The Van Buren press., 1872-01-23

There is Tue unmistakable and dreadful
death odor about me,
ait is, indeed very remarkable
smell, said the baron. .....r.
A" can explain it in no other way,
replied the pastor with sorroSful earn
estnss, ethan by assuming that mortia-
cation has already set in. had the frat
intimation of it to day during baptism
which / was giving. Ny wife remarked
it as soon as came home, but thought
thorough washing would remedy the
whole matter. But the action Of the
colonel, whom just left, and your own
lsft me no doubt that it is something
deeper than all this II my assumption
be correct, have buta few days to live"
The baron and his wife tried to coa-
sole the poor man, butin vain. iHg
81 am lost, " he said, with a ameaneho-
ly attempt at q smile, Gods win be
done All ask is, that He will give me
lime TO put my family matters in order,
and then l will willingly die.
The pastor went home and threw him-
self upon the bed The baron sent the
stable boy to the nearest town to bring
the doctor. The latter found his patient
in great sweat, with steaming pot OF
herb tea by his side. 5Ea.
"Save him doctor, for Gods sake,
save him, , cried the young wife, as she
burst into tears.
The doctor examined, inquired, felt,
smelled, drummed, and listened at the
patients side, but then shool, his head.
He found it impossible to locate or ac-
count for the ominous odor.
at is very strange thing, muttered
the medicine man "Continue drinking
the herb tea, and take a purgatiye, for
which ] viii give you a prescription. In
the morning take a cold bath. Further
than this, cannot advise you for tho
present In fact, will acknowledge
that in all my extensive practice, no
disease Of this nature has ever been pre-
sented to me-. ........ ...-r -.rt
The poor pastor drained whole rivers
Of herb tea, gulped down the medicine
which the doctor had prescribed, and,
next morning, after q sound and refresh
ing nights sleep, he felt as well as usual,
But in the afternoon, just as he was 60
ing to church TO unite a young couple in
marriage, the dreadful odor made itself
painfully apparent again. The pastor
went through the marriage service with
a trembling voice, while the bridal pair
and their friends looked anxiously about
them to find the source Of smell which
was simply unaceoputable to them. AT
last the undivided attention Of the com
pany was directed upon the pastor.
There could be no doubt about 1.-THE
horrible smell came from him
The bridal pair and their followers
withdrew from the church as soon as pos
sible, and the poor prescher crawled
home and sent for the doctor again. The
latter came and found his patient stretch
eiupon sofa, but this time there was
no evidence Of the sihgular4odor'
"I tell you something is wrong, Eek
iel, "ssid his good wife; "you must go
to DR.. Oppolyer, in Leipsic--I shall die
Of fearify you do not.'
"Its no use, Marie,' was the poor
husbands answer. at is the warning of
the dcathly poison-mortifcatio itself
and no physician can be of avail now
I hear the call from above and am ready
to yield to the supreme will, You must
be consoled, Marie the Lord will not
desertyeu. You will not suffer want, for
since have had this good place, | have
had my life insured for 1000, besides
which you viii receive the regular wild.
ow's pension. had hoped, indeed, to
spend many happy years with you yet,
but man proposes and God dlsposes' "
Then few days passed without any
apparent change, the dreadful odor man
ifesting itself from time TO time. Yet
the pastor ate. drank, AMI slept like q
healthy man. When at home and free
from the odor, ha would gain new hope.
One day a servant came from the bar
ons house, and said the colonel had sent
him TO invite the pastor to game Of
"skat, ...,.,.
- can't go, my dear Frederick, said
The pastor I" / can't make any visits in
my present condition. You must tell
The colonel so. r.a. ... 4
81 can't take any excuse, sir. said
the servant; "the colonel says that ho
Will come for YOU himself, if you do not
EO VI INiAOhSs SAS iNi 90 WV 9liiIii 40 VIZ
cerned, don't give yourself any unessi
ness, Larga pincAes Of snuT and piPesI
ofyery strong tobacco have been prcNi.7
del, which will cpunteract every other
smell 50 yop viii be expee!ed at 8
O'Clock. " ,,
The good pastor thought that the col
ouel had given him this invitation in or
der TO afford him some distrection, and
that it would be rude on his part TO reject
it. lie went, bptbe noticed in ascending
the mansion step, that tie odor had
come back, and il was so much stronger
now that there was no doubt as to the
death smell The baroness went away
as socn rs the smell manifested itself,
and the colonel ordered the card. table TO
be bror6ht to the open window and tho
pipes to be lighted. The poor pastor
played in very despair, for. in spite OF
their clouds of smoke, the dreadful smell
rose into the noses Of ths players from
tmo to time, as if IL were warning of
the modification OF all flesh. The pas. |
tor happened TO be very lucky in the |
game, and this caused his spirits to rise
somewhat. lie had just received hand |
ful OF face cards and was sure to win the |
game, when servant made bis appear
ance and asked the attention of the baro
n at fnr a tnofuuOt |.... .lf.f..