Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1894-08-08
CHARLEsTOWN, JEFFERSON COUNTY, WEST
Sensations of Dro,ening.

and witness the struggles OF drowning
fellow being is a narrowing experience,
and little less heart-rending to contem-
plate, but, in matters of this kind, like
many others, "tbings are not what they
seem." At any rate, death by drowning
is not as horrible as it may seem to the
onlooker. The thought of being dragged
along the muddy bottom of the river and
found in some out of the-way, willow
tangled spot adds to the horrors OF such
death. The dread of such fate Is
really worse than the fate itself. | once
left this world by that route as nearly as
one can and get back. 1t was an acci-
dent, and was some twenty years ago.
A companion and myself were bathing
in the Ohio River. At the point where
we we're, large raft of logs were lashed
to the bank, and for quite long while
we amused ourselves by jumping from
the raft into the fifteen feet of water to
see who could bring up The largest num-
Der of gravels each time. We went down
several times with varying success. The
last time | made the effort [ filled my
lungs with air and leaped far out into the
river and went to the bottom head first.
l groped about for handful of gravels
and spent more time in the search thar |
should have done. The water was warm,
however, and l had no fears of drowning.
When l could stay down no longer |
started swiftly for the surface, and when
within foot or two of the top of the wa
ter, my companion, not knowing exactly
where l was, jumped headlong in the riv-
er. His head struck me squarely between
the shoulders and knocked the last ounce
of air out of my lungs, and a deluge OF
water at once took its place. The weight
of his body falling on me produced ter
rible shock, and l sank to the bottom of
the river like a stone. That is where |
got my experience in drowning. When
the water rnshed into my lungs and stom-
ach it felt for all the world like pleurisy
pain which has also given me tussle in
later years, but it was over in a second.
Then my body settled quietly to the bot
tom and my arms fell limp at my side.
In my half conscious condition | could
see all my relatives and acquaintance
crowded about and looking down on me
with fearful faces. All the events, it
seemed, of my prosy career passed slowly
in review, and the good, bad, and indif-
ferent acts stood out before me in bold
relief. Even little school boy tricks
claimed attention. | knew | was drown
ing end remembered thinking, "Why,
this Is not hard after ALL" | wondered
where my body would be found, and
shuddered at the thought that it might
never be found. | also wondered wheth-
er or not my companion had become
alarmed and run away and left me to my
fate, or whether he was diving here and
there to find me. Then l pictured my
burial, how the clods would resound on
my coffin when it was lowered into the
chilly grave, and my fate would be point
ed out to other boys by anxious mothers
as warning.
At the next stage | could hear bells
softly ringing in the distance, together
with little tinkling and chirrups sound
ing in my ears. Then l began to see
pretty pictures. The colors of the rain
bow danced before my eyes and inter-
mingled and formed into all sorts of odd
shapes. l had no pain and no fear of
what was expected to follow. ! seemed
to be enchanted at the scene before me.
Everything was light and calm and NOV
ed about without any visible impelling
force. 1t was like looking into a large
mirror with every beautiful thing that
the most vivid imagination could conjure
up revealed thereby. The last stage
which | entered increased the beauty of
the surroundings. All discordant noises
ceased and were superseded by the soft
est. sweetest music that could be thought
of. Apparently l had been transported
to a place flooded with white, calm sun
shine. 1t was neither TOO hot nor too cold,
but seemed like clear autumn day
Then | seemed to rise from the ground
and float off into space like thistledown.
Higher and higher / went until seemed
to look down on the world from a great
height. and then came a blank. The
next thing l knew l was lying on the
raft with my companion looking down on
me with pale face. After several un-
successful attempts he had succeeded in
finding me and getting me out of the wa
ter. BY vigorously rolling me over a log
he bad succeeded in rekindling the spark
of life that remained. For the next half