ALIVE IN A DEAD HOUSE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 673, 20 July 1870, Page 3

ALIVE IN A DEAD HOUSE.

A San Francisco, paper gives an account of the experience of a German who was supposed to have died in that city, and whose body was immediately placed in the deadhouse attached to the hospital in which he had been under treatment: — " The body was deposited in a case where two other bodies had already been placed, and between them. The cover was put on,' and the keeper of the dead house retired for the night. About midnight a loud screaming and yelling of the most unearthly character was heard in the dead-house. The keeper was sought after, but, being aware of what he was required to do, he sought concealment, preferring to let the ghosts fight it out among themselves rather than attempt to become peace-maker. When at last, he waa prevailed upon to proceed to the •dead-house and open- the door, the ghostly form.-of-.the German, whose life had been a few hours previously pronounced extinct, and who had been dressed in the robes of the dead,Btood. before him. The keeper fainted outright, while the. terrified German, rushed headlong: through the long halls and corridors of the building, spreading dismay and terror as he went. Some more courageous than the rest caught and arrested him in his frantic career, but the next instant the poor German fell on the floor in a fit. The physician was sent for, and restoratives used, by which he was restored to consciousness. How he felt when, he returned to . consciousness we give as' he told it himself:— 'Vei, yen I got sick, and vas in bed that day, the doctor came to me and said I vas very sick. He vent avay, and after he vent I fell asleep. - I knew nothing more till I yoke in de night, and there vaa no light. I put out my hand, and I could get no bed-clothes, for I vas cold. I den put my hand to vone side to try for the bedclothes, and, oh, vat you tink I got— vy a ded man 1 Dere he vas, cold enough, sure. I roared mid all the power I had, and vaa going avay by the other side, yen, sure, I put my hand on another. Then I roared, and called, and cried out all I could, and yen I vas getting up my head struck against a board that vas covering me. 'Oh,' said I, •vot does this mean,vere am I? Am I ded ?' and I roared and bawled, and threw off the cover, and jumped about as if I vaa mad. And I knocked at the doorvidmy hands and feet, but nobody would open it for me, andi thought I vas ded myself. I. vaa not shure. I had the ded man's dress on me. At last the door opened, and yen I looked at the man vat opened it he fell down mid fear, and I ran till I vas caught. Then I fainted, and yen I come to myself I thought it vas a dream. But it is as true as lam here.' " ' ■ '