Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1880-09-30

returned with me, and tried his best TO |
bring me to myself: but l refused to be !
comforted. At last he left me and | was |
glad to be alone, for III solitude l could |
feel my wife was somewhere near me.
They brought me food; but l could |
eat nothing The honrs passed slowly |
but took no note of them. did not |
even know it was dark until one of the |
maids came aud asked If she should light |
the lamp. let her do it and then
mechanically took book down from the
shelf and tried 10 read 1t was only a
mockery OF resdipv, hut il acted as a sort
OF narcotic ana had dropped into a sort
OF drza when | WAS aroused by u
knocking at my door, sharp aud decisive,
rs il the person knocking was not asking
but demanding Entrance, just as the
knock caue, the clock struck twelve, and
knew that must have been sleeping for
nearly three hours | got up from my
chair, opened the door and inquired what
| was wanted of me. Standing in the
lighted hall were three indoor servants and
the old muse; and the faces of all were
absolutely hlanched with terror. One of
the girls, in al agony of fright, caught
| hold OF my sleeve and pointed out o,
sir do come !
81 shook her of some what roughly, and
addressing the nurse, said What's the
meaning of this 2
"She was clearly as frightened as the
others, but more self POSSESSED, and she
replied If you please, sir, Jane and
Margaret say that their mistress is stand
ing at the side door, tapping on the glass;
and that they will leave the house if you
do not come and see.
II called them fools and babe them go
to bed; but they crowded Lehind me as |
hastily CROSSED the hall and strobe down
the short corridor to the side door. l
approached the door; and must confess
that my blood ran cold as l distinctly
heard the well known tap, and thought |
saw something white behind the glass
panels. turned my eyes to the bolt,
which | drew back aud flung the door
wide open. If | were to live for millen-
mum, | could never forget the sight | saw
then. There stood my wife, with bright
open eyes, flushed face, dshevelled hair,
and her night dress stained with large
patches of blood
James, she said, don't be frightened;
it is l. She may have said more; but
this was all heard. Kate, my Kate!
cried, and fell down senseless
when erecovered consciousness
found myself in bed. My wife, dressed
as she used to be dressed, was setting by
my side and / looked around and won
dered whether had been awakened from
some horrible night mare. At last the
reality CT the last few days came back to
me--my wfe's illness, her death, her
strange return from tine world of spirits.
When 1 summoned strength for the task
asked what It all ment, and though she
could tell but little, that little was enough
to solve the mystery She said she had
felt as if she were being rather roughly
| awakened from sleep; and that when she
became throughly aroused, she found she
was setting up in an open coffin at the
bottom of a grave, with the hood run
ming quickly from deep cut in her ring
finger The grave was shallow. and she
had managed to climb out when she dis.
covered that she was not 20 yards from
the door by which she was accustomed 10
enter the house. She made her way to
it and we know the rest.
at had been curious clse of trance
catalepSy, or whatever name men Of
science may give to those inexpliGb!e simu.
lations of death in which all the functions
seem 10 be arrested, while the vital priu
cipal remains intact. She had been re
stored TO conscious animation by the cut
given to her finger by the rutfian whose
cupidity had tempted him TO deed from
which many hardy scoundrel would have
shrunk The perpetrator was, OF course
one Of the undertakers men, who hnC
been struck by the glitter of the gems il
the diamond ring; and who, to obtain it
did not hesitate to violate the sanctiiy o.
! the grave, and even to mutilate Il corpse.
GOOD heavens !" | exclaimed, "wha
an ov4rpoweriug story. Was tile rasca
ever caught
mo; he disappeared, and nothing wa
| heard of hun, but the ring was recovered
, several weeks afterwards from pawn
) brokers' shop where the thief had dis
, posed of it.
t And your wife ? WHAT effect mad it OF
! herr
f Cautiously enough, her Q neral heatl
| became better frcm that dreadful day
but think her nervous system must hay,
, received u peEmaneu: striiu, for sh,
! | entirely lost the physical q rage which
she hau possessed ~ an eH'ro. hnary de-
n eree fora wc,len ~ ~ vo year
= afstrward size Ia. IN 'nlH attack
If asrh'uA. :, l1. i. -i...t. emplain
+ hat oIteh ,a,. - = ~ "a or.4e nervou
shCcK. Su, iy d LnN oyer, to be over -
= aad WIS -,, ~ D.. cheerful 10 the last
l though ST.. had been confirmed iuvalit
! for i've years before her death"