Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-11-21

him in his dying hour And again I
dropped back into unconsciousness.
Il felt like one awakening from a
long, deep sleep when l Iegained con-
seriousness a second time. The fever had
gone down. but l was helpless, enervat-
ed in the extreme. My eyesight was still
good. l recognized ForcaS and even the
smallest articles about the room. By a
mighty effort l raised myself from the
cushions, pressed the doctors hand. and
With troubled eyes looked all around the
room. 1t was done in four or five sec
onds, then my hold relaxed, my eyes clos
ed and l fell back like a sack of salt. At
the same moment l heard these words
uttered by Forcas-they sounded as if
they came from a far distance Thank
God said my friend, his sufferings are
at and end at last
Several hours must have passed be-
tween the time when Forcas pronounced
my death warrant and the moment of re-
awakening. The first sensation l was
conscious of was cold. 1t irritated me-.
Why l said to myself, knowing how
ill am. why have they opened the WIN
dows" The cold seemed to increase.
Have they. then, all the windows open?'
Angry as l was, I determined to investi-
gate and tried to open my eyes. Alas
the lids seemed to be held down by pro-
digious weights. Try as l might, it was
all in vain. I noticed another thing.
This was not my way of lying in bed.
straight as a pin, two pillows under my
head. And my ~arms-they We're stretch
ed out close to my body and limbs like
those of a soldier standing at attention.
Suddenly it occurred to me to cry for
help. l wanted to open my mouth. 1
tried to articulate-no a word, not a
sound could produce.
My hearing was perfect. though I
Y nhCACNaT fhlf Tho Ilnny. n-nS NOME uYnJ
was kept ajar for a minute or wv while
a number of men carried in some heavy.
long pieces of furniture. This they de-
posted on the carpeted floor with a bang.
and a rough voice said: Thirty EIGHT
years only and hoped the twig. l would
have taken him for forty-tive.' Was I
then dead? Forcas' last words doomed up
in my brain. He a pronounced me
dead. | now remembered it distinctly.
But at that moment l disputed his erudi-
ton; his well-earned fame was as mud
in my mental eye. All, he was a 'fighty,
negligent. and altogether Enthusiastically
person to have in a sick room. ] shall
denounce him to the faculty as soon as
II didn't get further in my argument.
May be Forcas vas right after all.
Hadn't l myself always maintained that
death ensued the mOmen after the last
breath is drawn? And l wasn't breath
ing, not p~erceptibly at least. With me
| the c1fCulaJlOl OIL DiOOu ndU stopped
stopped to all appearances. The more I
pondered these facts the more l became
convinced that / was really dead. Then
the physical aspects of my case arose
LUMINOSITY before my working
brain. The symptoms of death were
doubtlessly written upon my counte-
nance and were apparent in the general
aspect of my body. l couldn't feel my
pulse, but l knew that it acted only at
Intervals. if at all. The frost in my limbs
taught me that my skin must be cold and
clammy to the touch.
while was thus increasing my tor
lures by unanswerable questions the un-
dertaker's men raised me by my head.
feet. and under the body, and none too
gently deposited me in the coffin. l
was dead, l must be dead, yet l was con-
scious. My thoughts frightened me so
that l relapsed into coma. How long |
slept l don't know. The arrival of friends
who came to have a last look at me
awakened me, and the ~dreadfudness, the
CHASTITY hideousness of my position stood
instantly before my mental eyes. With
! this confidence in my ability to live re-
turned. L will live, l must live, no one
shall hinder me to live. Some voice near
the door said: No It's getting late, gen.
tlemen, we ought to close the lid Fright
gave impetus to my intentions. Now or
never it cried within me.
Il endeavored to expand my chest, to
exhale. 1t was impossible. Breathing
was out of the question, and l felt it was
growing dark about me-. Now some
thing heavy shook the walls of the box in
which | was lying. Th lid,. They began
screwing it on. Wild rage unbridied
fury took hold of me at this moment. So
far had l got in my silent ravings-three
screws were already in when there was
a connection. l distinguished Maria's
voice. 1t was shrill and unpleasant. No,
40! that woman shall not come in; I, the
Wife. forbid it. Explanations, more
heated words. shrieks, shuflling of feet.
The undertaker's men interrupted their
work. The lid was raised. A warm hand
was placed upon my heart, hot tears
dropped upon my face. My Carlo" said
a voice full of tenderness, sweetness and
SORROW. ] knew that voice. 1t was Fran
cesca's, and Francesca had been my first
and only love.
Il felt something irritate my eyelids
that warm hand upon my breast re-
viyed the activity of my heart. My
blood began to circulate, my nerves to
vibrate, my muscles stretched like the
ropes of "a yacht running before a breeze
Slowly, slowly, the magnet of Francesa's
magic eyes raised the veil from mine.
half opened the lids, a faint wall broke
from my lips. I raised my arms to en-
is alive all around. / was saved