The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1879-02-20
The Dead Alive.

tlnCtlOn. ne neaQ OF one OF these was
Mr.. Bell, young gentleman of IS. He
married the only child of wealthy East
India merchant residing in Liverpool. by
wlom he had two children. In the fourth
wear of their welded life Mrs. Bell was
taken suddenly i'll and expired the next
day.
The old churchvard of Kimarc, stood
on the side of a hill, AMI INN ediately IN
the rear Of the church and adjoining the
chancel was the tomb OF the Bell family
Here, in accordance with immemorial
usage, the body of the deceased lady was
to repose, and there 1t was deposited the
third day after her demise. After the
ceremony the key oi the vault was Put in
the usual place by re sexton, in the yes
Try OF the church.
The day had been gloomy and as night
came on the thin ram fell, which in
creased at about midnight to a smart
shower Mr. Bell was abou. retiring
when the clear tones of the door bell
rang through the building Mr.. Bell
opened The door and stepped out into the
corridor At that moment, as ne glanced
down the hall, he saw the housekeeper
moving toward the doo-. Then he heard
her set the small lamp she carried on the
table ar open the bolts of the door.
Then dreadful and prolonged shrek
follow ed, and at the same monet the
butler ran along the hall toward the front
door. Mr.. Bell reached the head of the
stairs and was in the act of descending
when the butler then reached the spot
where the houSekeepcr lay apparently in
a swoon. What was Mr. Bells surprise
to see the butler raise bis hands, fix his
gaze upon the door, and then sink to the
floor as if struck dead
Utterly bewlderci and COMPOUNDED
Mr.. Bell fastened down s:airs. The sight
tha; me- his gaze when he reached the
center OF the hall almos, troze his blood.
There stood the figure of his wifi. in her
grave clothes, leaning against the pillar
OF the door, with one hand thrown across
her breast
lula, my darling Wife Mr.. Bell en-
claimed, and stepped forward toward the
figure.
II made movement toward him, and
the next instant it was EMBODIED in his
arms. 1t was indeed the wife, but that
dav buried, who was restored to the
arms OF the bereaved husband and to
her children. The explanation which
she offered was very imperfect. For a
short time after her supposed death she
was aware OF all that went on around
her. bu. before she was placed in the
coffin she lost all consciousness. She
said that the first sensation OF conscious
ss-a sne had was one OF pain. Then she
saw IN indistinot glimmer. With a
powerful effort she arose and saw a
woman standing by her side. The
woman shrieked and fled, and then Mrs.
Ball discovered that she was lying in a
vnfsn in the family vault Fresh strength
cane TO her every moment, and releasing
herseK from her shroud she stepped to
the ground and passed out of tine vault,
the door of which was vide open.
Down the church;ard path she passed to
the man street, along which she walked
for half mile, until she reached her late
home. Fortunately the large gate to the
park was unfastened, and she FASTENED up
the road way to the dwelling.
The rest has been told. She rapidly
regained her health and lived to good
old aye.
Next day the lamp was found extin-
guished on the f1oor Of the vault. twas
identified as one which usually stood in
the ves.ry, and was used by the sexton.
1t had doubtless been removed at the
same time when the key of the vault was
taken. Beyond that all was mystery.
Mrs. Bell was buried with her valuable
diamond ring on her finger. The design
had been to steal this from the supposed
corpse. Finding it impossi ole to remove
1.-THE daring thief had raised the hand Of
the dead woman to Ter mouth, and in
her attempt TO withdraw the ring with
her teeth caused the pang which went
through the frame of the victim Of q
trance. and aroused her consciousness.
On tie finger, just below the ring
marks OF teeth were distinctly visible for
several days after Mrs. Bells resuscita-
ton
Soon after this extraordinary occur
renee the vicar Of the church resigned
his living and removed his family to Eng
land. Several years passed away and the
incidents herein recorded were almost for
gotten. Mrs. Bells father died and Mr..
Bell and his family quilted kilmare and