Year: 1879

NEARLY BURIED ALIVE.


The scene was in Italy; the facts were
related to me by the daughter of two OF
the parties concerned, and shall tell the
tale as nearly as possible as she told it to
me.


''You will scarcely wonder" she said,
s'at my horror of being buried alive, when
tell you that a peculiar fate seems to
pursue our family, or at least Gid pursue
it in the last generation. Ny father was
an only son, and having been born sever
al years after his parents marriage, was
an object Of especial devotion. His
mother was unable to nurse him herself
and country woman was procured from
a village at some distance from the cha
teau where his parents resioed, who was
not only well calculated to replace the
mother as nurse, but was of so affiec-


tionate disposition that she seemed to
throw her whole soul into her care for


the Well-being of the child and lavished
as much affection on him as did the real
mother. When the age came for wean-


ing him. it was found impossible TO ac-
complish it while the nurse remained
with hin; and SO, after many terrible
scenes and the most heart breaking sor-
row on her part, she had to go. The boy


throve very well until he was about
three years old, when he was attacked BY
some childish malady and to all appear
ances died.


cit is unnecessary to dwell on the dis
tracted grief of the parents. The mother
ho 70 %i>o
body, and even though all life was ex-
tinct, grudged every moment as it flew
toward the time when even what was left
Of her darling would have to be removed
forever. cThe time that was allowed by
the Government for bodies to remain un-
buried was three days.) The father had
given strict orders that the child's nurse
should not be informed of the death of
her foster son until after the funeral, as
he felt convinced she would at once
come to see HIM, and he dreaded the ef-
feet the sight of her grief might have on
his already broken-hearted wife. How
ever, the order was ill kept, and on the
morning of the funeral, after all the
guests had arrived, and were grouped
around the coffin taking their last farewell
of the lovely boy, in rushed the nurse.
her hair down, her dress all torn and
travel-stained, her boots nearly worn off
her feet. On hearing the news, she had
started off without waiting for extra
clothing, without word. or look to any one,
and had run the whole night, IN order to
be in time to see her boy. AS she en-
tered the room she pushed past serv-
ants and guests, and on reaching the
coffin seized the child, and before any
one was aware of her intention, or had
presence of mind to prevent her, she had
vanished with him in her arms. 1t was
found she had carried him off to the
gaenSer, or garret, and had locked and
barricaded the door. She paid no atten-
tion to threats Of entreaties, and all at
tempts at forcing the door were equally
fruitless. The guests waited patiently
hoping that she would before long return
to her senses and bring back the child's
body for burial.


cat the end of an hour or more they
heard the heavy furniture rolled away and
the door opened. The nurse appeared,
but with no dead child in her arms the
little things arms were clasped lovingly
round her neck as she pressed him to her
bosom. The murnful assemblage was
turned into one of joyful congratulation.
The woman would never speak of the
means she used to restore the boy to life;
indeed, although she became from that
hour resident in the family and trusted
and valued friend, she steadily forbore
ever referring to the incident in which she
played so important part. She lived to
see the rescued child married and with
family OF his own around him.


'sThe heroine Of the second anecdote
was first cousin of the above rescued
child'-a young lady of thirteen or four
teen years old. After somewhat pro-
tracted illness, she, to all appearance,
died. The mother literally refused to be-
lieye it, although the doctors and the
other inmates of the house saw no reason
to doubt the fact. The funeral was ar
ranged, the grave made, and the specified
three days had come to an end. The
mother had never left her daughters body;
she had tried every available means to
restore her, but to no avail. As the hour
approached for the ceremony 10 take place,
she became more and more desperate in
her efforts to convince herself that life still
fingered. AS a last resource, she went
for some strong elixir, and taking
out Of he1 pocket a fruit
knife with two blades-one blade of gold
the other of silver proceeded by contin-
ual working to force the gold blade be-
tween the teeth. When inserted, she
poured o drop of elixir on the blade,
then another and another, and tried to
make it enter the mouth, but it seemed
only to trickle back again and down the
chin. Still she persevered, becoming
more desperate as the moments flew on
to the hour, now so near, when her child
was to be taken from her. At the very
last, when she was beginning to dread
the very worst, she thought she detected
a slight spasm in the throat: and on
closer examination cho hoco,no oruoro