The south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1879-1883, 1880-01-20

streets and gardens. Here grave
has been discovered whose inmate
has turned in the shoud; here a
corpse clutching its hair in a strange
and unnatural position; dead men
and women lying in their graves as
the dead never lie in Christian land
at the moment OF burial"
Mr.. Mackay gives an account Of q
beautiful young woman, who, it is
supposed, died of over excitement at
the prospect of beng married. When
the fiji ST shovelful OF dirt was thrown
on the coffin o strange noise was
heard from the inside. The coffin
was ipscrewed, but too late the girl
was found in an attitude of horror
and pain impossible 10 describe-her
eyes wide open her teeth clenching
her hands clutching her
hair, but life was extinct. An in
stance showing the utter depravity of
the Italian undertakers ana grave
Idiggers is given, in which they actu-
ally tried 10 snach the body of lady
from her friends, one of whom
thought she was not dead. AS they
were aboutto drag 1t IRON the bed
the dead body" moved, and soon af-
ter was thoroughly revived by
medical practitioner of the neighbor-
hood and lived to tell the story of her
escape from tho tomb. A learned
Cardinal incurred the displeasure of
the King, and, and, OH being rebuked,
fell to the ground, TO all appearance,
dead. Ii was declared that tho un-
fortunate Cardinal should be embalm-
ed, but when the surgeons began
their operations the patient awoke,
but too late, for the wounds were
mortal. "A
A case is given in which young
lady arose out of her coffin and ap-
peared before the family at supper,
''pale and frightened. but fair to see
as before death" The doctor, the
paiest and the undertaken saw the
error of their way, but the priest
alone made amends by officiating at
the young lady's woddingoa year af-
Ter he had preached her funeral SER.
mon. Petraoh, when a middle-aged
man lay twenty hours ia atrance, and
narrowly escaped being buried alive.
Wehave often heard the story ofthe
Consul's wife who was buried alive
and released from her painful posi-
ton by robbers, who broke open the
coffin TO steal the lady's jewelry.
Among the other stories of resusci-
tsted victims OF apparent death is one
of an old gentleman who was reviv-
ed by one Of his skeptical friends put
ting burning taper to his nose.
His life was saved, but the sad story
of his escape from the very jaws OF
death was ever afterward told by the
Scared and crimson beacon on his
face.
| A number of stories are given of
the revival of hospital patients after
they have been carried out TO the
dead -house. This seems a very COM
mon occurrence in Europe. Two Of
the most terrible statements are of
children being born in the tomb, one
Of whom according to Mr.. Mackay,
being discovered by lucky incident.
lived to be man, and occupied for
several years the post of Lieutenant
Generation the frontiers of Cherez.
Several instances are given who
have been cognizantto what was 60
ing on around them, vet powerless to
stop their burial. One case is given
of a school master, who. had it not
been for the arrival of a sister, would
j have been buried alive. The passion
ate grief of tile sister eau sed the eye
lids of the deceased to quiver, and
truth was discoyod. ~
1 1t is impossible to prolong the list
Of examples, but enough has been al
ready said to show the wickedness ol
4. hasty funerals, and the necessity OF
! establishing persymtein OF tests
Does 1t ever occur to the minds ol
4 Americans that funerals are often
I conducted very quickly in this coun'
: try, as well as In Italy and the warn
countries of Europer 1t is doubtful
i If the bodies Of the poor people who
+ live in the tenement houses of oul
largo cities are examined very close
4 ly before they are inferred; 1t j
, doubtful If the greatest care is exer.
q lcised in this matter in the rural dis
tricts where good physicians canno
] be at the death-beds Of sick persons
and where rich and poor alike are in
n trusted to doctors who are neither fa
y nous for learning or intuition, Thl
/. writer in Belgravia is inclined y
q .hink that one Of the needs of tn
4 world at the presentmoment is a sim
pie test, and not q complicated serie
n Of tests, which would be out Of II
reach of the poor, and beyond I'll
!. power of inexperienced and badl
I. paid doctors. 1t will be reassurin
~ 10 have that test as soon as possible
-Chicaqo Inter-Ocean.