Year: 1865

was shining in Mt the window. i had
slept all night long without awaken
ing, and l attempted to spring from
the bed. But you may imagine my
surprise and CONSERVATION when L
found that / could not move a limb
any more than if they were made of
iron. My eyes were fixed upon the
bright spot where the sun lay upon the
wall and, as j attempted TO turn them
toward the window, found / could
not moye them in their sockets. They
were as though fixed immovably A
great fear now came upon me as /
realized my situation, and attempted
TO cry aloud but / could not artieulate
a single word. My tongue was as
my body. / was dead in all but my
mind; yet l could hear as distinctly
as ever. If my body was dead, my
spirit still remained within. 1t might
have been fifteen minutes after my
awakening to the consciousness OF my
situation, that heard the footsteps Of
Mrs. Bell upon the stairs. i knew
she was coming to call me to break
fast. Her footsteps paused at the door
of my rooom, and she gave loud rap.
Then all was silent, as if she was lis
tening. Another rap louder than be-
fore, and then oil was still again.


"He must sleep sound not to hear
me-" / heard her say aloud to herself,
and / thought in rather a petulant
manner; and, if she did, the good
woman was not to blame. "This is
the third time l have been here to call
him, and he makes no answer. l
must wake him, or the broiled ham
will not be fit to eat;" and she called
aloud my name.


/ strove with all my power to break
the bonds that held me, and to answer
her. But it was all in vain my tet-
ters was stronger than those ever
forged by man for his brother l
heard the door open, and knew that
she had entered tho room, although l
could not turn my eyes toward her. -
She approached the bed and again
called me by name; then uttering a
wild cry of terror, and the exclama-
tion, "Good Heaven he's dead J" she
rushed from the apartment, while L
strove with all my power to call her
back.


j heard another exclamation of sur
prise as she announced from the win
dow tho fact of my sudden demise to
the gardener, and told him to run for
DIR. Willowly as soon as possible, and
send the first person he met for Cousin
John. And then the good woman
sank down at my door, as she alter
ward assured me, through fright and
emotion. Presently | heard the RAPID
walk of a man outside the door and
then n voice, that / at once recognized
as Cousin Johns, asked, "when did
this happen, Mrs. llY"


"I hardly know" answered the
good woman. q found him as he is,
stone dead, when came up to call
him for breakfast. Where can the
Doctor be. Oh there he is now"


"He seemed to he well when he
left my house." / heard John say
Then / heard another footstep-one
that / had known for many years
and DIR. Willowly came up TO the
chamber.


"What is that you tell me Mrs.
Bell Surely my old friend is not
dead? ?" and | could detect a tremu-
lousness in his voice which he ws seek
ing TO conceal.


Il think he is, sir; but perhaps
you can do something to restore him
TO us again"


Mrs. Bell here burst into q violent
fit of weeping, while the two gentle
mon CAME close up to the bed.


Dr. Willowly bent over me, and
placed his finger upon my pulse, and
then opened my SHIRT and placed his
hand above my heart. / could see
him as he bent over me, and l tried
to tell him with my eyes that i wa,
still alive, and aware of his presence.
Slowly the moments went as he tried
to detect life and at last he ceased his
efforts and stood upright beside the
bed. L know that it was in answer to
Cousin Johns look that the Doctor
said, "our friend has indeed gone, and
no effort on my part can bring him
back to life. He must have neglected
the warning that / have repeatedly
urged upon him, and retired to rest
as soon as he reached home, after
partaking of hearty dinner. Death
is more often brought about 10y this
habit than people think, or even those
well versed in medical science Our
friend here has fallen victim to this
very habit"


"And yet" observed cousin John,
his passing from life to death must
have been an easy one. There are nc
signs of struggle; and were it not
for the pallor that has settled over his
features, i should think that he was
merely sleeping"


Probably he passed away without
a pang, from the sleep of life to thai
which will remain long unbroken.-
Last evening as walked with hin
from your house, we talked of death
as we stopped a few minutes by tho
churchyard wall yet we little thought
that he would so soon be lying there
with the multitude. Poor fellow
poor fellowp'


And / knew by the huskiness of the
Doctors voice, that tear for me was
in his eye.


"Sooner or later we must all fol
low" replied cousin John. M,
cousin had reached nearly the age o
forty, and there is vast number wh'
never see two-score and ten. He ha
been useful man in society, and will
be missed sadly"


There was no tear in my relative
eye as he said this. His voice sound
n n