Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1884-03-09
mediateIy fell back on the pillow and

mediateIy fell back on the pillow and
expired.
The other case Is that of an English
lady who was placed alive In her coffin.
The recital Of her sufferings, while con-
scious Of her surroundings, OF hearing
the lamentation of her friends, of long
ing to speak to them, of being dressed
for the grave, being placed in the eoff1n
and remaining there twelve hours, Q
victim Of terrors unimsginable, until
control Of her faculties returned, Is in
tensely graphic.
A celebrated case and one which has
erept into history was that Of the Rev.
William Tennent. He was the pastor
of q Presby terrain Church in Freehold,
New Jersey, AS young man he was
naturally delicate. Excessive study
had further undermined his health I'M
I'll he was reduced to mere skeleton.
One morning while eonyersing with
his brother ne suddenly tainted and
died. For three days his body gave
signs Of life. His physician, who was q
devoted friend, exhausted all means in
attempting to restore him, and was
combating the desire of Mr.. Tennent's
brother for an immediate funeral, when
the supposed corpse gave a dismal
grOan, turned slightly, and immediate
Is sank into 8 death-like state again.
All thought OF burial was at an end,
and efforts at resuscitating, were re-
doubled. In about two hours they were
re Earded by the patients return to life.
The most singular part Of the story fol.
lows. Tennent, though prior to his
strange Illness 8 learned man, could
thereafter neither read nor understand
the idea of the alphabet. His entire
life I'D TO that time was blank in his
memory. He began learning to read,
and for three years his education pro-
crossed slowly, as that Of very young
child. Three years later, while recting
q lesson, he complained OF a Vioiens
pain In his head, aud in a moment al
teTwaTd announced that he remember
ed everything. In few days
His Memory Was Entirely Restored.
Mr.. Tennent, when an aged man, re-
lated his experience while in his trance.
IL found myself" he said, "under the
direction Of Superior being, and oblig-
Ell TO follow h!m. | WAS waited along,
| know not how, until | beheld the dis
lance an iueffable glory, the impression
OF which could not possibly communi-
cate to living man. ] saw innumerable
beings, but saw no bodily shape or pres
erCe in the host. | heard their songs,
and asked my conductor 10 let mej0in
them, when he tapped my shoulder and
said, "GOU must return to earth Then
| saw the doctor and MY brother dis.
putting. Tie time | had been absent
seemed ten minutes. was so overcome
at the idea OF returning that l tainted
aweS.'
\ remarkable case, and one which
was q subject of discussion for twenty
years, was that of Susan e. GOdsey,
called the Sleeping Beauty. For TWEEN
ty-Oue years Susan was awake from
death-like sleep at III the morning, .
at night, and in the morning again, re-
maining awake each time exactly three
minutes and then sinking back again.
Ia this state she appeared to be dead.
She did not breathe; there Was no mos
ture on the mirror held before her nos
trils, 10 perceptible movement Ot her
heart. The intervals Of waking were
unavailable, and never varied through
this long period Of years. While awake
she recognized her friends, converSed
with them and enjoyed life as mubh as
her limited opportunities permitted her
to 20. Susan was described as being
plump, well-fOrmed and rather pretty.
She was still living and dying ten years
ago.
The ability Of person to voluntarily
suspend all outward signs of life and ret
alive, is first mentioned by CELSIUS, who
states that he met priest who could
die and revive at pleasure. Among q
number of persons who could feign
death, two are worth mentioning.
Colonel Townsend, Il noted English
man, could cause his body to become
cold aud rigid and his eyes to assume
the glassiness of death. His heart ceas-
Ell to beat and his breathing could not
Ge detected by the mirror test.
PrickIng and Burning the Body
had no effect On the gallant Colonel,
who loved the turf too well and his
creditors too little. He had power
to remain in this state several hours,
and 10 completely fool the doctors. A
celebrated traveller in India describes as
a witness an exhibition OF the same
power, possessed by fakir in q much
more wonderful degree. The fakir, who
was 3 religious enthusiast, in the pres
ence ota goOdly company, many of the
spectators being English, first stopped
his ears and nOstrils with wax. He
then rubbed his naked body with oil,
nut in his mouth black substance
which he refused to allow the witnesses
to touch, and sank into an unconscious
state that in half an hour was pro-
nounced death by the physician in at
tendance. The iakir's companions
took away the body and buried it. The
narrator saw six feet OF earth trampled
down upon it, and caused watch to be
set to prevent it being dug up, Thirty
days later the grave was opened. Inc
body was in perfect state OF preserva'
ton, not at all decOmposed. His COM
panions removed the wax from his ears
and nostrills, chsffed and rubbed the
BODY with oil, and in few moments
the thTee-mOnths' occupant of q grave
pulled the black substance from his
mouth, and in a strong voice asked