Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1865-04-20

and | haG retired to my own room, peo-
pled the darkness with hideous sights
and som etimes fancied [ could hear the
death groan Of some assassinated victim
under my bed. This state Of things at
length grew so bad that it rendered me
unfit for my studies I then determined
to break through the superstlti Gus net
by which I was surrounded. [ shat up
the novels, and cndeavered to dissip pate
their effects by going into society. |
succeeded in some measure in effecting
my purpose.
! One night after I had retired to bed,
| I heard some one ringing violently at the
Office bell. Dir. Colburn had gone some
miles in the country to see patient, so
it fell to my lot to answer the summons.
[ crept to the window and fourd man
before the door.
"NThat is it p I asked.
"You must come and see Mr.. jenkins
directly, he is very ILL., replied the mes
senger.
every well, I will be there in few
minutes" I returned in no very good
humor, for this DIr. jenkins was an old
patient Of the doctors, and an unproTta-
ble one 100; he had never paid cent in
his life. Resides which, he was a hard
drnkcr, and had had several attacks Of
| deliriuna trcnoens [ thought it very
probable I might be detained there all
night, as he was usually very violent
! when suffering fgogi these attacks !
dressed myself hurriedly, and slipping
bottle of laudanum into my pocket,
(opium is the best for deliriuno tronaensl
made the kest Of u.y way to Mr.. Jen-
kins dwelling.
He lived short distance from town !;
and confess some Of my old supersti-
tious feelings returned when I had left
the lights Of the town behind. | was
not sorry when I stood before my patti
ents residence.
In reply to my summons, an elderly
woman opened the door; the moment
she saw me she exclaimed:
"Ob, Doctor, | aIn so glad you have
come, for Mr. Jenkins is very bad in
deed worse than he has been yet
| followed the woman up stairs and
: entered the patients bed room. A ter
ribIe sight met my gaze. The invalid
f was a raging maniac Hc was sitting
. uprish in bed, his copntenance express
ing intense alarm. Ills eyes were roll
ing IN bis bead, and appeared to be very
much projected His hands tremhlcd
ard picked at the sheets with conynIsiye
grasps The moment be saw me he
gIared at me Ike tiger about to spring
upon its prey.
Back back !" he loudly cried, Il
will not come. VIII no one free me from
tlia prosecutor =
"llnsh = whispered the woman, at is
the Doctor =
The Doctor = he exclaimed with a
vacant stare. Give me brand y-bra
dy say The room is filled with ser
pents they are Kissing round the bed !!
Take them away f. for Gods sake take
: them away
Iapproachcd the bed and took hold
of his hand
: Your hand is ice-cold = cold !" said
he, with a shudder. ''Ah see that
snake, it is coming here, keep it off,
His raving increased, and he became
? very requiring force to keep
him in bed After time his physical
} powers began to fail. Just before his
} existence terminated, he raised himself
: in his bed, and in hollow voice shrek
ed out
"Fool that you are I will haunt you
!, after death y
With these words he fell exhausted on
the couch-o gurgling was heard in his
e tbroat-a convulsive spasm seized his
D limbs, and he was dead
: | returned home very much shocked
t with what [ had seen. Il was the first
fatal case of dc7jrium tren,ens had ever
: beheld. and perhaps itlvouid he impos
S sible to find anything more appalling OF
n horrifying to the feelings. The last
f words of the poor wretch made deer
impression On my mind, aud | was
haunted by them for several days.
+ About week after this event [ wa:
summoned to the chief hotel Of the town
= to meet some college chums, who were OF
the road to Canada, and took advantage
4 of passing through Burlington to spenC
: the day with ne.
, I dined with them. and we passed
: what is called jolly time-which means
b that we drank a great deal more wins
r than was good for US, and acted as il
! became rational beings. Tn the course
of conversation, [ related to my friends
the particulars of Jenkins death, dwell
ing especially on the evil effects of in
f temperance, knowing at the same time
5 that | was not practising what | preached
e By some turn Of the conversation the
subject of physical courage was intro
: duced. The brandy had made me very
!, eloquent
'.Well, for my part | exclaimed, q
b think it all nonsense for any one to be
= afraid. Nothing can be mere unphilo-