Sunday, March 25, 2018

Bricker, John - 1881

Almost A Fatality.--
Last Sunday night Mr. Frank Evans awoke with a feeling of suffocation.  He attempted to open a window but was too nearly overpowered by the peculiar feeling to do so.  He succeeded in awakening his wife, but she also was helpless.  Making a second desperate effort Mr. Evans succeeded in raising the window and alarming a neighbor, John Bricker, by ringing a bell.  Bricker rushed over, opened the house and called a physician.  The fresh air revived the sufferers somewhat, though Mr. Evans, his wife and children did not fully recover for two or three days.

It transpired that the asphyxiation resulted from poisonous gas escaping from the coal stove.  The family made a providential escape, for had Mr. Evans slept longer, the deadly gases would have extinguished the flickering flame of life.

Like many another serious occurrence, this has a ludicrous side.  Mr. Bricker, upon being aroused so suddenly was somewhat bewildered.  The call for help was urgent.  He realized the importance of haste, but could not sally forth clad only in modesty.  He wasn’t very particular just then, but he bethought himself of the lilies of the valley - for Soloman <sic> in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these, and reached for raiment.  Lo!  it was not.  A scurrying around chairs, behind bureaus and under the rug; a hurried search, a fruitless hunt - and the appalling truth burst upon him - he had been robbed!  “Burglars”, gasped John, “have robbed me of my clothes”.  By that time he was thoroughly awake, and Mrs. B. kindly pointed out the missing garments - that had been thoughtfully hung up in an unwonted place.  John hasn’t purchases a shotgun to receive midnight marauders.
~ The Lititz Record, 28-Oct-1881, Page 3, Column 4

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