Rensselaer Union, Volume 7, Number 18, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 January 1875 — Strange Preservation of a Corpse. [ARTICLE]

Strange Preservation of a Corpse.

In the town of Eliza Ville, Fleming County, Ky„ is an old private burial place, where the dead of several private families are deposited. About twenty years ago Daniel Ficklin—whose name bears with it pleasant memories of the past —was buried at this place, and just after him his daughter Lizzie, aged about four years, died and was buried by his side. Several years ago Mrs. Lucy p. Rogers, daughter of Mr. Ficklin and wife of Elder John L. Rogers, died and her dust was deposited with that of her husband. Her infant child died about three weeks alter its mother, and was buried in a metallic coffin in the same grave. Last Saturday, at the instance of Charles L. Ficklin, of Memphis, son of Daniel Ficklin, the remains of the above-mentioned persons were disinterred, with a view to their removal to the cemetery at Flemingsburg. Each corpse has resolved into t ! native dust with the exception of the infant buried seventeen years ago. That was in a state of perfect preservation. Even the color of the eyes could be distinguished; the hair black and long; the face did not have the pallor of death, but had a bright fleshy color. A small gold pin fastened its burial shroud around the neck. The clothes in which the jnfant was dressed resembled white wax-work and the w’hole appearance of the corpse was so natural as scarcely to bear the features of death, while of its mother nothing remains but the decaying bones. Mb. A- Bronson Aixx>tt was opce expounding his theory of the sin of eating flesh, antjf said: "A man who eats pork becomes a little swinish, does he not? and if he eats mutton he is inclined to be sheepish.” “ Perhaps so*” replied Dr. James Walker, “ hujt I have noticed that men who live on vegetables are apt to be—rather—small—potatoes.”