Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1886-02-14
DEAD OR TRANCED?
The Strange Story Of a God Fear
ing Woman.
She Dies, But Revives to Tell Of Scenes
of Beauty IndescribabIe ---Advice
Given Her in the Angel Land
and Its Effect.

Mrs. Susanna Decker. She was a mos
exemplary woman, and had brought up
family in the fear OF God. She was il
dustrious and frugal, and the worthy an,
deserving poor never left her door wit
their wants u~nsupplied. Her influence 70
goodin the neighborhood was very great
and all her neighbors loved her dearly
Her opinion was always sought wheneVe,
the welfare of the Methodist church wss
in question, and she was, if any woman
were entitled to the distinction, a pillar il
the church.
In those days when people believed in
the supernatural more than they do now,
and when there were found, men and
women who could trace their ancestry
back to those who tried 10 break up 90,
called witchcraft in Salem, it was rare to
find q person, q good church member, who
had not a spice OF superstition in his ma,
ture. But Mrs. Decker was not Of these.
If her butter did not come she did not lay
il to the fact that some poor old woman
who was 30 eccentric as to be homely and
to wear old, cheap shsoby clothing from
poverty, had prevented her churn and
cream from behaving properly. She did
lot, nor would che have been seen heating
q horse shoe TO drive the evil spirit out OF a
blue, wooden dasher churn.
Mrs. Decker had lived to be 81 years Of
age when an event occurred which changed
the whole current OF her life, and led her TO
believe that there were
STRANGER THINGS IN HEAyEN
and earth than were dreamed of in our
philosophy. In the month Of September.
1852, she was taken sick with a lingering
fever. Finally she became SO dangerously
i'll that watchers were provided among the
sympathiziug neighbors who dearly loved
her. One night two Of her best beloved
and most intimate friends were sitting up
with her when she said, Il don't think |
shall get well, and yet l don't feel any
solicitnde or concern about leaving my
family. Ii seems az II | shall not be seps-
rated from them long, but that it will be
given to me to see them again and to talk
with them. | long for the time 10 come,
for | know and feel that ! shall be per
fec;ly happy .
The friends looked at each other and
felt that the hour of her departure was
near at hand. They thought that she was
suffering from mental alteration, for they
believed that she could not part from her
loved daughters and her favorite sons
without a pang OF grief. They spoke to
Mrs. Decker and ascertained that she
seemed to be entirely sane. The daylight
soon came on, and during the day she
sank until she could hardly speak. She
retained her senses until 2 o'clock in the
morning, when she passed away without
apparent pain, surrounded by her fearful
and mourning husband and children. She
Was able to give directions about her
funeral, and selected those whom she
wished TO act as palL.bearers. She also
picked out Mrs. Scott and Mrs Kline, the
two friends to whom she had communica-
ted her belle twenty. -four hours before that
she was to die, as the ones who were to
watch with the corpse or the fret night.
She made her friends promise that they
would not bury her for at least three days
after she died.
IN Til LARGE ROOM
which she hid occupied during her illness
there was a huge fireplace that would take
six foot baeklogs with great ease. The
bed had stood in q recess, and before it
were chintz curtains from the ceiling TO the
floor. In accordance with a superstitious
custom Of those days, the bed was taken
apart and the straw IA taken from the tick
and burned. Some people accountfOr this
habit by saying that in that mannsr could
evil spirits be exercised. The Windows
were also raised aud the doors opened,
probably to let the untriendly spirits get
out If they wiphed to do so. Some persons
entertained the idea that if they did not
leave O sufficient egress that the soul Of the
diving person would be hampered in its
flight TO the hereafter. Whatever might be
the reason, these rules were observed, and
the tall four-post bedstead and bedding
were taken away and Mrs. Decker's re.
mains were placed on a large board across
a couple Of chairs and covered with a
sheet.
1t was nearly 2 o'clock in the morning,
and the household was silent. The two
women kept their lonely vigil, and we're
about preparing to visit the remains OF
their friend to perform some necessary du-
ties when they were startled beyond measure
by hearing the voice Of their dear friend
from the alcove saying: "Oh dear! I'm 30
cold. Where are my blanketsY'
The horror stricken women looked at
each oth,r, What did it mean Had the
dead come to lifeH The voice came again:
Get me some blankets. Where in the
world am ~
Mrs. Scott was a woman OF excellent
herye. She hastily seized q cAndlestick,
md, Mrs. Kline following her, they hastily
fled the chintz curtain, and there, sitting
M on the board with q bsndsge tied around
her head end Jaws. sat Mrs Decker shiyer.
ing, and with her teeth chatteIing. The
old fashioned copper cents that had been
placed on her eyes 10 keep them closed had
fallen 10 the aoor. The dead had come TO
lie.
Mrs. Scott hastily threw a shawl around
the body Of the woman and MrG. Kline
QUICKLY SUMMONED TIL FAMILY.
A bed was prepared il front Of tie Gre,
which was repl-n'shed, and ardent spirits
was given to the rapidly r~ey!vinR woman.
Phyticians were summoned, and on com
ing found their patient with a strange sp.
pearsnce 10 her countenan.e and a far
away expression in her eyes, which indl-
Gated that in her short journey TO the here.
alter she had seen strange sights.
The strange case was the niEe daIs
wonder of the community Some said
that tha woman had beer IL a trance and
others thst she he'd never been dead. 1t
was a case that few desired to talk about
Mrs Decker rapidly recovered, and in q
fortnight she Wss able TO visit the place
where her grave would have been dug the
next day after the strange occurrence.
As soon as che was able TO talk she was
very reticeut. She had before the strange
experience been a cheerful, lively, happy
woman; nov she was reserved and quiet.
Size spent much o. her tine in residing the
Bible and in serious meditation. Only too
r. - II H., -.,h