The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-02-27
ON THE GRAVES BRINK.
Narrowing Experience or a Young Woman
While IN a Trance.
Globe Democrats Washington Special.

Globe Democrats Washington Special
There lives in Washington a woman who
once went through the frigbtful ordeal of
being prepared for burial aud lying in a
coffin fOTty-eight hours without any
signs Of life. At the end of this
time she awoke from her trance and
p frightened the wits out OF the watchers.
Seven years ago Mrs. BaTette. wife Of the
present chef at Wormley's Hotel, was
blthesome German maiden of II summers,
living with her parents in the town OF
Baden, Germany. She tells the following
strange story of her experience with an
undertaken, and how near she came TO
being buried alive:
"Seyen years ago l was stricken down
with typhoid fever, and, as is the custom
Ia the cities Of Germany, L was sent
to the hospital for contagious diseases.
There | languished between life and
death for three weeks, and at the
end OF that time what ali of my relatives
and friends and the hospital authorities
thought to be the end came My heart
stopped beating, My muscles relaxed, and to
all appearances l was dead. The hospital
attendants prepared me for burial, and
while l was perfectly conscious Of every
thing that transpred about me, was totally
helpless and unable TO tell my attendants of
my true condition. After being dressed for
burial and placed in my coffin my mother
and fr ends came TO BID NE last farewell.
My eyes were only partially closed and
/ could see the anguish depicted on my
mothers face feel her hot tears drop on my
brow as she gave what she supposed her
farewell kiss. / was engaged to young
man and our marriage was to have taken
place shortly, when l was taken sick.
The great grief the he manifested
when he came 10 look upon my face
was heart-TendlHg. and especially so
TO me, realizing as ! did my true
condition, yet 1 was unable 10 show that l
was alive and comprehended it all. In Ger
many 1t is customary for the nearest loved
one TO send, instead Of flowers, an embrOid-
cred satin pillow TO be placed under the head
of the deceased. This my lover brought, and
while could feel his caress and see his tears,
as he tenderly placed IL under my head, yet l
was utterly pOWerlesS TO give any sign or
make any utterance. After my friends and
relatives had taken their last sad leave /
was removed TO the dead ward of the hos
pital. In this hospital, to guard against
any accidents or premature buTlals, after
the corpse had been removed to the dead
ward cord is attached to its wrist and the
other end of the cord Is attached to bell
in one of the attendants rooms, so that if
life should return the attendant Is lmmedl-
ately warned Of it.
This was done in my case. and after re-
manning in my coffin lOTty-eight hours / sud-
denly TegaIned the use of my muscles ana
limbs and sat upright In my coffin. This
movement on my part, OF course, rang the
bell in the attendants room, and general
CONSERVATION prevailed. was taken from
my coffin aud in a few weeks was restored
TO health"
What became of the lover?" was asked
just one year from that time he was
stricken with typhoid fever and died, and
the same satin pillow that he had so ten
DERBY placed under my head year before
WAS by his request buried with him.
Mrs BaTetle, soon after the death of her
intended husband, came to this country and
married Mr. Barette.