Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1853-03-31
MISCELLANY Y .
Number Twelve.

iorty feet from the ground. There I re-
mained, stunned and bleeding, on the rubbish.
until my companions, by attempting to remove
me, restored me TO consciousness. fell as If
the ground on which was lying formed part
of myself; that could not BE- lifted from il
without being torn asunder; and with the most
piercing cries, enireated my weIl-meaninp
assistants to leave me alone 10 die. They de-
sisted for moment, one running for the doc
tor, another for litter, others surrounding me
with pitying gaze but amidst my incr easing
sense of suffering, the conviction began to
dawn upon my mind, that the injuries were not
mortal; and so, by the time The doctor and the
litter arrived, | resigned myself to their aid,
and allowed myself, without further objection,
10 be carried to the hospital
There | remained for more than three
months, gradually recovering from nv bodily
injuries, but devoured with an impatience al
my condition, and the slowness of my cure,
which efeclually retarded it, | felt all the
resllessness and anxiety Of aborer suddenly
thrown ont of employment difficult enough 10
procure, knowing that there were scores of 9th
ers ready 10 step into my place; that the Job
was going on, and that, ten chances to one. /
should never set my foot on that scaffolding
again. The visiting surgeon vainly warned
me against such passionate regrets-vainly in
culcated the opposite feeling Of gratitude de-
manded by my escape; all in vain. tossed
on my fevered bed, murmured at the sowness
OF his remedies, and might have thus rendered
them altogether Intellectual, had not a sudden
change been effected in my disposition BY an
other, at first unwelcome, addition to our pa
tients. He was placed in the same ward with
me, and insensby found my impotence re-
buked, my repinings hushed for very shame, in
the presence of his meek resignation 10 greater
Privations and su0erings. Fresh courage
sPrang from his example, and soon, thanks 10
my involuntary physician, was in fair road
to recovery. ,.......
And he who had worked the charm, what
was he! A poor, helpless old man, utterly
deformed by suffering, his very name unnOticed,
or at least never spoken in the place where he
now was he went only by the appellation of
No. l2-the number Of his bed, which was
next to my own. This bed had already been
his refuge duringt hree long and trying illness
es, and had at last become sort of property for
the poor fellow in the eyes of doctors, students,
nurse-ienders, in fact, the whole hospital staff.
Never did gentler creature walk on God 5
earth walk-alas for him, the word was
but an old memory. Many years before he
had totally lost the use Of his legs; but, to use
his own expression, this misfortune did not
upset him; he still retained The power Of
earning his livelihood, which he derived from
copying deeds for a lawyer at so much pei
sheet; and if the legs were no longer sup
port, the hands worked at the stamped parcli.
menis as diligently as ever. But some months
passed by, and then the paralysis attacked his
right arm; still undaunted, he taught himself
TO write with the left; but hardly had the brave
heart and hand conquered the difficulty, when
the enemy crept on, and disabling this second
ally, no more remained for him than 10 be con-
yeyed once more, though this time as last re-
source, to The hospital. There he had the
qualification to find his former quarters vacant
and he took possession Of his old familiar bed
with satisfaction that seemed to oblterate all
regret at being obliged TO occupy it again.
His first grateful accents smote almost re-
proachlully on my ear Misfortune must have
lis turn, but eUery day has its to-mOrro,c.'
1t was indeed lesson to witness the graft
tude of this excellent creature The hospital,
SO dreary sojonrn to most Of its inmates, was
scene Of enjoyment to him, everything pleased
him and the poor fellows admiration Of even
the most triaing convenences proved how Sc
we're must have been his privations. He never
wearied of praising the neatness Of the linen,
the whlteness of the bread, the quality of the
food; and my surprise gave place 10 the truest
pity, when learned that, for the last twenty
years, this respectable old man could only af-
ford himself, out Of the profits Of his persever-
ing industry, the coarsest bread, diversified with
white cheese, or vegetable porridge; and yet,
instead of revertng to his privations in the Ian
guage of complaint, he converted them into a
fund of gratitude, and made the generosity of
The nation, which had provided such retreat
for the suffering poor, his continual theme
Nor did his thankful spirit confne itself to this.
To listen 10 him, you would have believed him
an especial object of divine as well as human
benevolence things working for his good.
The doctor used to say, that No. IL had a
mania for happiness; but it was mania, that
in creating esteem for its victim, infused
fresh courage into all that came within its
range.
/ think | still see him seated on the side of
his bed, with his little black silk cap, his spec
tacles aud the well worn volume, which he
never ceased perusing. Every morning, the
first rays Of the sun rested on his bed, always
to him fresh subject Of rejoicing aud thank
fulness to God. To witness his gratitude, one
might suppose that the sun was rising for him
alone. need hardly say, that he soon inter-
ested himself in my cnre, and regularly made
inquiry respecting its progress. He always
found something cheering to say something
10 inspire patience and hope. himself living
commentary on bis words. When I looked at
This poor, motionless figure, those distorted
limbs, and, crowning all, that smiling connte-