The Arkansas banner., 1849-06-12
An Anecdote of the cholera,

! fallen undef his own observation. It possesses paticuar interest Ut this tiIue, showing the i'm poFtance of quiet mind. and the absence or sl excitement, during the prevalence of a disease which may even be lurking in our midst: ! At the time of former visitation of cholera to these shores our regiment (the--th} wa auartered at M, one of the places visited with the ut- most severity by the formidable disease. We had lost very few men, and not officer had been at- tackled, when evening, after mess, the conveE. sation turned upon the nature and dangers of the pestilence. at that time believed by many lo be con tagious- Our surgeon had just returned from an harassng course of duties, which had detaiued him from until long after the hour of dinner, and he was recounting o us, during the interval of his hurried repast, various anecdotes of the cases he had just quitted. l He had beea with eae sfihe resident physicians into the quarter chiefly inhabited by the poor wea- vers connected with the manufactories of M, and his accounts of the sufTerngs of these poor creatures, of the misery they endured-misery al- ways keen, and doubly aggravated under present l circumstances-was truly heart-rending. | "Ah," he said. what Is most unfortunate is l that these poor people terrified, believe half of them die of fright. In many instances they flee | from the house containing their dying friend relative. They refuse 10 assist in bearing the body to the grave, and literally kill themselves by the nervous state of agitation 10 which they excite themselves and each other "
 " low foolish that is exclaimed Percy, young officer who had but lately oined--a fine young fe low, handsome and gallant; "how foolish that is, l cannot see what there is to fear in te ne:ghhor- hood of the disease. Depend upon it, we are as | safe with the cholera raging around though t were still shut up in the marshes of Asia. We may die of the cholera, it Is true, but that will be because such is our fate, not because happen to be some half dozen others who die of cholera |" ''It is astonishing, Percy" answered the surgeon " how great is the influence of mind over body. | ! believe could talk any man into conviction that he had the cholera, and probably talk him to death
 if persisted in agitating him" Percy laughed aloud 1 My dear fellow,' he said, you may talk your self hoarse to me; you will persuade me into | any complaint whatever.'
 1 ''You are too rash, Percy" interposed the major, a stern old veteran of some fifty yeara-- Barton by name" You are too rash Percy; you little know the power of nervous impression, or rather you affect to despise what you really feel l can see { you now shrink from close contact with Doctor M | because you know he has been all day with cholera patients." Percy reddened at this accusation, and springng 10 his feet. placed himself close to the doctor.
 "ludeed, you mistake" he exclaimed; {" I have 1 no fear of the kind "
 ooh! don't think it necessary to conceal il, 5 continued Barton, laughing as he spoke; |" older I and wiser men than you, Percy-older and wiser, and brave-have shaken in their shoes at the 3D. proach of the cholera
 " But am not shaking in mine, ,' reterted Percy ] Teu0enlng Stil more, RnHt can make think so! l tell you 1 have no fear of coDtagion none whatever. l do not believe the disease is copta gious. should not mind " he continued, striking | the table vehemently as be spoke-"I should not mind sleeping in a bed wherein a cholera patien, had died within few hours"
 "Weif," laughed Bartet, with his low. pecsiiar iaugh, C. it is easy to talk in this way. but vou would be sorry if we offered put you to the proof " Indeed should not be sorry. Put me 10 the proof and will sit up all night in the cholera ward in the hospital Come, doctor, you are gong there now; will accompany yOH, and l will re'i,ain there too. will act nurse 10 the worst patient No one shall say shrunk from the proof ' "You need not do so much Percy" answered Burton. again: do only what you yourself offered to do sleep in the bed of cholera victim Quarter master smith died four hours ago. and the bed in which he died is vacant. Gone, can easily pro- cure you nights lodging therein" Poor Percy!
 saw him turn pale, and he raised glass of wine to his lips draining it at a draught but in a moment his courage returned, and he rose with smile of gay animation.
 ''I am ready, Barton; come aloug Good night good night" and hewayed his haud hurredIy to the doctor and myself.
 confess was little pleased at this arrangement but look of intelligence which perceived pass between Barton and the doctor somewhat treasured me- and rose to accompany Percy 10 his unenva- be resting place. Barton preceded and we waited some moments at the door of the quarters of poor
 
 This concluded, we entered and Percy took posses sion of his Aed-room.
 l We remained he had denuded himself of | some of his garments, and had actually retired between the sheets of the formidable couch then We left him, repeating good night while Barton sneer- ingly informed him that he might consider his pen | snce ended al any hour after two in the morning. it being then eleven oc clock
 '" It is no penanee to me-, persisted poor Percy speaking from mass of bed-ciothes; but Barton drowned the continuation of the sentence in a loud laugh and closing the door, we finally retreated. I Al four in the morning awoke by PeEey's servant, who had sat up in the same building although not in the room with his master He came to inform us that Percy was dangerously l i'll of cholera.
 One by one we rushed from our beds and hurried to the apartment of our comrade. The doctor was already there, applying all the remedies al his com mand; but Percy was evidently rery i'll. For hours every edort was used. We all loved Percy-men well officers did their best; but what are human means against the will of heaven The paroSysms of pain became less but he sHnk into that awful slate of collapse from which seems as though scarce miracle could recover the sufferer Perfectly conscious to the last he took Barton $ hand " It was foolish of me-" he gasped; !" dear Barton-l forgive you."
 "oh, Percy, Percy" sobbed Barton, never shall forgive myself; but believe me when assure you no one has died in this bed. No one has slent in it lately except Smith, who is not dead nor has been ill. IL all hoax !'' and Barton wept aloud.
 A geam passed across the dying face. "AlI a ! hoax he murmered; ah !-how weak .' But he could say no more. Already the pulse was quite gone-aready the gallant heart had ceased to beat Percy dead.
 Doctor M ---persists that poor Percy died from fright, and from no other causs-f fright, producing cholera Certainly from that moment we lost not one mana fact which favors this snppositiou
 II was also fact that no one had died in that bed nor ia that quarter of the barracks. Even were cholera contagious, no eontsgion could possibly have existed in that instance. Barton felt the matter deeply. But he Is now at peace. He died a death that might atone for thousand errors--a glorious death upon the noble field of SabIson.
 Premium for Gold DoitaU.--The Boston Chrono- type thinks the runoTed suspension Of the gold dol lar manufacture probably started for the purpose of raising the price ot these little glis,eners They brought Sl 10 on Saturday, very readily, in Boston,