The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1883-01-17
CLAIR. MUNCE,
Died June 3. 1861.
Aged 10 years.

"Why, to whom does this refeT?" asked
the reporter.
1T refers to me-" replied Miss Munce
quietly. 1T was on my sffin-at least |
suppose | may call it my coffin, though
was not buried in il. l occupied il, how
ever, for some hours, and had it not been
for the intelligence of a lady who came to
attend my funeral should have been in il
now. My uncle took it to his home in
Chicago, where he is fond of showing it to
his friends and telling my story. kept the
plate, which / seldom allow any one 10 see,
for the recollections it awakens are not
pleasant.
when was young girl l was in very
delicate health. l used To fall into frances,
in which / knew all that was going on
around me and heard every word said in the
room where lay, but could not speak or
make the Sigh lest sign of life. My body
grew gradually colder, but ordinarily
aroused myself with a start WITHIN ten or
fifteen minutes. The doctor said it was
form of epilepsy, and warned me that some
day or another an attack might be prolonged
and mistaken for death. IL always effected
me under the same conditions. After sleep
ing, as Consciousness slowly returned, L
found myself wide awake, but unable to
speak or move.
After the doctors caution, began to
grow afraid of myself. It was a horrible
sensation. dreaded to 60 to sleep at night,
and, though drowsiness OverpOwered me at
last, awoke unrefresbed. During the day
| was languid and tired. bus dar d not lie
down, for knew by experience that il |
slept by dayligh was almost certain to fall
into a trance on awakening. AS conse-
Quence of all this mental disturbance | be-
came seriously ILL., and | was ordered To the
country: but before Engagements could be
made for me TO go | was stricken down with
brain fever, and my life wa despaired of.
Now, before the fever attacked me, and
while was confined to my bed by the sick
ness brought on by anxiety about my con
dition, the frances seemed 10 disappear.
When slept was refreshed, and asoke at
once To full vigor. and not, as formerly, by
slow degrees, 10 wretched belplessness and
immobiliiy. / think | should have escaped
the brain fever had it not been for the doc
tor. He told me that the epilepsy was only
mastering its forces for an attack more Wig
oroHs than any bad yet experienced AS a
storm sometimes lulls before it sweeps
everything before It, He frightened me
terribly, and my brain gave way.
THE brain fever was conquered, but was
very weak, so weak that did not rally. the
doctor. always cheerful, said l never would.
lay for days neither asleep nor awake, but
not in trance, for could move and spe *
feebly. She may go out like the snuff of a
caadle at any minute said the doctor In
my hearing, aud nearly verified his pre-
diction by going out at once.
Zone day-it was June 2. 1891 felt thai
l was ally improving. Life seemed to bt
coming back to me. The doctor bad mo-
noticed il. but knew by the unwonted dis
tinctness with which the rumble of tbs
Greenpoint wagons struck upon my ear tina
| was gathering new strength. At last
grew tired, and. for The first time il
several weeks. slept soupdly and healthily
Il swoke slowly, and with the rigDr o
limb that knew so we'll. An unutterabl