The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1879-04-24
The Dead Alive.

married the only child OF wealthy last
India merchant residing in Liverpool, by
whom 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 kilmarc stood
on the side of hill, AMI Immediately 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 deCea q LADY was
to repose, and there It was deposited the
third day after her demlsc. liter the
ceremony the key of the vau., was iut in
the usual place by the sexton, in The YES
trv 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. Bel! was abou; retiring
when the clear tones OF the door bell
rang through the building. Mr.. Bell
opened the door and stepped out into he
co.ri3er 1t ih-t 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 and o. 4 the bolts of the door.
Then 4 DR. III! and prolonged shrek
followed, AID at the same nome t the
butler ran ong the hall toward the front
door. Nh Bell reached the head OF the
stairs and was in the act Of descending
when the butler then reached the spot
where tn. housekeep:r lay apparently in
a swoon. What was Nj. Bells surprise
to see the butler raise his hands, fix his
gaze upoa the door and then SIM to the
floor as if struck dead
Utterly bewik!ered and coasoundcd
Mr.. Bell hastenei down sairs. The sight
THAI met his gaze when he reached the
center of the hall almost frozc his blood.
There stood the figure of hi. wife in her
grave clothes. leaning against the pillar
of the door with one hand thrOwH across
her breast.
Julia. NY darling wife" M. Bell ex-
claimed and stepped forward toward the
figure.
It made 4 movement toward him, and
the next instant it was EMBODIED in his
arms. |. was indeed the wife, but that
dav buried, who was restored to the
arms Of the bcreaved husband and to
her children. The explanation which
she offered was very imperfccl. For a
short time after her supposed death she
was aware Of all that went on around
her. but before she was placed in the
coffin she lost all consciousness. She
SAID that the first sensation OF conscious
49, =ne had was one OF pain. Then she
saw an indis,inct glimmer. With a
powerful elfor, she arose and saw a
wnman sanding by her side. The
woman shueked and fed, and then Mrs
Bell discovered that she was ling in a
rnfsn IN the fam ~ vault. Fresh strength
Came TO her every moment, and releasing
hergeif from her shroud she stepped to
the ground and passed out Of the vault,
the door OF which was vide open.
Doun tn. church; ard path she passed to
iar man street, along which she walked
for hall mile, until she reached her late
home Fortunately the large gate to the
park was uniastened, and she fastened up
the road say to the dwelling.
The rest has been tod. She rapidly
re2sine1 her health and lived 10 a good
old re-
Next day the lamp was found extin>
guished on the floor OF the vault. ltwaS
iden::dei as enc which usually stood in
the yes.ry, and was used by the sexton.
1t had doubtless been removed at the
same time when The key of the vault va,
taken Beyond that all was mysiery.
MIS- Bell was buried with her valuable
diamond ring on her finger The design
had been TO steal this from the supposed
corpse. Finding it Impossible to remove
it, the daring thief had laised the hand of
the dead woman to ter mouth, and in
her attempt 10 withdraw Inc ring with
her teeth caused the pang which went
throuzh the frame Of the victim Of
trance, and aroused her CONSEQUENCES.
On the finger, Just below the ting.
marks OF teeth were distinctly visible Tor
several days after Mrs. Bells resuscita-
ton.
Soon after this extraordinary occur-
rence the vicar Of the church resigned
his living and removed hi, family to Eng
land. Several years passed away and the
H.. al mara a. !