The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1893-07-14
HOW I DIED.

was very sick. l had laid for days
that seemed years upon the rack of such
pain as only strongmen, suddenly broken
upon the wheel, may know. Every bone
in my body, every nerve, every minute
gland of corporal tissues had been like
electric wires and cells surcharged with
ethereal agony. At last there had come
Is benumbed feeling that thrilled like the
vibration Of harp strings suddenly stilled
could hear the hum of voices like the
far off drone Of bees, and the sound
seemed soothing me into strange peace.
was aware that somebody passed
light before my eyes, and after repeating
the action several times replaced the
night lamp on the stand without the
shade. knew also thatsomebody stepped
80 the window and threw it wide open,
while a voice, seemingly borne beyond
the confines of space and gathering force
as it approached the boundaries of auric-
ular demonstration until it doomed like
the deep bass of the sea, uttered these
words;
THE poor fellow is going fast. Give
his, spirit chance to free itself"
''Do you believe in that old woman
rot: asked another, and from the re-
gion OF enchanted drowsiness where |
seemed to linger caught myself listen
ing for the third voice, which seemed
TO know would speak next And didn't
listen in vain, for even while | struggled
with the unseen forces that were hurry
ing me away a woman's voice, clear and
strong and sweet as the notes of a bell
that was forever ringing in my ear, said:
I'VE believe in Gods mercy. and we
believe that this poor pain racked body is
about to throw open the door by which
the spirit goes free; if closed window
hinder its going, we will throw every
window in the old hospital as wide as
the sky"
And give the rest of the poor devils
In the ward chance 10 catch a mortal
chill, responded thesecond voice. Won
are as consistent as the rest Of your sex,
Miss Brady"
While yet the echo of the head doctors
voice beat the air in circles of recedin9
sound, | suddenly ceased to think, to
hear, to feel to be. And yet | was.
knew by some newly developed sense
that lay mute and white upon the cot
which had supported my body so long
and that the fragrance of a prayer fioated
through the awful stiffness of the room
1t had no form nor sound, and yet some
thing within me perceived it, as the Ian.
guild senses perceive the fragrance OF
newly mown hay upon a serene June
morning
A continuous pageant of the most Sc
Caphic vision unfurled in endless progress
sion before me. saw the green hills o.
my childhood's home lift themselves hk,
emerald bubbles in a haze Of enchanted
air. | saw ths'sapphire of the sea set il
a rim of violet dawns and daffodil moons
4 saw the stretch of desert sands lik
drifts Of snow within the compass of ;
lonely land. And in the midst of thei
Ehswildering vision | suddenly saw
ySisaming slab within a windowless room
where something long and white an,
rst!A was lying. Drops of ice were form
ing,oA the edges of the slab, and dealt
sold stream was purling aFoss its shin
ing surface Something that was not
voice. and which made itself manifest {
me through other channels than the ear
spoke lightly Of the grave wherein
soon should lie.
We viii bury him tonight" 1t SCENE