The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1892-05-06
NOT DEAD, BUT IN A TRANCE


Escape from Being Inferred Alive.
"Do yon see that lady in the carriage
with the little girl in her arms2" asked w
ID. Curtin, the undertaken.
les, sir"
"Well, that is Mrs -, and eight years
ago was called to her home by her father
to prepare her body for burial"
"Whatl prepare live person for burial9"
asked the reporter in amazement
I'm this case, yes, +" responded Mr.. Curtin,
"but her parents and a physician thought
she was dead"
1T was shortly after opened up my es-
Establishment, when one evening nicely
dressed old gentleman came into the store
and asked for the proprietor. informed
him that | was the individual he was seek
ing, and asked him what | could do for
him. He told me he desired my services
TO prepare his daughters remains for
burial, and wanted her embalmed SO that
the body would keep month.
This was about my first good job in
this vicinity, and knew if ! did my work
satisfactorily TO the old gentleman that it
would help me in my business, which at
the time was not very brisk, as was com.
paratively stranger in that section Of the
city The old gentleman seemed anxious
to have me take charge of the remains my
self. After packing my instrument case
and taking an extra quantity of embalm-
ing fluid, started for the residence.
When rang the bell was admitted by
servant, who conducted me to the room
where the alleged corpse lay. AS yet moth
ing had been disturbed. The body was
covered by sheet, and when | uncovered
the face found it was that of a beautiful
girl about seventeen years of age. To all
appearance life was extinct as the body
was cold and rigid. | lifted her on my
cooling board, and it was then that ! dis
covered, 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 a dead per-
son. AT first ] was about to call the old
gentleman and tell him that his daughter
was not dead; but thought better of it,, a.
was sure ! was mistaken Nevertheless
determined to make the usual tests. and
was about to prick her with my lance
when thought | noticed slight move
ment of the eye Nor was mistaken.
Il barred the neck so as TO get near the
artery we use in arterial embamng. and
when made a slight indentation with the
knife small drop of blood dropped on my
finger. This blood was warm, and then
knew that life was not extinct | called
servant and asked her what form of dis
ease her mistress had died Of She told me
the doctor said 1t was typhoid malaria
then asked for the death certificate, and
found that the servant was right.
4 said nothing TO any one in the house,
and, after wrapping the body in several
blankets, placed it 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
whether she was conscious, / spoke to her
and told her chat / knew she was in
hypnotic state and not dead, and that
would return in a few moments with "A
physician. ! passed quietly out of the
house, telling 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 deep trance. He also !
thought she was conscious, and spoke
kindly to her, telling her not to fear, as ]
she would be all right in little while
He injected drug into her arm, and in /
a short time was rewarded by hearing a
slight fiutref Of the heart, which gradually /.
grew stronger.
when went down stairs the old gen
tleman was pacing up and down the parlor |
floor, and when he saw me he started for /
his hat and coat, saying he would 90 back |
to the store with me and pick out casket.
! told him TO he seated as there was some /
mistake, as his daughter did not need "A
coffin at present, and hoped it would be
a long time before she did. At first could |
not make him comprehend that his daugh- |
ter was still alive, but finally convinced
him that it was a fact, and introduced him
to the doctor, who in&the meantime had
come into the room.,
"The old man was partly stunned and
acted more like crazy man than the sen.
sible person that he was Well, both the 4
doctor and | sat at the bedside 81 the pirl
all night, but it was not until the follow. /
ing afternoon that she recovered conscious
ness. She knew absolutely nothing Of
what had taken place, and it was not until. \
some weeks after, when she had fully re-
covered, that her father told her all. Three I
years later she was married, and is today /
as happy wife and mother as lives ia Chi |
cage. "-Chicago Press
81