Rensselaer Union, Volume 3, Number 26, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 March 1871 — A Corpse Driving Itself Home. [ARTICLE]

A Corpse Driving Itself Home.

The Nashville Banner tells tho following terrible story concerning the circumstances of the death of Dr. William Burdett, of that city, who, about half an hour before his death, hud driven to the residence of a patient, prescribed for him, cot into his buggy and started homeward. It seems that sudden death, like a stroke of lightning, overtook him probably be fore lio had driven more than a few hurt dred yards, and the late living, speaking, human being, who a few moments before had talked calmly and quietly, after his usual manner, to a patient and that patient’s family, and had even joked with a little boy whom he met by the street side as he entered his buggy, still* sat stark and stiff upright upon liis seat, the reins clutched tight in his hands, the staring eyes looking out upon the street, driving homeward—a corpse. Father of us nil, what was it that those who met the horse and vehicle saw in the face of the driver that made them shudder and hurry on a little faster 1 Death looked out from those lifeless eyes, and it was he who guided the unknowing horse plodding on toward his late mas’er’s door, and those looked into that vehicle saw a something awful and indefinable which made them shudder, perhaps, and hasten involuntarily forward. The horse drew up at the familiar hitcli-ing-post, but no master descended, and lie stood gently pawing the ground, anon jerking the lines, but he got no answer to these signals; however oft repeated. No familiar voice which had so often chided or cheered him in long jaunts. Then lie pricked back his ears and jerked the reins a little harder, and listened, but there was no response, save the grating of the leather over the dash-board. What could it all mean?

And now Mrs. Burdett looks out of the window, and says, “ Well, I declare, the doctor’s come, but why don’t he get out V” She looks a moment, but he doesn’t, and she says, perhaps ho wants something, and then she trips out to the street, looks up into the buggy says, “ Well, William, what is it ?” No answer. And then she bends forward a little, and the light shines fuller on the figure there. It is her busband’s, but the face is livid, and the eyes blindly staring. “ William, oh, William!” and she grasps him by the hands, still clutching tho reins; they arc cold and stiff. He is dead.

Through the assistance of; several gentlemen, Dr. Burdett’s body was taken into the house, where an inquest was held, and a verdict of death by heart disease found.

Tnp. Farmer's Home Journal , of Lexington, Ky., says: “Mr. Wnt. Hardin of this county; missed, about four weeks ago, one ofliis fat hogs. He supposed it had been stolen. A few days ago, us he was hunting in one of his fields, his dogs were attracted tj a sink hole, and on examination the hog was discovered nt the bqttom, iu which there was a quantity of mud and water. The hog was drawn out aud afterward well fid, and is now doing well, though it lay twenty-eight days without food.

A Massachusetts paper tells of a col ored womanwho had been lately converted, but was so unfortunate ns to tty into a passion overthe misdoings of one of her neigh bor’s youngsters. Her mistress remarked upon the impropriety of such conduct in the case of one about to join the church, and received this frank response .- *'l have.’spi rienced religion,,an’ I's gwine to Join the church; but, Miss B ,I ll scald dat nigger hirst."