TWENTY-FIVE MINUTES IN PARADISE.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1684, 10 January 1888, Page 2

TWENTY-FIVE MINUTES IN PARADISE.

There is one young lady, Miss Delia Street, of Giles County, Tenn., who claims to have “ spread her white wings and sailed over the sea” to the celestial city last March. About Feb. 1 of the current year Miss Street informed her parents that on. March 27 following; at four 6’clock in the afternoon, she should be taken violently ill; that sbe would grow worse until the following day at 9 o’clock p.m., at which time she would die and remain in a state of death for twenty-five minutes, and that during the period of suspended animation sbe would visit that “house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens,” She asked her father not-to send for doctors, as human instrumentality could not prevent her journey to Paradise; and also told him not to he alarmed, declaring with most implicit confidence that after enduring the sting of death for twenty-five minutes her mortal and immortal natures would reunite and she would again return to her earthly home. On the arrival of the day on which she announced she would be taken ill her parents evinced great solicitude, inquiring hourly as to her condition. She answered cheerfully and continued to admonish them not to be alarmed. The hands of the clock toiled round till four was finally reached. While the time-piece was upon the stroke of the hour the young lady was prostrated with sickness and violent pains racked her body. Despite her entreaties the father sent for skilled physicians, who vainly administered their most potent remedies, and at nine o’cbck on the 28th they pronounced life extinct. The sickness and death occurred as she had predicted, and in time so did the resuscitation. The father remembered the declaration that she would return to life and looked at the clock, and lo ! the pendulum had ceased to vibrate, and the old time-piece that had for years faithfully tolled off the hours had stopped while upon the stroke of nine. When the girl returned to consciousness the clock started of its own accord, finished striking the hour, and has run since without interruption. By reference to the watch of one of the doctors it was found that she had been insensible—shall we say dead—for 25 minutes. After the return of animation her tongue was paralysed, and she indicated by signs that writing material was wanted, which was provided, and she wrote a description of the heavenly Jerusalem, clothed in the most elegant and chaste language, and describing a country more glorious than any upon which the feet of fancy have ever trod. The whole covers 19 pages of foolscap paper. She says she is commissioned to read her manuscript wherever she goes. While in the home of the blest she was asked by a woman to write, after returning to earth, to hei great grand-daughter,Mrs Annie B. Shelton, of Kinterbush, Sumter County, Ala., and tell her how anxious her great-grand-dame awaited her coming. Our informant is not positive as to the

correctness of these names, but thinks that of the old lady was Mrs Annin Belmont, who said she had been dead ninety-five years. By writing to the address the girl gave it was learned r hat a woman of that name had died in that place in 1792, and that she had a jreat grand-daughter resident there. Miss Street says she will be told in LBB9 the date of her death. The statements as given above are established by unimpeachable witnesses.—Exchange. _____