Iowa capitol reporter. [volume] (Iowa City, Iowa) 1841-1855, 1849-09-12

up all night in the cholera ward in
the hospital. Come, Doctor, you
are going there now; will accom-
pany YOU and | will remain there,
too. | will act as nurse to the worst
patient. Nosone shall say Ishrunk
from proof"
aYou need not do 50 much Percy,
answered Barton, again; S'do only
what you yourself offered to do sleep
in the bed of a cholera victim.
Quartermaster Smith died four hours
ago, and the bed in which he died is
vacant. Come, | can easily procure
you a nights lodging therein
Poor Percy! saw him turn pale,
and he raised glass of wine to his
lips, draining it at draught; but in
a moment his courage returned, and
he rose with smile Of gay animation.
81 am ready Barton, come along.
Good night-good night and ne
waved his hand hurriedly to the
doctor and myself.
confess was little pleased at
this arrangement, but a look OF intel
ligence which perceived passed be-
tween Barton and the Doctor some-
what treasured me and ! rose to ac-
company Percy to his unenviable
resting place. Barton preceded us,
and we waited some moments at the
door of the quarters Of poor Smith,
while he parleyed with some one
inside. This concluded, we entered
and Percy took possession of his bed
room.
We remained until he had denu-
ded himself Of some Of his garments,
and had actually retired between
the sheets of the formidable couch
then we left him, repeating a good
might, while Brrton sneeringly in
formed him that he might consider
his penance ended at an hour after
two in the morning it being then
eleven O'Clock.
ssIt's no penance to me" persisted
poor Percy, speaking from mass OF
beb-clothes; but Barton drowned the
continuation Of the sentence in a
loud laugh, and closing the door we
finally retreated.
At four in the morning we were
awoke by Percy's servant, who had
sat up in the same building, although
in another ON with his master. He
came to inform us that Percy was
dangerously i'll with the 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 rene
dies at his command but Percy
was evidently rery i'll.
For hours every effort was used.
We all loved Percy-men as well as
off GERS did their best ; but what are
human means against the will ofheva-
en-? The paroxisms of pain became
less, but he sunk into that awful state
of collapse, from which it seems, as
though scarce miracle could re-
cover the sufferer.
Perfectly conscious to the last, he
took Bar!eq,s Afad d Sslh ia. Bsatt esalehi
forgive YOU"
"Oh, Percy, Percy" sobbed Bar
ton, 81 never shall forgive myself
but believe me when ] assure YOU no
one has died in this bed. No one
has slept in it lately, except Smith,
who is not dead, nor has been i'll. II
was all hoaxr' and Barton weep,
aloud.
A CLEAN passed over the dying
face, Cali hoax ?'' he murmured;
sab u how weak 70 but he could
Fsay no more. Already the pulse
was quite gone-already the gallant
heart had ceased to beat-Percy was
dead!
Doctor M-persists that poo,
Percy died from fright, and from nc
other cause-fright producing chole-
ra. Certainly from that moment we
lost not mana fact which favors
this supposition.
It was also fact that no one had
died in that bed, nor in that quartz,
OF the barracks: Even were cholera
contagious, no contagion could pos
sibly have existed in that instance.
Barton felt the matter deeply but he
is now at peace. He died death
that might atone for thousand er-
rors-a glorious death upon the noble
field of Sabraon.
Rearing Cattle.