New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-11-22
BROKE Up HIS OUN FUNERAL.
A YELLOW FEVER INCIDENT IN soUTHERS


TOWN.
81 had the pleasure OF reading my own Obituary
notice, said Western man n visit to New-lorS
tho other day "a, was so sick that il thought
would surely die one night, and the doctors gave up
all hope of me little after midnight. The reporters
who came up to how was, made up thelr minus
That would be dead about the time their papers "en'
TO press. They did not say Mr.. Il dleo carry ths
morning: but they said the doctors had given up all
hope Mt midnight, and they penned hfty-ine shetch
of my important career, never thinking that "ouio
he in position 10 point out few triong errors In IT,
You will never know though how queer II seems 10
read what people say of you after Sou are ueau un
you've tried it,
suppose not replied a Southerner. but
had a curious experience with death myself IN ieSa
some wears ago Yellow fever had got into our town
md was PLAYING havoc with us almost before We
realized it, As usual a panic set I'm aud almost all
those who were able to away without Sacrificing
everything they had did decided TO stay, and we
set 10 work 10 rig up temporary hospitai Tor tAe
victims. Before long yellow jack struck me- too' ana
I lay in COT In the hospital had helped TO build
was pretty bad but not too bad TO feel worse whcn
rough coffin was brought in and put under my cot
TO be handy for me- We lost no time In burying the
dead that dangerous ....
Pretty soon | became unconscious learned this
af,erward-and being taken for dead rolled into
NV handy CONN and put into the hearse. Inc driver
,sn g ca o Jail and put at tue o6 Of
burning the dead under promise q pardon
n he survived. There were no mourners
70 follow the body to the grave. The mourners were
husy irving their best TO keep out OF the graveyard
The jolting brought me back 10 cOnscousncss, ana
your feelings reading your own obituary were noun
ing tnke IT, to mine when realized that was going
10 nv own funeral. The coffin had been mace IN sucn
n hurry OF rough boards that the cracks were Woe
enough for me 10 see through. and nall at the ot
and another at the head were all that held the 10
down couple Of kicks sent the lid up and CO. out o.
nv conin without much trouble The exclienehs oI *
aston lending me strength. Another RICK thre. ln
doors OF the h.se open. and stuck cut my head anu
yelled to the driver to stop. a, o.o ,..ra6
With veil Of terror and horror the hegrS iesp ,
fr,n the hesrse and started to run away; inc nnle
that was pulling stopped gladly enough so ~ ~.
on, az hest could and started after the oNer. We
woe long vay out OF town. and felt my sts9ns.n
giving ont When the negro saw me following nln i1
eli @ hIs knees parslyzed with fear and began 70 pray
70 cod the devil and my ghost for mercy. soon rs
assyrea him that | real flesh and blood ana per
snaded him 10 drive back 10 town. The comm We
,",S ont ~ the hcarse and put IL mp on top as nsnt
m. o :, vet 7 argnel and ay down inside win ne
mosr,, Goat f,r pillow, and we drove slowly DscK 10
. You NAV Imagine the STIR We erea,eu tnere pu o.
,na va only one little incident IN the plaue anu
was soon forgotten. recovered al'er s~n,c o. nt
nau neyer forget nv sensations "a woke up 10 rno
| rnrsof nailed I'm q coifn.'