Morning journal and courier., 1886-12-14
The Remarkable Vision of Athaliah Gilbert and Her Remark able Death.

From the Salt Lake Heraldl
 A few days ago we chronicled the death of Miss Athaliah Gilbert of South Cottonwood. At the time of the announcement there were reports current that some events out of the ordinary were connected with her decease but at that time there were no means of ascertaining the particulars. Yesterday, however, MT. James Gilbert, the young lady's father, and several other Cottonwood people, were in the city, and from them reporter learned the facts which follow. All the namef mentioned are those of responsible and well-known citizens, and unreal as the mar rat1ve sounds there can be no doubt of its authenticity.
 The young lady was 16 years old at the time of her death, and appears to have been possessed of one of those warm, lovable, bright, and even-tempered dispositions which endear the owner to every one with whom she comes in contact. Though young, she took busy part in all church duties, and in improvement associations and the Sunday school her name always had prom inent place. Some three or four years ago she formed an intimacy with youth named John Cunliffe, the son of a neighbor, and despite the tender years of both, they be- came strongly attached to each other, and provoked no end of comment at their old fashioned devotion and steadfast affection for one onother. This state of affairs con tinued until the girl was 15 years old, when the association was rIdely broken by the death of young Cunliffe. He lost his life from the kick of a wild horse about 8 year ago. When the intelligence was brought to Miss Gilbert, her father says it gave her shock from which she never recovered. She almost sank beneath the blow, and at his funeral her paroxysyms of grief were so vio lent that it was feared her reason would de- part. In time, however, she resumed her accustomed duties but it was evident that the blow she had sustained had sunk deep into her life. She seldom reused herself from a deep lethargy of sadness. and day by day her color and strength and freshness of youth seemed to be ebbing away.
 4 few months ago she alarmed her sister by telling her that John had visited her chamber, and had told her that she must prepare to come to him. She manifested no fear, but, according to her sister, and told him she could not leave her parents, but he had only said again that she must come. Once again, later, she told her sister that he had come to her with the same message she had now evidently given and desiring to remain, as she told her sister how she wished to dress her. Soon after that young Gun liffs father came to MT. Gilbert. sorely dis turbed, and told him that one morning as he was lying down his son had come to him and stood at the foot of his bed. His father had asked him what it was that he desired, and he replied:
 VI came to sse you, IaCHer. dIn staying at Gilbert's and am going back there now. I have been there ever since I left you. Where else should I be?'
 MT. Gilbert attempted to reason the old gentleman out of his notion, but he insisted that it was no dream or vision, but that his son had actually visited and spoken to him, and that in broad daylight. In the mean time Miss Gilbert continued to maintain that her last day was approaching, and no amount of persuasion seemed to shake her belief One week ago last evening she and her pa rents were attending birthday party at neighbours. Miss Gilbert was sitting at the lunch table chatting with some companions, when without word of warning she fell to the floor motionless. Her father and mother raised her and both said her heart had ceased to beat. Their cries and lamentations and their frenzied attempts to rouse her, they state, rallied her for few moments, and she was hurriedly conveyed home, where she ex- pired shortly afterward, leaving her friends almost stupe6ed with grief. Her funeral was one of the largest convocations of mourners ever seen in that locality.