Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1854-03-15
CHAPTER XXXYII1.


FruiHces searck-a scene IN the Hospital.
The two brothers sat in the room Of the
Student one evening discussing the matters
that had transpired. For days they had
made inquiry after Jacques st. Clair, had
searched the different Directories of the City
but all without a clue to any discovery OF
him. Jerome had frequently heard the Res
urrectio list spoken of and had even seen him
once or twice but had never learned his name
and much less suspicioncd any affinity with
him. Louis was to leave the port again in a
few days on another voyage, and the idea of
leaving R-x without any intelligence of
the fate Of his drunken father and mother
was not at all pleasing. Diligent inquiry was
made by the young men, but without success.
From his commendable department and
urbanity of manner Jerome Grandon had so
far gained the favor Of the Professors in r
* College as to secure the ofice of first
clerk in the city Hospital, q station that af-
forded him means of becoming conversant
with the multifarious diseases Of the body as
presented in the sick wards of that institu-
ton.
On the evening alluded to above, Jerome
was to visit the Hospital to give his personal
attention through the night to a man who
had that day entered the wards to be treated
for Delirium Tremens, and a train Of diseas-
Co OOiSCuuCAlb upOh VI NAooARUOAOA HAN
indulgence in spirituous liquors. 1t being
an interesting case, and the two brothers
wishing to remain together as much as pos
sible, at Jcrome's request Louis concluded to
accompany him to the Hospital and spend
the night there.
The Hospital was q large stone ediGce,
surrounded with u high brick wall, enclosing
q grove of elms, naples and hickory of some
two acres in extent. They entered the in
closure AID walked up the ggEga aH v kkrtts9etthhS tbs
the building. After going up three flights
Of wide steps they were in the sick ward and
walking along between the clean beds to No.
10 they stood over the sick man. lie was
laying comparatively easy on his back, look,
ing steadfastly up to the white plasterin2
overhead without noticing the approach Of
the two brothers.
How do you feel now, SIR said Jerome
in q kind tone.
Aha! it's the Doctor is it?' said the pa
l tient in a wild manner.
> Well, Doctor, that is a queer question tC
l ask a sick man that's the likes o. me dom
YOU see that | am held queer?
s i hope you are better than when you were
admitted this morning, SIR
MY sack is almost run, DOCTOR
jerome reached over to take his wrist in
his hand to examine his pulse, but the pa
q tent sprang to the other side of the bed ex
claiming:
s No you don't! no you don't; there is
snake in your hand and | am dying fast e
y nough without it's mortal bite =
: Jerome tried to soothe the man hut he raw
ed in the wild distract on Of his delirium un
Ii til he sank into an uneasy slumber. His fac
was cold and claminy, his pulse was weal
and thready-he was evidently near his end
He started from his slumber, the effect O
the opiates he had taken in the morning, wit
a conclusive tremor that shook the frame O
his bed AMI started a groan from the lips @
more than one sufferer in the ward, who ha
= raised up on their elbows, resting their head
on the hand to witness the sufferings of tn
dying man, causing them for the time to fol-
IF get their own maladies.
lie lay calm and pointed his finger up t
- the cross bar that swung over his bed, a cor
t~rivance by which feeble patients might tur
, themselves in bed, he pointed his trembIin
finger at 1t for a long time and said to j
rome:
Don't you see that sooty devil perched 0
the cross bar up there swinging his red h(
= knife over me? Ha: ha ha! he is tryin
n to brighten me. Look at the imp fappin
his crisped wings, as if to crow over me !
IA Hist how his parched wings ring and ra
tie like the clanking of sheet iron Don
you let that blazing sword fall on me, 20
re careless, tantalizing wretch. There is al
other-one -two-three-the house is flu
of flying devils, black End sooty. How the
= swarm and fan me with the hot air of the
= leaden wings! Has the town clock rung ii
{. midnight hour yet? Still they come! Do
III tor, please drive that one-a very monster
fact-from the foot of the bed he has stoC
it. there this blessed hour, ever since the clos
a struck eleven, with his yellow eyes fixed
me and they have looked right into my b
som where it burns so holly. Drive him
% way with your cane. Thank you, sir tn
II moved him. But, Heavens, sir, you ha
OK made it worse the hundreds that were f
ing above me are now turned loose in the
IS, vengeance-he was their master and seeil
on him driven away they have gone into w
h. and fight, they fight like mad unrestrain,
devils! See they are clashing their red h
swords-the sparks are raining down up
lu ma-the bed is on 6re-I'm on fre-showe
ne Of reptiles fall into the bed with me hi;
es ing and winding their scaly bodies about il
in Pm burning up-burning up and the d
or ing reptiles are singing me-fre-wrath
~
- In the midst of this terrible excitement t
poor man went off into a frightful convulsi
lar son-the frothy blood oozed out from |
lat mouth and run down in streams upon t
white linen of his couch and he fell into
ed slumber again.
w.. Awful . said Louis.
Oh lie can't survive many hours in this wa
replied Jerome.