Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1861-12-04
One Night in Hospital.
EY JANE TYLER.

one NlSnt III 1iospi't''
BY JANE TYLER.
You will come again, lady 2"
"Would you really like for me TO
come! | said, us bent over the low bed.
81 viii die if you leave me now"
"Then shall come; but now is the
time to return-a nights rest will do you
a world good"
'I wish you would not GO"
The tones were so full Of entreaty, SO
full of an unknown wanting, that paused.
"You are very much better, sir-surc-
ly you do not fear"
;She will come tonight" lie answered,
laying his hand on mine, and gazing upon
me with his dark, sunken, but burning
eyes, and | cannot meet her here alone :
felt his pulse-there was no fever, no
deliriun. in its quiet beat. rose to 60,
hnt an unknown power restrained Inc.
Throwing aside my wrappinss, sat Gown
on the foot of the bed
"An hour,I' he murmured. "lave |
changed much?''
every much" answered, sadly.
"But she will know me-know me any.
where"
:sYou are so much BETTER" | replied,
smoothing the white pillow; "in a few h
days you will be able to return home"
"When Madeline comes" he mur-
INJURED, "She will take me with her"
shaded the light from the sufferers
face; still his hand clasped mine, and his
searching glance rested upon the closed
door.
\ night in hospital Tosit surrounded
by the dying and the suffering; to feel the
clasp of 4 levered hand, as if it was send
ing its molten lava through your being
life and death, earth and immortality.
was startled from my reverie by the
sudden movement of my patient, and the
glad cry that l.ung from his lips. "She
had come!" The door swung noiselessly
back on its hinges; a tall, n:agnliicently
formed woman, whose black vestments
swayci to and fro, and over whose should
crs hung a wealth of raven hair, stood
within the open portal. The large pas
so,,ate eyes roam from bed to bed then
she oliled forward, nearer and nearer, uu-
Ill it seemed TO me an unseen shadow clung
around her.
looked upon my patient, his arms
were extended, smile lighted up his
whole face; the woman kncIt by the low
bed, her arms wound around that dying
man and her lips pressed passionately
To his. A glory not Of earth fill over the
white face the limbs relaxed; bent
eagerly forward, suppressing the cry that
rose to my lips. In the dim, faint light
nv patcut was alone. gazed eagerly
around. Surely: did not dream. /
brought the lights TO bear upon my pa
tients features. lie vas dead. Throw.
in, The sheets over the still furm. lhastened
to the watchers department. They bore
him quictly into another chamber. His
baud. wcrr clssred tightly over his chest;
within them IaY' a closed case containing mn
Two miniatures. ! unilstened 1t. 1he
ON, side contained q picture Of the un-
known dead I; the ot!cr--an'| there hurst
upon my view the mirrored self OF that
beautiful wolran-this was Madeline 1t
w.,. h.,ndul ,ne to re5ain until called for.
Their were no inourarrs; but gath.
crc,, white roses and flung them over the
new crave. and went back to lte's duty
sadLer, and, trust, q better woman.
1T is singular" said the attending
SURGEON to me, as stood one day glanc-
ipr over the sick list, +" that the wife OF the
Gentleman YOU nurscd that night should
have died at the same hour, only ten min
utcs before him. am told she was sud
denly indisposed as she rose from the sup
ncr table, and about twelve, almost with
out a struggle, she died, calling passion
atcly upon her husband
lie passed ON to attend to his duties,
not noticing the deathly palor that gathered
over my face. went home with ter
riblc fear rackng my whole system.
Drawing the sacred relic from its hiding
pIace, wcpt as if some part of my life
had been drawn into vast void-wept
as if the fate of these two were blended
with nay own. ;,
Never without shuddsr do | recall
that one nightin a hospital.