Monmouth weekly herald. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1854-1860, 1857-12-10

lng-I knew 1T to be real, yet for hours L
held but a state of semi-conscious-
ness. But knew that death was over
| knew | lived. | recognized the vari
Gus members Of my family in my room.-
| heard my fathers voice, subdued but
joyful, proclaiming his unwavefing faith,
during all. that I was alive.
Then the doctor came. He entered
the room where | lay.
"The boy is alive, doctor!l" exclaimed
my father.
Nonsense! was the heartless knayes
reply-this devil Of doctor. At times
| feel | must hate him, this doctor who
had college warrant on parchment to
murder and bury beneath mountains.
He does live, doctor!" persisted my
father. Feel beneath his arm!'
The doctor put his %hand-his falthless,
cold, skilless hand, beneath my arm.
The little life there was in me recoiled
from the contact, fled back to its sources,
and gave nc response to his murdereus
touch.
/" There is NO beat there" said he, CON
temptously, turning to- my father. 1T
was all your. fancy"
My father put his hand beneath my
arm again. Trembling, f~aith-shaken.
wayering-his touch told all that, as he
pressed the artery long and 10 throb re-
spond9d. The little rill of life was too
faint and weak to flow.
Long he held his finger there, and
through it | could feel his hope die away.
He withdrew it at last; and he gazed on
the face of his dead son. He looked
long. He was a kind, good father. |
know where the grass grows above his
grave. He gazed long, and turned away
as one who babe farewell.
An hour passed. He came back reso-
lutte, hope dauntless in his eye, as if some
inspired frenzy made him hope against
hope, and bear his faith into the presence
of despair.
He touched again the artery beneath
my arm. He felt the throb. 1t was full
Ter aud faster, as hope seized and animat-
ed me and him together. The pulse was
clear-small, weak, as it might be, it was
still marked and clear. He felt it was
no fancy.
He brought wine and put a teaspoon
filled with it to my lips. The palate
and n~ostrils felt the sensation. They
slightly moved. The shadow of a color
come in my face. He knew lived.
My recovery was slow. For three days
my s~ustenance was half a t%easpoonful of
wine passed to my lips every two hours.
After that they gave me a whole tea
spoonful at the same intervals. [ gained
strength slowly. At length l was able
to get up.
But l was crippled forever. From the
hour | have not been able to lift my right
arm from my side. Below the elbow the
limbs is powerless. Ny left hand | can
not raise above my head: I was bled in
either arm.
Sometimes, without thought, | make an
effort to raise one arm or the other be-
You'd the line which the paralysis Of Ell
Their has fixed. Then on a sudden all
grows dark before me: my head swims,
and for an instant, | feel the awful noun
tain's weight upon me. The spasms pass
es away and ] live again.
| commenced no action for damages
against the doctor. Aside from the fact
that he did not then possess means to re
spond to the possible verdict, my friends,
with the ~perjudices of the time, would
have dissuaded me from suing him at the
law. Courts and the " facility" in those
days believed in blood, and the lattor
took it when they would.
Do not deem, reader, that the forego.
ing is any tale of the imagination. 1t is
= stnry Of the boldest fact. | live in New
nn~pilaisfeId and Westfld,