The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1894-08-01
Put In Her Coffin Alive,

kers, village not far from here, was
treated to a frst-class sensation by
the supposed resurrection from the
dead Of Miss Eleanor Markham, a
young woman Of respectable family,
who to all appearances died on Sunday
last. Miss Markham, about fort
night ago, complained Of heart trou-
BILE, and was treated by DR.. Howard.
She grew weaker gradually, and on
Sunday morning apparently breathed
her last, to the great grief of her rela-
tives, by whom she was much beloved.
The doctor pronounced her dead,
and furnished the usual burial certif-
cate. Undertaken Jones took charge
of the funeral arrangements. On &C.
count of the warm weather, twas de-
cided that the interment should take
place yesterday, and in the morning
Miss Markham was put in oasket.
After her relative. had taken last
look on what they supposed was their
beloved dead, the lid ofDthe coffin was
fastened on, and the undertaken and
his assistant took it to the hearse
waiting outside. As they approached
| the. hearse the assistant, James Boyle,
cried out, while his knees knocked to-
gether, and his teeth chartered with
terror. He insisted that he heard a
noise in the coffin.
"You shut your flannel mouth, will
you?" said the undertaken, who, how,
ever, did not himself seem in good
form. ~
tShe is alive, as sure as there is a
God in heavenr' exclaimed Boyle.
"Don't you hear her knocking?'
"Let us carry her as far as the
|hearse, anyway" said Jones, "and not
create scene that may be absurd and
unnecessary"
By this time the relatives got wind
of what was passing, and peremptori-
lly demanded that sha coffin be opened.
! This was done ii short order, and be-
i hold, there WAS poor Eleanor Markham
5Elying on her back, her face white and
contorted, and her eyes distended in
terror.
ttMy Godr' she cried in broken ac-
cents, "where am II You are burying
me alive?"
"Hush, ohild,''' said DR.. Howard,
who happened to be present, you are
all right. 1t is mistake easily rectl-
| fed"
| The girl when taken into the house
and placed on the bed tainted away,
| and while the doctor was administer
! ing stimulating restoratives the trap
pings of woe were removed, and the
hearse drove away with more cheerful
rapidity than hearse was ever driven
before. The cordials had the desired
effect and Miss Markham grew little
stronger. AS it was evident to DR..
Howard that her nerves were suffering
| from the terrible shock they had re-
ceived, he ordered the doors thrown
open and told the girl s mother and i'm.
mediate friends to stay with her until
she had completely recovered, and say
| or do nothing in her sight or hearing
that was not cheerful and stimulating,
above all, not to refer to the late SEN
satienal episode. But this Eleanor
would not have. She spoke of it her:
self, and seemed relieved and passed
into a refreshed slumber when she had
unburdened her mind.
"I was conscious all the time you,
were making preparations to bury me, "
she said, "and the horror Of my stu
alton is altogether beyond description.
I could hear everything that was said,
even to whisper outside tMheodoor, he
and though I Iexerted all my will power
and made supreme physical effort to
cry out, I was powerless. had read
in the New York Sunday Advertiser
lately about how the Rev. Mr.. Kane
died and went to heaven, but felt that
my fate was to be buried alive, and the
frightful idea was the saving of me,
/ for as I was borne to the hearse ]
prayed to God for strength, and max
ing another attempt succeeded in tap
ing on the lid If the coffin. At first
II fancied the bearers would not hear
me, but when I felt one end OF the
coffin falling suddenly / knew that ]
had been heard. "
Miss Markham is on a fair road to
final recovery, and what is strange is
that the Autterings of the heart that
brought on her illness are gone.