Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-10-27
THE CONSUMPTION VINE.
singular Vegetation Found in the Collins
of tho Dead.
Fronl a Chioago IrilN1le.

fT0W me Ch1oAgD tFfDNf2es
BLOOMINGTON, ILL, oct. 2O.-The fol-
lowing letter, written 20 near relative
in ls4S, recently fell into my hands. The
writer, an octogenarian, is still living,
and am induced 10 make it public, to-
gether with some other matters pertain
ing to this subject, hoping it may stimu-
late inquiry into so curious topic. The
letter related 10 the removal OF number
Of relatives from an old burying-ground
in one OF the cities OF New England, and
substantially read as follows:
The dsintermont was done under my per-
sonal supervision, as carefully and respect
/ fully rs such things should be. The first OF
| the graves opened contained the remains Of
/ your grandmother, but. beng too decayed for
/ removal, she WIS placed in q new case. Your
/ graudmOther's colin, however, was entire,
I and was taken up without an the least dis
! urbng the contents; only the tasteDiug3 Of
/ the lid were gone, and the admirable prcser-
/ walton OF the coffin induced me 70 contemplate
/ for the first aud last zine the semblA ace Of
my respected ancestor, who had departed
this life nearly sixty wears before The
skeleton was entire, and growing over IL, in
side the coffin, STA feet under ground. in a dry
gravel soil, was little vine, which had year
after year spread its meshes like web over
! the ehtlrc corpse, and seemed 10 DE stu alive
and growing. IL was snowy white and cold
as ice, I'll inhabltant OF the dark and silent
grave.
tine same little vine was found growing. If
you remember, consumption has for many
years made sad havoc ina our family and these
three are SAID TO have died of this disease.
NOW, there is a tradition among the Ger
mans that If q descendant pluck from the
corpse OF the last victim of consumption this
little vine IL VIII eradicate the disease from
the family If there be anything in it. which
| hardly believe. consumption has been de-
str1Yed from ours. for had the temerity to
tear 1t away from the remains Of your brother,
the thought of which makes me shuddcr even
now. q srosing, as II did. the CHASTITY skeleton
which this growth had kindly endeayored TO
conceal.
In another grave | found sprouts growing
from the head. the hair Of which was well
preserved, though buried welinigh three
score years. This vine, or sprOut, was also
white, but sparkled like an ice plant, and on
close examination 1t proved TO belong to the
common sOrrel family, whose tenaclty OF life
enabled 1t to grow four or more feet under
ground.
Many years ago in Smithfield, r. l.,
family was fast becoming extinct from
consumption. Through the advice Of
friends the last victim of this disease was
disinterred, and, on opening the coffin,
this vampire or consumption vine was
found growing from the breast of the
deadly. The body was afterward burned,
the friends hoping in this way to exter-
inmate this dreadful malady. In an old
abbey in Dumfermline, Fifeshire, Scot
land, wOrkmen, while excavating for
laying the foundation of new
building, came upon well preserved
sarcOphagi, tightly covered with slabs
Of stOnes. On removing the cover SEEM
ingly this same curious vine or fungus
was found growing over the skeleton. In
another Of these stone receptacles tor the
dead, which were evidently many hun
dred years old, the body of some great
n
ton. Crowds came from near and far to
view these remains, and there was some
controversy at the time as to the unusual
growth in the coffin, and the identity of
the unknown celebrity. The removal OF
my informant soon after the event pre-
vented further particulars.
In conversation with an old cemetery
superintendent he admitted sometimes
finding a network of rootlets in the collins
OF those long dead, and nothing more;
suggesting the discovery of what was
supposed TO be the grave of Roger Will
liams, sin which, when opened, no re-
mains 0fthe skeleton even could be found,
for the roots of an apple-tTee planted
above had embraced the skull, trunk, and
limbs, and preserved thsir shape"
Nature, the wonderful alchemist,
having completely transformed and
utilized the poisonous elements, thus
adding another proof of the countless re-
sources of the Creator, who can turn to
purpose even the refuse and decay of the
4Fave. Many are the tales told and read
of wonderful grOwths of hair found i'm the
collins Of the dead years after burial,
which cover the unsightly remains as
with a garment, clearly showing that ma
ture in its most repulsive forms is en-
dowed with an artistic sense which would
iain hide what is hideous and change ugli-
ness into beauty and use.