The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1854-06-02
Gerry smlit:.'s widow!

house with which | had been extensively con-
cerned. No one knew tie object Of my journey
because, being 4 bachelor, n easy circumstances,
| was under no obligation TO disclose to any person
more thar thought proper. ieit my farm under
the direction Of manager, with the expectation Of
returning in a few weeks. On my arrival IN
BvI,iraore. concluded to make a sea voyage to
Cuba aud New Ostaans. at which latter nlacn.
mad inpOrtant business. The vessel in which
embarked, alter beng bafled AID detained by
head Winds ut length sprung a leak, and we were
obliged 10 put into Havana. Here various delays
occurred, and could neither talk Spanish, play
billiards, smoke cigars the time hung so heavy
upon my hands, that | soon fretted myself into Il
bilious fever. In this condition my captain left
me, without much saying good-by; and
when at last | reached New Orleans by another
vessel. | found that the person with whom my af-
fairs had been entrusted, absent, and not eX-
peCed TO return for several weeks. There was
no alternative left me, but either TO abandon
the object of my voyage, and risk the entire loss
Of large sum, or by remaining expose my con-
s,iIution, already debiIItated and predIsposed 10
disease TO the dangers of sckIy climate. Un-
fortunately adopted the latter course.
| found tie weather as hot here rs in Cuba,
the Ianguagc as incOmprehcusbe, and The billiard
TALES quite rs devoid of interest. The scdy
season was fast approaching, and as ! had deter
mined not t. escape disease by flight | endeavorcd
to avoid it by prccauOn. 1t is amusing enough,
to those who can look on from distance, TO see
the various cxpcdients by which men endeavor to
contend with death as if the great destroyer was
foe who could be eluded by cunning, or batlled
by force. The yellow fever assaiIcd The lnhabI.
tan:S | felt the malady, or though: | felt 1t.
creeping slowly into my system, and resorted to
every preventive which ray own reason or the eX-
pericucc Of others suggested. | first tried the
Sangrado plan drank water. ate vegetables, and
suffered phrbotomy. Bat | found that
could not endure starvation, nor carry on the
functions of lie without due supply of the circH-
Ediug medium. | rcsortcd TO stimulnns and
tonics--a mint iulep in the morning, bters at
noon. and wine afier dinner; but alas ! with no
better success; for every time that looked IN lhe
glass discovered bv my saIiow visage, that the
enemy was seu,y making MS approaches. My
eyes became jaundced--mv pulse heavy-my
skin Dr. Nj nv complexion received new
coat of yellow every day, deepening At first into
delicate orange, then 10 "a saifrGn, and lastly TO a
coPPrT ls..or, :.a: ac,-ally began to iaas ha:
was dcgenera'iug into a Spaniard, Quareroon,
or Cherokee.
"Coning events cast their shadows before
and on this occasion the shadows that tinged my
face were but TOO prophetic. The dreaded fever
came at last, and | sunk into a state of elPless
and hopeless misery, which none can truly es:i-
Tas stranger, far from home; in a climate tainted
with disease; and attacked by disorder supposed
10 be fatal, That maIady, among other distress
inG characteristics, has which is peculiarly ag-
gravalng. | know not whether others are SINH
larIy affected, but to me fever brings stale Of
excitement and sCnsi.ivcness which produces the
most exquisite torture. My hole nature was sub
niIzed-cyery feeling is qacke kened-and every
sense sharpencd into painful acurrness Of per-
,l-r., a.
agitation acquires a supernatural activity; the
body sinks, but the spirit is leoingy alive. Such
was my state. In the early stages OF my disease
Il thousand wild visions IN my brain. |
made rhymes repeated pages Of Latin, although
in time of sanity | could no; have conntc cled a
Snn'cucc; saw people whose .aces bad been for
gotten for years; called up events which had
'ranSPrcd iii my childhood | planned novels,
composed essays, and devised theories; | fought
battles; recalled the joys, and repeated tie sins
Of my whole life. was d maGman, philosopher,
dcvo'ce, and wag, in the same hour. At one
moment prayed fcrvenlv; at another dropped
the Doctors nostrums in nay sleeve, aud amused
myself win invcmting ingenious answers to deceive
him, aud lrignng symptoms which did not exist
| tested, morai;ztd, groancd, wcpt and laughed
and found in each new mood that came over me-
a Pang agonizlng ) that which had suffered
in the one that had passed Such is fever!
CIuCiaUnT DOOlE pain Win n Drll!dDcY anu
strength of intellectual vision which looks back to
n!ancy and forward TO eternity, and around upon
'he VI hole scene Of lie, hjie the mental eye is
crowded with images. whose number and vivid
ness weary and distract the brain. Loss Of
strength, srnpOr and melancholy uc,eeded.
Thought of home, Of myself, and of death and
my visions assumed every day deeper, more
death-Iikc hue.
There Office, which intruded into all
my dreams. need only name its character, III
order TO enlist the sympathy Of every tender
hearted reader. Ii was a young widow, Tor whom
| ict a particular regard, aud TO whom-if must
speak Out, | was engaged 10 0e married, on nv
return home. She was my first love. had paid
my addresses TO her before her marriage, but was
too bashLui to declare myself explicitly and while
balanced matters IN my own mind, ard sought
by the genilest hints to disclose my passion, She
by some Iatality-by mere accident, as | have
since understood, married certain Jeremiah
Smith, Il fellow for whom, and for whose name,
mad always entertained a sovereign and special
did not blame her for marrying, for
hat was her privileges hut to we'd fellow named
Jerry and Of all The ferries in the world pitch
upon Jerry SmHh disSipated, silly prohiga,e not |
worth single Iarhng too bad 1t was fying I
n the face Of pr"prleiy, ard treating her other ,
overs, who were numerous, with ndignirv Poor ,
Jlri she had sad time OF it, for Jerry treated /
ler worse than brute but at the end of two
years he had the grace TO pop off, leaving her
Dennyless and pretty as ever. Il was long
atf, '.,r 4 Il IF, I !