The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1852-01-23
A SKETCH,

from which nature most universally
recoils in horror. The witnessing
does not render it less hideous; the
impossibility of avoiding il, less terri
BILE. To all, to the brave as to the
timid, to the weak as to the strong, TO
the christian as to the wicked; the
parting Of soul and body is an awful,
an overwhelming event. The heart
is palsied, the mind staggers in the
vain effort to comprehend its import
or to grasp its result. THAT great
change which cometh upon all men"
finds all men alike unknowing o. its
nature. Faith may be firm. hope IN
wavering; but knowledge is denied us,
and we leap into the grave ignorant
Of the scenes which shall hail our
waking.
We have seen a number OF deaths
mot many, for we have no taste for
the horrible--yet we never saw the
stern messenger met with so frightiul
a mixture Of defiance and awe, cour-
age which would have proudly con-
fronted living foe, and abject dread
of an unknown and avenging future,
than in the case of man whose last
moments we watched on an occasion
not very remote.
We we're walking along Jefferson
street one evening, when we were
met by friend, physician, who sug-
gested TO US visit TO a "queer patent
of his, as he called him, who was
lying on flat boat. or sort Of Ark.
tied up at The upper landing
After threading our way through
numerous piles OF lumber and wares,
and over rickety foot. path Of p!anks
connecting the deck with the shore,
/ we found ourselves in the cabin of the
SSirsIt was rooted with rough boards,
d was partially ilIumined bv tai
NV candle stuck in bottle, and few
.,smouldering embers, half extinguish-
ed, upon sort Of extemporaneous
hearth near the stern. A few crazy
chairs, table, and here and there
piles Of household goods. bedding, &C.,
were the sole contents Of the cabin, if
we except bunk or cot bedstead
placed about mid. ship, and from which
occasional deep. half suppresse d
groans announced both the presence
and the anguish Of the patient.
Removing the candle from its place
the Doctor proceeded to the bedside,
and the smoky light fell full upon the
features Of the dying man. for such he
evidently was. On the opposite side
stood woman, his wife as we corr
reclly conjected, holding an infan,
soue six months old in her asms. and
by turns ans wering the questions Of
the Doctor and soothing the fretinl.
ness of the child. She was by no
means heroine for a romance, her
red ewes and face, and her relaxed.
expressionless features indicating too
plainly the effect of gross intemper-
ance or an originally degraded intel
lect and coarse person.
"He hasn't spoke none, sir, since
you were here afore, but he keeps
proanin' all the time. don't see
what good it does to do that neither"
she added grui1lv. giving no amlcable
glance at the sufferer.
After some trouble the physician
obtained an account of the symptoms
of a more satisfactory character. He
examined the patient carefully. the
latter cycling him with intense eager.
ness, yet without speaking a word.
. AT length the Doctor restored the
arm to its place, after counting the
pulse, and taking chair he motioned
TO US to follow his example. His look
- and manner were not lost upon the
sick man. He saw In them the with
drawal of all hope, and with a cry
that spoke volumes Of despair, turned
over TO die.
The woman seated herself at the
foot of the bed, and there watched
with stupid Indifference the gradual
unlosing of the cords Of life, swapping
one oy one.
A few moments Of labored and
stentorous breathing on the part OF the
patient were followed by wild. mad.
dened effort Of vigor. the last struggle
Of exhausted nature.
Raising himself on his elbow he
glared hercely at the physician
well r he shrieked. rather than said,
/. -wLat shall lakel Speak! can pay
YOU! Give me medicine Why the
hit don't you do something
The Doctor made no answer.
you don't mean that you can 90
nothing for me, do youl You don't
give me up, do you? Come now.
Doctor he added, with gasty at:
tempt to smile. don't try to scare met
= You see you can't do it. Give me
something 10 cure the pain here, and
here. and here.' and he pressed his
hands on as many different portions
e III. oio,ost naraIyZed person.