The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1915-04-16
LIFE IN
DEATH
By SARAH BAXTER

went to bed with a frightful head.
ache. 1t really seemed that I could
not endure the pain. l did not endure
It. The agony broke down my nerve
strength. leaving me In a condition be-
tween sleep and death. At least that
is what 1t seemed to me. l lay In
a semiconsc!ous condition till morn
ing. when my maid came into the
room. and the moment she looked at
me she gave a cry and ran out again.
In a few moments every one in the
house rushed into the room and on
them a panied. expression
The first person not a member of the
family who came in was my doctor.
He looked at me scrutinizingly. felt
my pulse. then bent his head down on
to my chest to listen for a heartbeat
Il think she is dead" he said.
just before be spoke the words my
fance. Eben Green. came in. l saw
him looking at me with an expression
which indicated disappointment rather
than grief.
You say. DOCTOR" he broke In. that
you think she is dead? IL there no
hopper"
The doctor laid his head again on
my breast before replying.
Eyes. she is dead"
Eben turned away. not with a moan.
1t seemed to me rather with a sup
pressed oath. and left the room.
confess that | was too much fright
ened at the prospect Of being buried
alive to take an interest in the alb
sence Of feeling on the part Of my
lover at losin. me. Had l been free
from this fear doubtless 1t would have
affected me intensely. OWNED the
u Of bis bearing toward what he
supposed to be my dead body. l was
rich: he vas poor. He had been act
ing the lover for the purpose Of secur-
ing my fortune.
Later in the day my doctor came into
the room. where ! was lying alone.
with another man. Both were physi-
cians. and it was plain to me that they
were e%ndeavoring to discover whether
or not | was dead. After applying sew
eraI tests. the nature of which | did
not comprehend, they came to the con
clusion that my burial had better be
delayed. but that they would not give
out the fact that they suspected l still
lived.
During the afternoon L seemed to
pass from my deathlike condition into
a restful slumber. When l awoke ]
was myself again. There was a dim
light in the room. and my maid was
putting to rights a few things that had
been scattered about
"Christine!" | called.
Christine started. turned. looked at
me and was about to fee in terror
when I said again quietly:
"Christine. please bring me a glass
Of water"
My tone and the ordinary nature Of
my request treasured her. told her
I had been CONSCIOUS Of all that had
passed. She came to me shrinkingly.
looked at me for a few moments. then
al OuS VI Inc AOOLu 10 SAS uOu oOAAO W
the morning. this time to inform the
household not that 1 was dead. but
that | lived.
My doctor was sent for, and when
he came he did not manifest any spe-
cial surprise at finding me alive. BE
said he had not believed that I was
dead. hut would not make known his
opinion. being unwilling to excite ex-
pectations that might not he realized.
| was very weak. and he gave me
some drug to tide me over my present
condition. | did not feel strong enough
to take any interest In anything and.
after having partaken Of a. little nour
ishment. fell into a slumber.
soon began to gather strength. and
with its return my mind took hold of
my discovery Of the object Eben Green
had in desiring to marry me. Our
wedding had been set for a week from
the day l was stricken. The narrow.
ness Of my matrimonial escape ap-
palled me. I had felt the fear some
wealthy girls experience of being mar
ried for my money. but Eben had been
such a consummate actor that he had
deceived me entirely. When the doc
tor had arrived ut my return to life
he had ordered that / be kept perfectly
quiet and no one should be admitted
to see me. In a few days ! was told
that Eben had been anxious to pay
me a visit the moment the doctor
would permit and that owing to my
1ance's opportunities the doctor had
consented that he should be admitted
for q few moments.
l replied that ] did not feel well
enough to see him.
My refusal brought me a brief note
from Eben. in which he concentrated q
world Of love. How a man could feign
so much depth Of feeling. show 90
much contrast between coldness at
learning Of my death and Joy at my
return to life. l could not conceive.
did not reply to his note. and. although
gained strength every day and 70
ceived others. ! sent no message ia
him and would not permit him to ses
me.
While l was in what they called q
comatose condition my cousin. VIII