The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1879-10-17
ALMOST BURIED ALIVE.
AUTHENTIC AND THRILLING MARIA
TIVEs BY AN OLD PHYSICIAN.

-
The lectures which have recently been
| delivered on Giving burials,' - by a ply
slcIan of eminence, prove that such
/ things happen in countries where rapid
| lnterment succeeds death much more
! frequently than the generality of people
would deem possible
We who hold our dead sacred. and who
1 err, if anything, on the side of keeping
them too long unburied, must naturally
! feel kind Of horror creep over US when
| from circumstances, we are brought to
| witness what in haste and want of rever-
ence the last sad ceremonies are gone
| through in some countries where climate
renders speedy interment after decease
an absolute necessity. l propose to re
late three marvellous escapes from living
burials which happened to different
members of the same family at different
| periods. The scene was in Italy: the
facts were related to me by the daughter
of two of the parties concerned, and |
/ shall tell the tale as nearly as possible as
/ she told it to me:
You will scarcely wonder, - she said.
/ ''at my horrorOf being buried alive when
! L tell you that peculiar fate seems to
/ pursue our family. or at least did pursue
/ 1t IN the last generation. Nv father
/ was an only son and, from having been
/ born several years after his parents mar
liage, was an object of especial devotion
/ His mother was unable to nurse him
| herself, and a cOuntrywoman was pro-
cured from a village some distance from
| the chateau where his parents resided.
/ who was not only well calculated to re-
| place the mother as a nurse, but was of
SO affectiOnate a disposition that she
] TO .vv-I, l.
care for the Well-being of the child, and
layished as much affection on him as did
the real mother. When the age came
for weaving him, it was found impOssi-
/ bic to accomplish il while the nurse re-
manned with him and SO. after many
terrible SceEeS and the most heaTt-Tend-
ing sorrow on her part, she had to go.
The boy thrOve very well until he was
about three years old. when he was at
tackled by some childish malady and to
all appearance died.
1T is unnecessary to dwell on the dis
tracted grief of the parents. The moth
er could scarcely be induced to leave the
body, and, even though all life was eX-
tinct, grudged every moment as it flew
toward the time when even what was
left Of her darling would have to be re-
moved forever. (Thc time that was al
lowed by the Government for bodies to
remain Unburied was three days.) The
father gave strict orders that the child'S
nurse should not be informed of the
death of her foster son until after the
funeral, as he felt convinced she would
at once come to see him. and he dreaded
the effect the sight of her grief might
have on the already brOken-hearred wife.
However, the order was ill-kept, and on
the morning of the funeral. after the
round the coffin taking their last fare
well Of the lovely boy, in rushed the
nurse. her hair down, her dress all torn
and tTavel-stained, her boots nearly
worn off her feet. On hearing the news,
she had started off without waiting for
extra clothing, with out word or hook to
any one, and had run the whole night in
order to be in time to see her boy. As
she entered the room. she pushed past
the servants and guests. and. on reach
ing the coffin. seized the child. and. be-
fore any one was aware of her intention,
or had presence of mind to prevent her.
she had vanished with him in her arms.
It was found she had carried him off to
the qrc1jcr, or gaTret. She paid no at
tentiOn TO threats or entreatieS. and all
attempts at forcing the door were equally
fruitleSS. The guests waited patiently.
turn to her senses, and bring back the
child's body for burial.
AT the end of an hour OF more they
heard the iheavy furniture rolled away
and the door opened. The nurse APP
peaTed, but with no dead child in her
arms-the little thing arms were clasp
ed lovingly round her neck as she press
ed him to her bosom. The mournful
. asSemblage was turned intOO Of joyful
cOngratulatiOn. The woman would
never speak of the means she used to
restore the boy to consciousness indeed,
although she became from that hour
resident in the family and a trusted and
valued friend. she fOrebOre ever referring
to the incident in which she played so
important a part. She lived to see the
rescued child married and with a family
of his own around him.
"The heroine of the second anecdOte
was a first cousin to the above rescued
child'-a young lady of 13OT Il years old.
+. After a somewhat pTOtracted illness, she
to all appearance died. The mother lit
orally refused to believe it. although the
doctors and the other inmates of the
I 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 mother had never
( left her daughters body she had tried
every available means to restore her. but
( to no avail. As the hOurapproached for
I the ceremony to take place. she became
more and more distracted and more des-
peTate in her efforts to convince herself
/ that life still fingered. As a last re-
/ source, she went for some strong elixir.
and taking out of her pocket a fruit
knife with two blddes-Oue blade of
/ gold, the other of silver-proceeded by
continual working to force the gold blade
/ between the teeth when inserted. she
poured a drop of elixir on the blade
then another and another. and tried to
! make it enter the mouth but it seemed
only TO trickle back again and down the
chin. StillN Nshe persevered. becoming
more desperate as the moments flew on
to the hour, now 50 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
as it did at first. She continued the ap-
/ plication, every moment feeling more
excited and more joyfully hopeful
( Presently the action of swallowing be
came more decided: she felt a feeble
I flutter at the heart, and, before long. the
/ eyes gradually opened and closed again;
/ but the breathing became quietly regu-
I lar. and the mother was satisfied that
! now no one would dispute the fact; 50
I she called her household round her, and
proved TO them the joyful fact that her
! child was restored to her, and that no
/ funeral procession would leave the house