Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1862-09-06
THE nfvsPrRgoUs waTCEF.


You have no faith in the supernatural 2 I have
You do not believe in pecromsscy, or asrology
OF in the power Of the evil eye : I do. The
reason tor this is, yOn are Americans, descended
from English ancestors, while I have German
blood in my veins, and inherit a reverence fol
what you sneeT at. Were \ disomboiiad spirit
70 arse at my bedside tonight, l should ques-
zion it, and own to being frightened while You
| would throw a csndlestick atItS immsterisl head
and insist to the last upon its being burglar in
disguise. Yet, mark me, in spite OF yourself,
your hair would rise and your blood curdle, and
you would feel what you would not acknowledge
/ for ihe world. Bah ii such things have no ex-
iFssnce, what do our strange shiveTiugs and
shudderings mean and why 90 ne look about
/ US Eigh awe stricken eyes when we pass grave
/ yards after duski FOs DO not you say Are
! you sure of itf have never seen a ghost, and
/ 1 cannot say that I desire the spectacle. There
must be an uncomfortable beating Of the heart
/ ss tveh sight. l doubt if many could retain
| both life and reason through such an ordeal.
! l an doctor. Years ago I was very Door
! and very young. l came from nv own country
with my diploma, and nothing else l found
thst the great cities Of the new world were full
! Of doctors young End poor as I was I left them
and went westward. I settled in the State of Ia
diana. l. was then one great ferest, with clesr-
ings here and there for fields Of corn and rude
log houses. Any one led q hard life there, aud
doctors, it sesmed to me, worst Of all. Miles
and miles Of hard riding, through rain and mud,
TO visit patients who could pay nothing miles
back again, 70 steal few moments Of rspose be-
fore another announcement Of some one being
e very bad ~ l Was skin and bones in a twelve
month, but that was nothing uncommon in that
part Of the world. The only wonder is, that I
did not have what they called fever'n sger."
was the only person free from it for fifty square
miles. However, l prospered, after q certain
fashion, azd IL year or two made considera-
bls local reputation. The place was CROWN z,
and ny spiTitA begsn to revive.
L Was about this time that I first saw ny
watch, 80 which al I have now to tell rslates
cold night in November had set in. I was at
supper in my little home, azd enjoying it IS only
hungry and weary man can eIj y food Don't
ask what / had il was " out west" remember
or course, theTo was q preparation Of cora, and
preparation of pork, and a preparation of
whisky; corn meal, pork, and whisky are the
staple articles offered out west" l was en-
joylng nv supper, as l ha7o ssid, and loud
knock a. ny door was not the most delightful
sound which could have broken the silence
However, ssid "Come in 9" with IS good q
grace as possible, and stranger entered. He
was tall, broad shouldeTed man, in the dress of
bachwocdsmaa, and his large features wore a
troubled expression. l saw az once thai some
thiBg serious had occurred.
&" It's . bad night to trouble you to CONS so
isr, doctor" be ssid looking a. me from under
bis fur cap but there is a bad accident hap
Pensd over ct our clearin', and if you kin 90
anything for tee poor chap, III be glad to sea i
done, more particularly as 1 helped to shoot
him"
Helped to shoot him 9" said, with start,
what DO you mean Z"
g We took rim for some kind of critter,
that's how it was" answered my visitor mot
purpose, stranger We think heaps Of him.
Ids Fl hev shot myself"
new the man spoke the truth, and, taking
my box Of surgical Instruments under my arm, |
followed him to the spot where his horse was
tied. Mine was already saddled; my little oar |
key knew well enough what the arrival iortend- /
ed, ana had made him ready. We wer, off in g |
few moments.
Few words we're spoken as we rode along |
through the darkness. 1 asked whether the |
wounds were serious, and my companion re- /
piled" I'm afcard they be, doctor" 1 asked /
If the injured man were young or old, and he |
answered." ising forty" and then, after |
few words upon the badness of the road, we re-
lap5ed into silence.
At last glimmeriDg light told that we had |
approached dwelling ana with short g. were |
thar, doctor my companion sprang from his 1
saddle and entered the door. I followed him |
The room was feebly lit by Pickering candles. |
About bed in the center were grouped four or /
FIVE men and woman, large and broad shoulder |
ed as any Of her masculine companions. A /
child, too, lay crying in its cradle, but no one 4
seemed TO notice MIN. They made way for my /
approach, and saw a figure stretched upon |
ths bed. 1t was that Of e man with sinewy /
hEbs and weather beaten face. His shirt Was
unbuttoned, and the breast and sleeves were
soaked with blood.
'Tsin't Of no use, dector," be said, as 1 !
bent over him; Il" I'm q gone coon. Doctors
stuff amt no account 70 me new
cid not believe him. His face was not that
OF dying man, and the wounds scarcely seemed
dangerous These bIllets are bad things TO
have IN ones ade, )" I said, but men have lived
through more than that. Cheer up"
i ain't dOwn-hearted, doctor, answered the
man. Il shsn't leave no children nor no wife |
to fret alter me and suffer for want Of my rife. |
never hev been much afearsd Of death. But |
can tell you all you can dos no use. There's |
q sign that can't be mistOolz."
The group about the bed glanced at each /
other, and the woman shook her head at me as /
though she would have said Never mind his |
words
did what could for him. The bullets were
extracted, the wounds bound up. He was weak |
but not desperately so. l looked at him and |
smiled. "HoW nowi" said l.
'"Taint no use-the watch is stopping fast"
be answered.
Then for the first time, l noticed that beside
him on the bed lay great old-fashioned silver
watch, the case battered, the face discolored and
that it licked with q strange dull sound, as
though it were very old and feeble
The watch has been injured by the bullets,
suppose" said 1 besides, all watches stop 81
times."
''Not this one, stranger" said the wounded |
man. They've laughed about that watch
hundred times; now they'll find my story's /
true, reckon. That watch and 1 viii stop at
the same minute"
The woman at the bedside shook her head |
again. "Itls an old fancy o. yourn, Mike Bar
low" she said; you'll live 70 see the folly Of it."
80 they talk" said the man. "NOw listen, |
doctor. You've ceme for to see me and done sll
you could. I'll give you that watch. LIS money