The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-09-06
AN AWFUL EXPERIENCE.
Sensations Endured by a Man Who
Was Nearly Buried Alive.
From the Toronto Globe.

was Nearly Buried AlVe.
From the Toronto Globe.
II was cold January afternoon that /
was taken sick, but, hoping that | would
recover, no medical aid was summoned.
The following night grew very despond-
ent, and seemed to feel that something I'M
usual was about to happen.
The next morning, shortly after sunrise. |
felt curious sensation in my feet, which
| became heavy, as if they were sleeping"
| The sensa ton came further and further up
ward, aud | began to think that if it were
to reach my heart my life's journey would
soon be ended.
Having called my family and friends
about me, told them of the fears | enter
tanned. As they lay by my bedside praying
oh! | shall never forgec those prayers7TI
babe them all farewell, and fell back para
| lyzed, unable to move even a finger or to
| open my eyes, and to any one but myself |
| was dead
The agony and tortures l suffered for the
next three days would fill volumes, yet the
horror of my situation conld not be ex-
pressed heard the weeping and wailing
! of my dear wife and children, who we're
nearly frantic with grief. felt the kisses
of my darling little daughter as she chung
to my bosom, implored me to speak, and
asked if | loved her. | heard my prattling
Cullu pray budL lIIe WOuIQ return 10 papa
for mammals sake.
The strength of every fiber in my system
j summoned but my mouth would not
open, my tUunue would not move. | was
imprisoned in my own bOdy-tied down
even more than if l had been placed in
chains.
Then came the fears of being buried
alive | heard how the arrangements of
my funeral were to be made-who should
ha hot ipis
should deliver my funeral sermon.
The style Of my coffin | heard discussed
at length b tween NV wife and a neighbor.
Thi, was the most terrible conference to
which ever listened.
/ fell asleep and remained unconscious
until next day. When awoke was being
placed in my coffin, that awe-inspiring,
CHASTITY box in which it was intended |
should forever rest and yet was unable to
make any sign to intimate that life still
| fingered in my bosom.
Many friends came to look at me, and as
| they passed by the coffin listened to such
EXPLANATIONS as: Isn't he naturalp "Oh,
doesn't he look ife-likel" and the like, that
are so plentiful On such occasions.
On the third day was yet in a trance.
About o'clock in the forenoon. so | am
told, all was ready for the funeral. Into
my house filed six of my friends, who
| transported nv coffin into the hearse by
the door. After a short time | was again
taken out from the fatal carriage; this was
at the church where the benedictions were
to be pronounced. The church had been
crowded with people when the service
| began. The pine boards of my coffin
quivered as the deep tones of the organ
and voices of of the choir echoed through
| the corridors of the sanctified edifce. The
dreadful music ceased, and all was hushed
save he heartrending sobs of my wife.
A low voice from the pulpit. which in
creased in volume as it proceeded to review
the good phases of my life, and to advise
the congregation to be prepared for death,
| minated that the pastor had assumed the
| sacred duties of his office For fully an
hour, which to me seemed an age, he con-
tinued to paint in vivid colors the instability
OF Torture and the shortness of life on
earth He closed with prayer, after which
as those who were passing to take last
| look at me, a mournful march, every note
of which pierced my heart like a poisoned
arrow, shook the windows of the ancient
church.
All but the members of the family had
passed me by. They were asked to take a
| final view of the mortal remains of their
beloved husband and father. Grant, heaven,
that may never survive another moment
| like thatl
AS my beloved ones, who vainlv tried to
suppress their grief-laden sobs, stood by my
head felt n tear drop upon my cheek. Had
it been liquid fire. it would not have caused
me such frightful pains
A vain yet desperate attempt to open my
eyes | made, and more hopelessly than ever
my spirit sank into deeper anguish Of
moral grief. Once more lay in the slowly
moving hearse which was to carry me to
the cemetery two miles distant, where an
open grave was yawning to swallow me up.
The fierce wind beat the snow against the
panes of glass on my lonely couch. IL was
cold in the extreme, and it is wonder that
l was not frozen to death. Mingled with
the raging wind, the bells in yonder church
tower tolled my funeral knell, sending
shocks Of indescribable grief into my
wretched soul. Only the tortCres Of Prone
theus on whose vitals raven continually
fed, can be compared with my suffering.
Once at the cemetery l was soon hoisted
into my grave-this dismal den of death
and ono, two. three shovelfuls of earth
were thrown upon my coffin.
At this late moment resumed my phys
ical strength and voice. told them to open
the coffin, and ] was saved.
hundred times would rather die upon
the rack or above slow fire than once
more experience such a terrible living death.