Buried alive [short story]

Title

Creator

Foster, Arthur

Language

English

Source

Panorama 4 (5) May 1939

Year

1939

Subject

Short stories

Rights

In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted

Abstract

Condensed from Modern Tempo

Fulltext

'IJA strange and ghastly experience. BURIED ALIVE A CERTAIN man by the name of Abner Sneed, of Denver, awoke one day to find himself in a narrow oblong box, lined with white satin. He could see this much out of the corner of his eye. He was, of course, startled and frightened by the sight, and tried at once to rise, but he found that, even with great effort, he was unable to do so, and that he was unable to move any part of his body but his eyes. He tried to call out, and was astounded to discover that while he could plainly hear everything that was going on around him he was incapable of making a sound. He could hear voices. By listening he discovered, to his horror, that he was consciously attending his own funeral services, and that he was listening to his own funeral sermon. He suddenly felt very weak and faint-too weak to keep his eyes open any longer. And so he closed them again and lay quite still-barely conscious. Finally he was again aroused to objective consciousness by hearing the words "Grandview Cemetery," spoken in a subdued bass voice. 20 He now felt quite calm, and he remembered thinking h<?w strange it was that he should be amused. He had always detested funerals, and had never been known to attend one before. Presently he could hear the lid of the coffin being fastened on. He could hear the screwdriver occasionally slipping ~ut of the slots in the screws and rubbing against the wooden box. And now they were bumping the casket down the front steps. He could tell that the pallbearers were having some trouble in handling the coffin, and at one time the box was almost dropped on the pavement. Sneed was a big fat man. At last, he was able to open his eyes again, but as he could see nothing in the darkness he closed them again. He now began to experience great difficulty in breathing. And then finally there came a great roaring noise in his ears, which kept increasing in intensity until it finally ended in a terrific explosion. That is the last he remembered until he awoke as the box was being lowered into the grave. PANORAMA Summoning up his last ounce of strength, with a will born of desperation, he was able -at last to let out a frightful scream. As he did so, a hand was suddenly placed across his mouth, and he could hear the dentist say m a hoarse, sepulchral voice: "My gosh, I pulled out the wrong tooth! I suppose we'll have to give him the gas all over again." -Arthur Foster, condensed from Modern Tempo. THE oft-quoted statement that the average American has a mental age of fourteen years is grossly misunderstood. Intelligence tests merely demonstrate the ability to learn and to solve problems. They take no account of knowledge, experience, skill, and common sense. ThEy do not measure wisdom. A glib but shiftless and irresponsible man might obtain a high rating in an intelligence teiit, whereas a substantial citizen, although considEred a successful and desirable member of his community, might be classed among the fourteen-year-olds. "Mental age," as used by psychologists, is a highly technical term. Although the psychologists are not in agreement, it is girnerally conceded that full mental maturity is reached at sixteen or seventeen yrnrs. The "capacity to learn" is thE·n as high as it will ever be. If this is kept in mind, the fourteen-year average for the general public does not seem so bad. But, though the growth of pure intelligence may cease at fourteen or sixteen, the accumulation of knowledge and experience continues as long as a person lives. Good citizens are prnple whose behavior can be foncast. The permanence of civilization is dependent on the actions of the masses-their thrift, patriotism, industry, and judgment. These are qualities that are developed throughout life. Unfortunately, the fourteen-year idea has been so twisted out of its technical meaning that we have editors and builders of radio programs struggling to reduce standards so that their product may make a universal appeal. The stupidity of such efforts is clear when we realize that though the "mental age" of a fourteen-year-0ld girl and fortyyear-old woman may be the same, there probably is as much diffoerence between them as between a puppy and a wise old dog.-The William Feather Magazine. MAY, 1939 21

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