The Vermont transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1864-1870, 1864-07-08
THE SICK MANS REMON-
STRANGE.

Cant live long" said one watcher.
"What will become of his poor wife
and children |" said the other.
l groaned audibly, which brought my
two watchers to my bedside
care You in great distress?' said
number one, holding a lamp in my
face, and taking my hand in his.
! Then examining my nails, he gave
number two a knowing look, which
( did not escape my weak eyes. Pre-
pare" said he,a Tablespoonful of bran
/ dy in some water, with little nut
meg
Now nutmeg W rs always my detes-
tation, anywhere and at any time; and
brandy had resolved never to taste
again. SO with this dose in prospect
| groaned again, determined to upset
it when it was placed to my lips.
But l had no power to raise my hand;
so ] let it run from my mouth, I
didn't care where
Cant swallow, said number one.
II thought twas no use to fix it. -
said number two; guess he's had his
last drink, - placing the glass upon
the table with the exclamation, 80,
dear, what would his mother say if
she only knew how sick he was
wish she was here, for | don't believe
his wife knows anything about sick
ness. She's just as calm as though he
were at work in the field; and / don t
see how she could leave him tonight,
l., In 4.
my wife dcing it. Day and night she
sticks right by, and I've no doubt she's
saved me from fever.
This was as much as / conld bear.
But instead Of making me feel that |
was going to die that night or the
next, sort of determination sprang
up that 'couid live, God helping me;
and the only reason that / did not
send them both out of the house,
when they commented upon my wife S
doings, was my complete prostration
| knew from this that I had been, and
still was very sick; and there is only an
indistinct remembrance of the remain
der of the night. There seemed to be,
whether sleeping or waking, that con
slant buzz III my ears, with dreams of
battle-felds, where my poor wife and
children were overthrown and tramp
led under foot
When the physician called in the
morning he spoke of more fever and Il
bad pulse; said must keep quiet, see
no company, and know not what
else. l never shall forget that day.
The silence was just the medicine
which my exhausted system needed.
but the dread of the night-watchers
haunted mel wanted to be alone,-
to rest didn't care if it Numbered
or hghtened, or if the roof of the
house was taken off; it could not be
halt 80 bad MS tsss- -,nteAeraNple whis
pering
"Mary," / said to my wife, as she
came to me with her loving inquiries
do not leave me another night
These watchers will kill me; cannot
have them again.
She told me she would not have left
me, but she could keep awake no long
er. She tried to convince me that
they were very necessary, and that
could not take care of myself. / told
her if she would stay in the same room,
and sleep without watching me, /
should be quite well in the morning.
She promised me that should not be
disturbed, that she would not leave
me. then slept long, quiet sleep,
and awoke quite refreshed
Perhaps others are more fortunate
i'll their watchers than was. If not,
| would advise them to stay alone with
no one within breathing distance, rath-
er than to listen to such ominons init
nations, Ito say nothing Of the rat
Ting of newspapers, the squeaking of
boots, the eating of the midnight
lunch, and the snoring, during the re-
mainder of the night, while you turn
watcher instead, wondering when the
dawning rW come to send them home.
The social nature, or the nervous
temperament of some may be such
that they will crave the presence of
company without realizing its injuri-
Gus effects, even after the exhaustion
produced by the raging fever. And
some possess the rare quality of know
ing how to watch with the sick. You
cannot tell how it is done; but there is
a peryading quiet all around you. You
need not think for yourself or any
body else.
One good lady teek care of me oc-
casionally, whose soothing attentions
seemed like an angel's--leaying her
wings outside, lest their rusle should
disturb mel With her / had no APP
prehension,--no annoyance of any
kind. Drink and medicine were al
ways taken readily when they came
from her hand. Quite the reverse was
another person, called nurse, who
was with me during short illness of
my wife. Had she come at an earlier
period of my sickness she would have
been my death, Her first care was, -
herself Day and night she tried to
entertain nue. with various episodes of
her life, particularly those in which
there had been a call for patience and
self-denial; giving me to understand,
in various ways, that my improvement
depended upon the exercise of these
same virtues. Her attendance was
by no means calculated to improve my
Christian temper or the condition OF
l. N a IL