The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1861-11-06
From the Richmond Dispatch.
one NIGHT IN A HOSPITAL.

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From tie Richmond Dispatch.
ONE NIGHT IN A HOSPITAL.
ny JAMIE TYLER.
You viii come again. ladyf"
Would you really like for me I'd come r.
said as bent over the low bed.
81 will die If you leave me now.
Then ! shall come but now il ID time
70 re,lre--a nights rest viii do you world
Of good
Il wish you wosld not Co..
The tones were 90 full ii entreaty. 90
full Of an unknown wanting. that paused.
You are very much better, air--surely
you do not fear r.
"She will come tonight" he answered.
laying his hand on mine, and gazing upon
me with his dark, sunken. bur burning eyes,
. and cannot meet her here alone"
| felt his pulse -there was no fever, no
delirium in its quiet beat. rose to 60.
but an unknown power restrained me.
Throwing aside my wrappings. ! sat down
at the foot Of the bed.
IAN hour. more thanan hour p he MUIR
INJURED. Have changed muchs"
Very much" answered. sadly.
/" But she will know me--know me any.
where"
!" You are so much better replied,
smoothing the white pillow 81 few DAYS
you will be able to return home
"When Madeleine comes" he murmured,
" she will take me with her"
Il shaded the light from the sufferers
face; still his hand clasped mine. and his
searching glance rested upon the closed
door.
A night in hospital. To sit surrounded
BY the Diving and the suffering; TO feel the
clasp Of fevered hand. as it il was send
ing It's moulten lava through your being
life and death, earth and immortality.
was startled from my revery BY the sudden
movement of my patient and the glad cry
that rung from his lips, She has come"
The door swung nniselessly back on its
hinges; tall, magni6cently formed woman,
whose black garments swayed lightly 10 and
fro, and over whose shoulders hung wealth
Of raven hair, stood within the open portals.
The large, passionate eyes roam from bed 10
bed; then she glided forward. nearer and
nearer, until il seemed to me an unseen
shadow chung around her. | looked upon
nv patient, his arms were extended, smile
lighted up his whole face the woman knelt
BY the low bed, her arms wound around
that dying man, and her lips pressed pas
sionately TO his. A glory not OF earth fell
over the white face; the limbs relaxed. |
bent eagerly forward, suppressing the cry
that rose to nv lips. In the dim, faint light
my patient was alone. | gazed eagerly a
round. Surely, did not dream. ! brought
the light to bear upon nv patients features.
He was dead. Throwing the sheets over
the stiiled form, FASTENED % the watchers
department. They bore him quietly into
another chamber. His hands were clasped
tightly over his chest, within them Law a
closed case containing two miniatures. !
unfastened ii. The one side contained a
picture of the unknown dead /; the other,
and there burst upon my view the mirrored
self Of that beautiful woman--ihis Madeleine.
|, was handed me 10 be retained until CALI
ed for.
There were no mourners; but | gathered
white roses and flung them over the new
grave. and went back to life's duties . sad.
der, aud, trust, i better woman. ut il
singular, said tie attending surgeon TO me,
a. stood one day glancing over the sick
lis,, thar the wife of the gentleman you
nursed that night should have died az the
same haur, only ten minutes before him. l
am told shs was suddenly indisposed As she
rose from the supper-t4ble, and about twelve.
scarcely with struggle. she died, calling
passionaiely upon her husband"
He passed on 10 attend to his duties. not
noticing the deathly palior that gathered
over nv face. went home with terrible
fear raeking my whole system. Drawing
the sacred relic from is hiding place.
wept y il some part o. my life had been
drawn into vast yoid--wept a. il the fate
Of these two we're blended with my osn.
Never without shudder do recall thai
one nigh. in hospital.