Rensselaer Union, Volume 5, Number 44, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 July 1873 — In Trances. [ARTICLE]

In Trances.

An article in the Popular Science Monthly recalls these instances of escape from burial alive: “On the 15th of October, 1842, a farmer in the neighborhood of Neufcliatel, in the Lower Seine, climbed into a loft over his barn to sleep, as lie usually did, among the hay. Early the next day, liis customary hour of rising being past, his wife, wishing to know the cause Of his delay, went to look for him, and found him dead. At the time of interment, more than twenty-four hours after, the bearers placed the body in a coffin, which was closed, and carried it slowly down the ladder by which they had gained the loft. Suddenly one of the rounds of the ladder snapped, and the bearers fell together with the coffin, which hurst open with the shock. The accident, which might have been fatal to a live man, was very serviceable to the dead one, who was roused from his lethargy by the concussion, returned to life, and hastened to get out of his shroud with the assistance of those of the bystanders who had not been frightened away by his sudden resurrection. An hour later lie-eould recognize his friends, and felt no uneasiness except a slight confusion in his head, and the next day was able to go to work again. At about the same time a resident of Nantes gave up life after a long illness. His heirs made arrangements for a grand funeral, and while the performance of a requiem was going on, the dead man returned to life and stirred in the coffin, that stood in the middle of the church. When carried home, he soon regained his health. Some ttrofi afterward, the cure, not caring to be at tbe trouble of the burial ceremonies for nothing, sent a bill to the ex-corpse, who declined to pay it, and referred the cure to the heirs wlio had given orders for the funeral.. A law-suit followed, with which the papers of the day kept the public greatly amused. A few years ago, Cardinal Bonnet, in the Senate, tola his own story of the circumstances under which he narrowly escaped being buried alive. Horse Craze. —A young girl, about twelve years of age, daughter of Mr. Rootes, ’of Rolling Prairie, was before Justice Fradenburg with a view of having her examined and sent to the insane asylum. From the evidence, and the reports of the neighbors, the child presents a singular case. She appears to have a strong fondness for horses, and occasionally imagines herself.,an animal, and will get down and eat grass, and stamp and kick, and in divers ways imitate the acts of a horse. She will frequently get up in the night, harness her father’s team, and drive miles away, or until she is overtaken and brought back. She will even go to the neighbor’s and hitch up their teams and run away with them- Her acts are said to be a great annoyance to the neighborhood, but the attempt to fully establish her .insanity failed, and she was discharged.— hrrpvrte ( Irid.) Aryue.