Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1849-08-09
rear---A Tare of the Chorera.

a the time OF q FORMER VISITATION OF tDe cDOleTd 10
these shores, our regiment Qhe -th) was quartered
at NJ, one of the places visited with The utmost
severity BY the formidable disease. We had lost few
men, and NOT an officer had been attacked, when one
evening, after mess, the conversation turned upon the
nature and dangers of the pestilence. at that time be-
Iieved by many to be contagious. Our surgeon hHd
Just returned from a harrassing course of duties.
which had detain him from mess until long after
the dinner hour, and he was recountiUg to us, during
the interval Of his hurried repasi. various anecdotes
of the cases he had just quilted.
lie had been with one of the resident ply sIcians
into the quarter chiefly inhabited by the poor weavers
connected with the manufactures of N, and
his account of the suffering of these poor creatures,
of the misery they endured-misery always keen, and
doubly aggravated under present OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
truly beart-rendlng.
'Ah,'' he said. ''what is most unfortunate is that
these poor people are so terrified, / believe half of
them die of fright. In many instances they flee from
the house containing their dying friend or relative.
They refuse TO assist in bearing the body to the grave,
and literally kill themselves by the nervous state Of
agitation to which they excite themselves and each
other"
"How foolish is that!' exclaimed Percy, a young
officer who had but lately joined-a fine young fellow,
handsome and gallant; show foolish that isi can
not see what there is to fear in the neighborhood of
the disease. Depend upon it, we are as safe with the
cholera raging around, as if we 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 we h apDen TO be near some halt dozen others
who die of cholera"
at is astonishing, Percy" answered the surgeon.
show great is the influence of mind over body. | be
lieve | could talk any man into the conviction that he
had the cholera, and probably talk him to death if !
persisted in agitating him."
Percy laughed aloud.
my dear fellow" he said. s'you may talk your
self dumb TO me; you will neyerpersuade me into any
complaint whatever"
.You are too rash, Percy, interposed the major,
a stern old veteran of some fifty ~years-Barion by
name-"you are too rash, Percy; you little know the
power Of nervous impression. or rather you effect to
despise what you really feel. / can see you now
shrink from close contact with Doctor NJ, because you
know he has been all day with cholera patients"
Percy redeemed at this accusation, ~spriDging to his
feet, placed himself close tnihe doctor.
Indeed you mistake. lie exclaimed; 81 have no
fear IF the kind"
"Oh! don't think it necessary to conceal it," con-
tinued Barton. laughing rs he spoke, solder and wi
ser men than you, Perry-older and wiser, and as
brave-have shaken in their shoes at the approach of
the cholera
''But I am not shaking in mine," retorted Percy,
reddening still more; "what can make you think so!
tell you I have no fear of contugion. none whatever.
do not believe the disease is contagious, should
not mind" he continued, striking the table vehe-
mcntly as he spoke-''T should not mind sleeping in
a bed wherein a cholera patient had died within q few
hours"
"Well." laughed Barton. with his low, peculiar
laugh, 'it is easy to talk this way, but you would be
sorry if we offered to put you to the proof"
"Indeed I should not be sorry. Put me to the proof,
and | will sit up all night in the cholera ward in the
hospital. Come, doctor. you are going there now; |
will accompany you, and | will remain there too. ,
will act as nurse to the worst patient. No one shall
saw | shrUnk from the proof"
s'You need not do so much, Percy" answered Bar
ton, again; edo only what you yourself offered to do,
sleeep 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"
a glaes of wine to his lips, draining it at a draught;
but in a moment his courage returned, and he rose
with a gay smile of animation.
81 am ready, Barton; come along. Good night
good night and he waved his hand h~urriedly TO the
doctor and myself.
confess was little released at this arrangement
but a look of intelligence which l perceived passed
between Barton and the doctor, somewhat treasured
me, and l rose to accompany 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 denuded himself of some
of his garments, and had actually retired between the
sheets of his formidable couch; then we left him, re-
peating a good night, while Barton sneeringly inform
ed him that he might consider his penance ended at
any hour after two in the morning, it being then
eleven O'Clock.
at is no penance to me-" persisted poor Percy,
speaking from a mass of bed-clothes; but Barton
drowned the confirmation 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 sat up in the same building, although
not in the same room with his master. He came to
inform Us that Percy was dangerously Ill of cholera.
One by one we rushed from our beds, and hurried
TO the apartment of cur comrade. The doctor was
already there APPLYING all the remedies at his COM
mand; but Percy was evidently very i'll.
For hours every effort was used. We all loved
Percy-men as well as officers did their best; but
what are human means against the will of heaven +!
The paroxysms of pain became less, but he sank in
to that awful state of collapse, from which it seems
as though scarce a miracle could recover the sufferer.
Perfectly conscious to the last, he took Barion's
hand. at was foolish of me-" be gasped; "dear
Barton-I forgive you"
"Oh, Percy, Percy" sobbed Barton, 81 never shall
forgive myself; but believe me when / assure you no
one has died in this bed. No one has slept in it late
ly, except Smith, who is not dead, nor has been i'll.
1t was a hoax ~ and Barton wept aloud.
A CLEAN passed across the dying mans face. A
a hoax! ' he murmured; "ah how weakr ~ But he
could say no more. Already the pulse was quite gone
already the gallant heart had ceased to beat-Per-
CIV was dead.
DR.. NJ persists that poor Percy died from fright
and from no other cause-fright, producing cholera
Certainly from that moment we lost not q man-a fac
which favors this supposiiion.
Ii was also a fact that no one had died IN that bed
nor in that quarter of the barracks. Even were chol
era contagious, no %contagion could possibly have ex
!, listed in that instance. Barton felt the matter deeply
f But he is now at peace. He died a death that nigh
atone for a thousand errors-a glorious death upor
the noble field of Sabraon.
3 The METHODIST CHURCH PROPERTY QUEsT1oH.-W
learn that the Methodist Episcopal Church South, have
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