Burlington hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1845-185?, 1850-03-28
THE DEATH OF HOWARD.

| THE DEATH OF HOWARD.
| LAST SCENES AT cHERsoS. -
| early on the morning of the 2Oth
| [January, 1880, came 10 see him his
most intimate friend, Admiral Priestman
a Russianized Englishman in the SER
vice of the Empress. During bis soiourn
at Cherson, Howard had been in the habit
of almost daily intercourse with his GAL
liant ex-countryman. When taken i'll, not
| himself considering it at first serious, no
notice of it had been sent out but not
seeing his friend for several days, Priest
man began to feel uneasy, and went off to
| his lodgings TO learn the cause. He
found Howard sitting at a small stove in
his bedroom winer was excessively
severe-and very weak and low. The
Admiral thought him merely laborng un-
der temporary depression of spirits, and
by lively, rattlins conversation, endeayor-
ed TO rouse him from his torpidity. But
! Howard was fully conscious that death
was nigh. He knew now that he was mol
to die in Egypt; and, in spite of his
friends cheerfulness, his mind sill re-
yerted to the solemn thought of his ap-
proaching end. Priestrnan told him not
| to give way TO such gloomy lancies, and
they soon would leave him. ''Priestman,'
said Howard, in bis mild and serious
voice, you style this dull conv versation.
and endeavor TO diver, my mind from
| dwelling on the thought Of death; but |
entertain very different sentiments.-
Death has no terror for me; it is an event
| always look TO with cheerfuness if not
with pleasure and be assured, the sub
ject is more grateful to me than any other.
| And then lie went on TO say--I am well
! aware that | have but short time to live !:
my mode Of life has rendered il impossi-
bic that should get rid of this fever. II
| had lived as you dc, eating heartily Of
animal food and drinking wine, mi eht,
perhaps, by altering my diet, have been
able TO subdne it. Bnt how can such a
| man as | am lower his diet, who has been
accustomed for years to live u pen vege-
tables and water, little bread, and lii,le
'ea2 have no method Of lowering my
nnurtshmen,. -an6 therefore | die ) and
| then turning TO his friend, added, smiling
1t is only such jelly fellows as You,
| Friedman, who get over these fevers. -
! This melancholy pleasantly was more
than The ea!laut sailor could lear; he
| turned away TO conceal his emotion his
heart was iuIl, ana he remained silent.
whist Howard with no deS Srondency in
his tone, bnt with calm and settled Sc
renity Of manner, as il the death panrs
were alrta y pat, went OIL to speak Of
bis end, and Of his wishes as 10 his funer-
a.. There is spot said he, fnear the
village OF Daup!.iney--tlis would suit me
| nicely; you know it we'll, for have often
said tha, should like 10 he buried there
and let he beg Of yon, as You value your
old friend, no, TO suffer any pomp to be
used at my funeral; nor let any monu-
, mcnt nor monumental Inscription what
soever be made to mark here am laid
bnt lay ms quietly in the earth, place a
sun-dia' over my grave, and let me be for
gotten
'ln this strain Of true Christian philcs-
ophy did Howard speak of h;s exit from
a world in which he felt tha. he had done
his work. The ground in which lie had
select-t! tn fix his ever lasting rest, situat-
ed about two miles from Cherson, on the
edge Of thc great highway to ST Nicholas.
belonged to French gentlemen who had
treated hj'n with distinguished attention
ana Kindness during his stay in the vicini-
ty ana having made his choice, he was
very anxious TO know whether permis-
sion could be Obtained fer the purpose,
and begged his gallant friend to Sc! off i'm
mcdiately, ana ascertain that for bin
Priessr,an was not very willing TO leave
his friend al such time and on such
gloomy errand he lanc;el people would
think him crazy III asking permission TO
ask grave for mon still alive, and
whom few as yet knew TO lie i'll but the
earnestnesa Of The dying martyr at length
oveTcamc his reluctance ani he set forth.
"Scncc!y had lie departed OH his
strange mission, when letter arrived
from England, written ~ gentleman
who had Just been down TO Leicester TO
see young llo" ard, giving highly favor
able account Of 'he progress o! his reco1-
cry, ana expressing belief that when
the Philanlhropi~t returned TO his native
land, he would find lis son greatly im-
proved. This intelligence came 10 the
death-bei oI the lious Christian like rag
Of light from heaven. His eye brighten
cd a heavy load seemed lifted from his
heart; ana he spoke OF his child with the |
tenderness and affection of "A mother.-.-
He called Thona$son to his bedside, and
bbde him tell his son when he went hone,
how long and how iervontIy he had pray
ed for his recovery, and especially dur
ing this last Illness.
Edwards evening, Admiral Priestman
returned from successful application; !
with this result Howard appeared highly |
eratified, and soon after his arrival retired /
to rest. Pliest,narl, conscious now of the
imminency Of the danger, would leave
him alone no more. but resolNely remain |