Randolph County journal. [volume] (Winchester, Randolph County, Ind.) 1855-1862, 1859-10-06

Nv no visits the sick.,,

uas thirsty. and ~ gave n1e drink: INas
a stranger. aud se took m- Ia; naked. and
se clothed me, aas M prison, sad ye came
unto me-"
Two years since a ccse Of much in
terest occurred. which illustrates the
motto at the head Of this article. \
man was taken sick al the hotel where
he was stopping with his circus. Ere
quent attacks. approaching cholera In
their character had greatly debilitaied
hlm. aad. added to his excessive labor
IN the ring. had kept up the attacks
daily. lie checked them at night with
brandy. and sometimes capsicum An
acute inflammation of the stomach AMI
bowels supervened Ills company
went on toward New York, while he
stopped for day TO recuH.' a. he
told me. When | entered his room
Now, doctor. said he. 4 must leave
tomorrow. and You must fix me mp
quickly. Put on the strong team.
can stand II. and | must meet my men
IN two days His only hope OF life
was absolute rest and quiet Tor weeks.
and | composed him n best ! could
from hour To hour \ man from the
company returned to nurse him, but
he proved To be a worthless inebriate.
and | watched four days and nights
with the sick stranger. hardly leaving
him for an hour. ON the fourth dav
modification appeared. and he sank
slowly into the arms OF death. lie had
a fine muscular form. and broad
chest. but his labors had strained the
whole muscular system beyond endur-
ance. and when the disease became
fixed the vital powers rapidly sank,
and the mind reeled: he was again I'm
the circus. cheering his horses he
chirped to them again an! again. and
encouraged the riders. and 50 went
down into death amid the sports ofthe
ring
The gentleman who was with him
claimed TO be a relative, obtained his
KEYS. and was sent TO the nearest town
for a coffin He abstracted all the
money from the trunks, went TO the
city, and when about half way back
with the coffin. was put off the ears.
coffin and all. being too drunk to tell
who or what he was.
About sunset | went down into the
streets to get hell to lay out the dead
man; but he was a stranger and hal
died suddenly. and not man could
find TO help wash aud dress the body.
With more than dozen | attempted
to reason the case, that they tco must
die, and among strangers perhaps. and
possibly with some pcStilential disease,
and would need the common acts of
humanity as well as Ar, R, but
in vain: the panic was complete, and
| passed over whole village. accost-
ing every man ! met. a~l could find
but two. butcher and asasoa. who
the one covered with blood, and the
other with lime--went in anil ai,lcd iir
washing and dressing the body.
staih alone with the body most of
the night. Ii was rainy and tempest
uous. and busted myself walking the
room. wetting the face of my dead
friend. and watching the storm. y
loud knocking summoned me to the
street door, and there stood before me
six laborcrs, drcnchcd with rain, and
chilled by the cold. took them to-
the bar-roosn. aud raised fire and LETT
them. In about half an hour | heard
them approaching the room where |
was watching They raped and en-
tered, anil inquired kindly what allied
the stranger, how he died. whether he
had wife and children, and where
they lived. and Il he was destitute and
left without means of bGrial The
whole scene was new, and tea re most
strange What hail sent them there
| knew not; 10 me they were stangers;,
though citizens Of the county, | knew
none of thcm. They informed me that
they beard stranger Avas sick there,
and supposing that he might need
help. they had rode fifteen miles.
through adriving storm, to see to him.
My amazement increased. and was
only relieved by one of the members.
who saw my embarrassment, remark
ing that the deceased was an Odd
Fellow The whole affair was plain
now, and used as ! sn to death and
suffering. II moved me most deeply;
tears flowed and voices were choked,
and all seemed to partalso' Of the sym
pathY. knew the sick nan lad
wife AMI children; had sAked him to
allow mc'to telegraph TO them. but he
refused. anil sndden turn IN the cur
rent of life sent him to the grave. with
no friend near, no wife OF child 10 part
with him on his dying couch. To Zee
those brethren of the mystic lie hunt
ing his bedside amid storm and dark
ness. TO be to him \ frienl aud brother.
touched the deepest fountains Of my
soul. The human heart loves human
ity, and when I shows itself at such
an hour, il calls from the inner depth
of the spirit all that is best aud bright
est. and most genuine in true man
hood. took then agaan To the fire.
asked them If they were hungry. anil
after imparting all ] knew. repaired
to my task, and they wcr,led their way
home in the storre and wind.
The next day passed. ami nothing
could be heard Of the man or the cof-
fin; but the telegraph discovered him.
and before Ae was aware q Il hv was
arrested, searched, and the money Sc
cured. The coffin arrived. when the
body was carried TO n vault, 10 await
the orders OF the family.
In few days one of the company
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