The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-12-13
NOT DEAD, BUT LIVING.
How an Undertaker's Knowledge
Saved Girls Life.
ErOra the CbXco0o p~sss

| OaNOA u A@lAOs
From the Chicago Press.
"Do you see that lady in thecarriage with
the little girl in her armsF" asked W. D.
Curtin. the well-known North Side under
taker. Of a Press representative.
Eyes. SIR"
well, that is Mrs. -. and eight years
ago was called to her home by her father
TO prepare her body for burial"
what prepare live person for burialY p
asked the reporse Ter in amazement.
In thus case, yes" responded Mr.. Curtin,
but her parents and q drunken physician
| thought she was dead
ut was shortly after / opened up my es-
tablishment on the North Side, when one
evening nicely dressed old gentleman
came into the store and asked for the pros
prietor. | informed him that was the in
dividual be was seeking, aud asked him
what l could do for him. He told me he
desired my services to prepare his daughters
remains for burial, and wanted her en-
balmed SO that the body would keep a
month.
This was about my first good job in this
vicinity, and l knew If did my work salts
factOrliy to the old gentleman that it
would help me in my business, which at the
time was not very brisk. as was COMPARE
lively stranger In that section Of the city.
| The old gentleman seemed anxious to have
me take charge Of the remains myself. At
ter packing my instrument case and taking
an exera quantity of embalming fluid, l
started for the residence.
when l rang the bell was admitted by
servant, who conducted me to the room
where the alleged corpse lay. As yet moth
ing bad been disturbed. The body was
covered by a sheet, and when | unco vered
the face found IL was that OF q beautiful
girl about II years Of age. To all appear
ance life was extinct, as the body was cold
and rigid. lifted her on to my cooling
board, and 1t was then that / discovered.
when the features were plainly visible,
that her eyes were bright and not covered
by film, as is usual, and that her lips were
remarkably red for dead person. At first
was about to call the old gentleman and
tell him that his daughter was not dead,
but thought better of it, as l was sure l
was mistaken. Nevertheless, determined
to make the usual tests and was about to
prick her with my lance when / thought
noticed slight movement of the eye. Nor
was | mistaken
II barred the neck so as to gee near the
artery we uss in arterial embalminR, and
when | made slight lndentation with the
knife small drop of blood dropped on my
finger. This blood was warm, and then
knew that the life was not extinct l called
her mistress had died of. She told me the
doctor said it WAS typhoid malaria then
asked for the death certificate and found
that the servant was right.
L said nothing to any one in the house.
and after wrapping the body in several
blankets placed 1t back on the bed.
II had often read of people being in
frances and taken for dead, and was sure
that this was a similar case. Not knowing
Wlethar I he fCh a,-
and told her that knew she was in a hyp-
motto state and not dead, and that would
return In few moments with physician
passed quietly out Of the house after tell
ing the servant to allow no person in the
room till / returned and found a medical
friend who accompanied me back to the
house. He was not long in determining the
facts, as his diagnosis proved beyond
all doubt that the lady was not dead, but in
a deep trance. He also thought she was
conscious, and spoke kindly to her, telling
her not to fear, as she would be all right ia
little while.
HE injected drug into her arm, and in
short time was rewarded by bearing q
slight futter of the heart, which gradually
grew stronger.
when | went downstairs the old gentle
man was pacing UP and down the parlor
floor. and when he saw me he started for
his hat and coat, saying he would go back
to the store with me and pick out a casket.
told him to be seated, as there was some
mistake, as his daughter did not need a
coffin at present, and hoped it would be
long time before she did. At frs. could
not make him comprehend that his
daughter was still alive, but finally con-
WINGED him that it was a fact, and intro
duced him to the doctor, who in the mean
time had come into the room.
The old man was partly stunned, and
acted more like a crazy man than the SEN
sible person that he was. Well, both the
doctor and l sat at the bedside of the girl all
night, but it was not until the following af-
ternoon that she recovered consciousness.
She knew absolutely nothing of what had
taken place, and 1t was not until some weeks
after, when she had fully recovered, that
her father told her all. Three years later
she was married, and is to-day as happy a
wife and mother as lives In Chicago