New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-12-20
A STRANGE STORY.
HAD SHE BEEN BURIED ALIvEs

An English officer tells the following strange and
most uncanny story which ought to be given as far
as possible in his own words. "A great friend OF
mine. fellow named D.. one OF ours was engaged
to the daughter OF an old clergyman In Leicesershre.
They were awuIly In love with each other and were
to be married in ten days he had asked me to be his
best man. and all the arrangements were completed
for the wedding. when he received telegraphc mes
sage from the father of his bride. to say that she had
been taken suddenly Ill and to come at once he would
her alive. OF course he started for their place
Immediately, and was completely cut up about IL
that went with him. feeling that he ought not to be
alone In such condition of mind. We found the sad
only too true: the poor girl was dyinH ana as
they both greatly desired that he might have the right
TO be with her until the end the old rector performed
tho ceremony. and they were made man and wife.
1t wns the most affecting thing ever saw. Her
mother drew off her wedding ring, which the poor
fellow placed on the finger Of his broken lily Of bride,
who lay there white and wan. the only calm lnen-
Der Of the agitated group Three days afterward all
was over. Unable to bear his old life. D. sent In his
papers and left the servicefor several years com
pletely lost trace Of him and then from English
surgeon who had proered his services to the German
authorities during the Franco-Prussian war; heard
tale so weird that 1t might well seem impossible.
Finding the monotony Of his life uncomfortable. D.. it
seems, entered the French army, and without much
difficulty through his previous connections obtained
n commission In one OF the regiments which had been
ordered to the front After the battle of Sedan among
the many who had been carried to the hospital NOR
tally wounded was D.. was 1t vlsionp he
thought. that as he lay dying he saw bending over
him his old love, his dead wife, in the garb of Sister
of the Red Cross. He the startled white face
and the deep blue eyes that he knew well all filled
with an awakening wonder. There was sharp cry,
and the Sister swooned away. The surgeon in attend
hurried up. and giving her in charge Of some of
the other nurses. returned to the excited man. who
insisted that he had the face of his dead wife.
The shock was too much for his enfeebed condition.
his wound broke out afresh, and in few hours he
dead.
"On leaving his patient who no longer required
his services the doctor found the Red Cross nurse
deHdous with brain fever. over and again she
lived what seemed to be the last weeks Of previous
existence. She was happy promised brde-she
girlishly excited over her trousseau and pretty
presents-she talked proudly Of her handsome and
devoted lover-and finally Of solemn deatlbed we'd
ding. That was all-over and she seemed to 1--we
again former period Of her lfebut OF the time since
the doctor had known her. there came a word.
A year two before he had been connected with
Of the London hospitals. and had been greatly inter
eSted I'm this woman who had been brought there and
placed in the ward for the Insane. The only
point upon which her mind seemed affected
was that she had no recollection of the past, and
seemed entirely oblivious OF her own Identity. Her
name had been given Mrs. Clark and the people
who left her had never appeared again. showing her.
self most capable and intelligent with the ole excep.
ton stated, she kept assistant In the wards
and gradually became one OF the most experienced
of the hospital nurses. When the doctor decided TO
60 TO the seat OF 1t occurred to him to take
with him, not only on account Of her acknowledged
competency, but with the idea that change and excite
ment might possibly touch some chord that would
awaken her memory. But she died without recovering
consciousness and the mystery unsolved. Among
ing that his few papers, etc. should be sent TO in
OF his death and a photograph in frame which was
marvellousy like the dead woman that he at
wrote and gave me all the particulars, not only OF
DIS death, but Of Mrs. Clsr's' life while under his
observation. lie forwarded at the same time plain
gold ring, which was on her finger when she came to
the hospital, and which had simply date OF thirty
years back engraved inside the rim Feeling that the
strange coincdence-for it could be nothing more
hardly enough TO warrant me ip disturbing the fam
lily by awakening painful memories, concluded at first
TO say nothing about it, but the affair troubled me,
and at length grew fairly haunted with the idea that
there more in ii all than liked TO think possible.
finally found myself route for the Lelcestershiro
village without any clear idea OF what really intended
TO do. There | found changes; the old rector and
his wife had both died their only remaining child,
son. had gone over to Canada, where his wlfes people
lived. / knew one, all the faces were strange to
me. | felt that eerie sense OF living in the past,
Of having nothing TO do with the present, that
come over one sometimes While waiting for the after
noon train which was TO take back wandered into
the churchyard and sought out the graves OF the old
couple and OF my friends bride. Mary written
on qhe headstone, beloved wife and daugater-died
May 10 Is--' But did she die then or long after 7
That Is what haunts me TO this day
"Do you mean that she was buried In trance ~
said the listener. "Tlpt Is what believe he an
swcred. think that her afraid OF the
aw and finding signs OF nfe hurried her 10 hospital
where her entire lapse Of memory tempted them keep
rhe matter forever secret. Thinking II over
deemed lnexpedent to take any steps in the matter
The publicity would have been painful they were all
dead. II could DO no good, and SO let TIE matter
rest But from that day to this have been doubtful
whether dd right net In not carrying ths invss.
ugauers furthens