushed past servants and guests,
and ON reaching the coffin seized the
the child, and before any one was
aware of her intention or had pres
ence Of mind to prevent her, she had
vanished with him in her arms. It
was found that she had carried him
of to the grenier or garret and had
locked and barricaded the door. She
paid no attention to threats or en-
treaties, and all attempts at forcing
the door were equally fruitless. The
guests waited patiently, hoping that
she would before long return to her
senses and bring back the child's body
for burial.
"At the end Of an hour OF more
they heard tho heavy furniture rolled
away and the door opened. The
nurse appeared, but with no dead
child In her arms-the little things
arms were clasped lovingly around
her neck as she pressed him to her
bosom. The mournful assemblsge
was turned into one Of joyful con-
graduation. The woman would new
or speak Of the means she used to
bring the boy to life; indeed, though
she became from that hour q resident
In the family and trusted and VAL
usd friend, che steadily forbore ever
referring to the incident in which she
played 80 important . part. She liv-
ed to see the rescued child married
and family Of his own around him.
"The heroine Of the second anec-
dote was first cousin of the above
rescued child'-a young lady of thir-
teen or fourteen years old. After .
somewhat protracted illness, she, to
all appearance, died. The mother lit
terally refused to believe it, although
the doctors AMI the other inmates Of
the house saw NO reason to doubt the
fact. The funeral was arranged, the
grave made and the specified three
days had come to an end. The moth
er had never left her daughters body ;
che had tried every available means
to restore her, but to NO avail. A.
the hour for the ceremony approach
ed che became more and more dis.
tracted and more desperate in her ef-
forts to convince herself that life still
fingered. Al . last resource. she
went for some strong elixir, and TAX
ing out Of her pockets Q fruit knife
with two blades-one blade Of gold
the other of silver-proceeded by con-
tinual working to force the s old blade
between the teeth. When inserted ,
she poureda drop Of the elixir ON the
blade, then another, and another,
and tried to make It enter the mouth.
but Il seemed only to tricle back
again and down the chin. Still she
persevsred, becoming more desper-
ate 20 the moments few ON to the
hour. now 90 near, when her child
was to be taken from her. At the
very last when she WAS beginning to
dread the very worst, she thought she
detected slight spasm in the throat !;
and on closer examination she became
aware that the liquid was NO longer
returning. "a II did at first. She con-
tinued the application, every moment
feeling more excited and more joyful
ly hopeful. Presently the action Of
swallowing became more decided /;
che felt feeble futter at the heart,
and before long the eyes gradually
opened and closed, again; but the
breathing became quietly regular,
and the mother was satisfied that NO
one would dispute the fact; 90 she
called her household around her and
proved to them the joyful fact that
her child was restored to her. and
that NO funeral procession would
leave the house that day. Before long
the child fully recovered. The fruit
knife with its two blades 10 to this
day the most precious heirloom In
the family possessions.
"The recovered one lived to form q
deep attachment to her cousin, (the
rescued boy Of the hrst story posi-
bly, from the fact Of the strange simi.
larity In their early history; but his
affections were already engaged by
the young lady whose story ws are
now going to relate, the facts OF which
resemble those already told. This
young lady wasno longer . child when
death seemed to claim her,
but had reached the age OF
eighteen or nineteen. She had
been suffering from . dangerous
and in1ectuous fever, and when the
crisis srrived instead Of rallying, she
to oil appearance, died. It was ths
custom Of the district In which shs
lived to dress marriageabls girls Q,
fidss altar death, and to bury them
helr bridal costume. The younl