Litchfield enquirer., 1842-11-10

A medical man, if he has any heart at all
 is often placed in painful position. Whu
 c.n he say! nay, the very word c0nsuUsp tiOn once spoken shows that the case is al
 most hopeless,
 What then cGn he say! He had bes avoid saying anything, for it he speak
 what he thinks, he will cause despair, if ht even qualities his thoughts thus "Oh, hope th re is Do real danger" he excitcs false hopes let him then sny as little a: possible.
 went up stairs where the young lady i was sitting in a large easy chair, awaiting my arrival, and evidently hectic. Before took her hand, and felt the burning palm and rapid and internitting pulse, said some common place things, which mean nothing. l but of which every syllable was probably l noted, as well as every look of mine, by the bright intellectual eye of the anxious and enervated Invalid. Poor Miss -, her days were indeed 1 numbered there was nothing before her tn this life but succession of sufferings, varied in their character, but still suffer- ings; constant cough, restlessness, alter nate hope and apprehension, but hope pre- dominant even to the last, night perspira- tions, great debility, and then a moment of rallying, to be succeeded by exhaustion and DEATH. ss
 When the excitement accustomed to her by the arrival, and the formality of count ing her pulse, had in some degree suhsided, she told me that but for her cough she would be quite we'll, and asked me to give her something to relieve it. She assured me that she had not spit up any blood, and was quite differently affected in some par ticulars from her dear mother and sisters, and then if papa could take her into the town for change of air, she thought her strength would return. Her father at once said, that she should be gratified, and poor man, he would have immediately removed her, if had not succeeded in satisfying her that she would be less sadvantageously lodg- ed than where she was. Then ,as to her appetite, she told mo it was good, though she had found lamb with mint sauce or as- paragus, and chicken once or twice, 10 dis agree with her; and porter, she said, did not strengthen her. In short, she had hard ly touched any of those things which her father, who was but half-pay lieutenant in the army, had bought for her, while he deprived himself of every indulgence, in the vain hope, that she would be spared to him, and from those impulses of strong af- lection which made his only happiness to consist in humoring every wish that she ex- pressed. e. .- . .,
 I see by your face, Doctor, said her fa- ther, that there is no hope; have had four trials such as this already, and l trust shall bear this as have borne them. The blows have come thick Cat intervals he manifested strong and terrible conflicting emotions, but, at last. was perfectly calm and .composed,) the muster-roll is almost called over, and hope that the Captain of my Salvation will find me disciplined and obedient to his orders.
 "The soldier of Christ should be always so," said I, " and if strong in him he may be assured of victory in the end, even though his warfare may be one of hard struggles, hard where opposed to flesh and blood, but still surmountable when the spirit of obedience and trust in his wisdom occupies that soldiers heart: 'Though weak he will strengthen thec, though captive he will li- berate thee.' "Iknow it, feel it," said he, "and my poor child must not be longer kept in ignorance of her danger. How long do you think she may live?" i" It is impossible" said 1, ito tell with any exactness, but few weeks will harGly elapse." Mr. - seemed to me as if he had set his teeth firm ly together, and was resolved to show no womanly weakness he asked me about the clergyman, whether he was rough or gentle. likely to soothe or frghten the child; you see how tenaciously she clings to life. ] assured him that though the Rev. Mr. T. would not hold out false expectations of a prolonged life, he would probably succeed | in rendering her more intent on the health of her soul than of her body, and might be the means of her obtaining readiness, Il not desire to depart and be with Christ which is far better than to live life of suf- fering upon earth. 1 Miss -, as I afterwards learned, had been so long in the habit of hearing gospel truth during the family bereavements, that she bore the news which told her that all hope here ,oGs gone, with great resignation and was happy that she was told' for wheI iliusory expectations were taken away, she seemed to divest herself of all worldly thoughts, and with a meek and quiet ear
 nestness, to seek preparation for eternity
 The closing scene of consumption has beer told with too much vividness to need repe tition here. Miss fingered for few
 weeks. But oh how wronged her father the strong affection of a man of powerful feelings was blended with the tenderness o
 a woman, the control which he exercised
 over himself excited my warmest admira ton, and his watchfulness was unceasIng..
 Day after day, and nigh; after night, h' sate beside her bed, and his assumed nrm
 ness gave her strength. remember thu
 day she died though now more than twen ty years since; she spoke of her mothe and of her sisters. and of the happiness sh'
 would feel in joining them. The quiverinl lip. the repressed tear, alone told of thu depth of her fathers grief. but he songh not to check her he even seemed to wisl her to dwell upon the thought. She ap peared to suffer no pain, but her exhaustion was very great she turned her dying eye upon him. and with the last effort Of her ex