Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1874-03-20

| Fellow he was 100, or WOulu nave Deen III
he were not wrapped and muffled TO the
last degree for warm autumn day. He
seated himself by the fire with groan.
"What's the matter ?" rather sharply
asked Aunt Hepsey, who, although the
kindest woman in the world at heart, had
way of speaking that made her seem
otherways.
"Im afraid I'm going to have typhoid"
solemnly replied the invalid.
"What makes you think soS"
| 81 felt cold chill run up my back just
now, and that's one of the symptoms"
groaned John.
Zone of the fiddlesticksl" snorted the
old lady. al have them any time"
I'm afraid I've got it," was the lugu-
brious reply. My heart disease is worse
to-day, too; it thumped quite hard as
came up the hill. Just hand me that
bottle Of pills"
The pills were handed with an indig-
nant jerk, and the sewing resumed. After
pause the sick man went on:
"I am quite confident my cancer is
growing rapidly; have had five distinct
pains in my liver this afternoon, and
three this morning-an increase of two,
you see; and there is no doubt my stomach
is diseased past all help. l have had no
appetite all day (only eight buckwheat
cakes that morning); probably infamma.
tion is about to set in. Pass me the
bottle of aconite;I am little feverish."
The aconite went across with sniff.
az don't know but l shall have the
lockjaw; they have felt very strangely all
day."
Another pause.
"Don't you think we'd better have q
little more fire? My neuralgia has been
threatening all the morning"
Aunt Hepsey said nothing as she put
on more wood, but from the way she
looked at the chimney it was evident she
thought that answer might come down it,
During this conversation, which was a
sample of what took place every day,
Kate had come up and seated herself in
the back door-which Aunt Hepsey would
have open in pleasant weather, neuralgia
or no neuralgia. While listening she had
been thinking. John Brumer-or Cousin
John, as she always called him-was a
handsome fellow, and, outside of his
many diseases, tip-top good fellow; and
saucy Kate thought more of him than she
wished to think of one in such deplora-
BILE condition. Hence she resolved that as
she couldn't be cured, John must. She
had always been a kind nurSe to him, hu-
moring all his whims and crotchets, and
taking the best of care of him.
"I am sure, mother"-she always called
Aunt Hepsey mother" that Cousin John
looks very badly, and ought to have med
ical attendance at once; but as the doctor
is not near enough to be of service we
must do our best to save him." and she
felt his pulse with her very little finger,
and pursed up her lips and looked very
wise indeed
John began to look alarmed at this cor
roboration of his own gloomy fears.
"He must have dose of composition
at once, bottle of hot water put to his
feet, and of course must go to bed imme-
diately"
John would have demurred to this part
OF the arrangement, but she did not give
him time.
typhoid is very plenty around Just
now, and no doubt he is going to have an
attack; nearly every case fatal, too" she
added musingly to herself.
John was now in a cold perspiration of
anxiety at the way she treated the mat
ter.
"I-I-you never-you don't really
think so, do your IL think 1 am feel
ing a little better" stammered he; but
Kate extinguished him at once.
Nonsense, you are worse-much
worse; you change every minute. You
must go to bed at once" and as he really
grew pale she said, as though thinking
aloud" Probably won't be delirious for
some hours yeti" which had the effect of
using him up completely.
For three days she kept him a close
prisoner in bed, curtains close drawn,
instructing Aunt Hepsey, who attended.
cts piled upon him and make him
drink plenty of hot pepper-tea and
such things; which things, COM
bined with his nervous fears, kept
him in a continual state of perspira
tion, and were, taken on the whole, con-
siderably worse TO endure than the fever
would have been. During that time she
invited in some of her young friends and
made the house wiring with fun all of
which made the sick room seem doubly
tedious. Then she allowed him to come
down stairs, looking very pale and weak
and "bleachy"
"How do you feel to-day, cousin -
asked Kate, looking fresh and rosy herself
as could be.
81 feel very weak; the room has been
rather close and warm" Which was
very true; Aunt Hepsey having, meta.
phOrically speaking, given good measure
saying nothing, but looking as though the
question had been somehow answered.
Don't you think a little turn outside in
the air would do me goodf"
| Mercy no. What an ideap and Kate
looked Mortified. "Sit down here by the
fire, instantly, and be covered up;" and
three large warm shawls were wrapped
and piled around him that warm autumn
day. The heat, and something she said
in low tone TO her mother about "Poor
fellow, am afraid the cancer is growing
again, and how lucky 1t is that father
bought the cemetery lot so soOn," made
him the source of a vast number of little
rivers of perspiration Immediately.
For three weeks Kate would not allow
poor John to venture near an open win
dow OF look out of the door, but contin-
ued the first treatment; and then she de
clared the fever vanquished. But as she
had discovered meantime about five hun.
dred new diseases fastened upon him he
aid not find much relief in the victory.
In fact, being sick under his own treat
meRt and under hers were two different
things. Every day she prescribed some
bitter and disagreeable doses to cure a
new malady she had perceived coming
on. His pleasant walks were all done
away with, too; he being too weak and
| i'll, she said, to venture out All ofwhich
afforded the old lady unbounded satisfac.
tion and delight
One night Kate came in and, seating
herself beside John, who sat alone in the
room, said
"Uousin John, of course you are my
friend, and will advise me for the best.
and want some good advice just now.
i think, John, of getting married"
Though she looked blushingly in the fire
as she spoke, she observed him very mar
rowly out of the corner of her eye.
"Whatl" shouted the invalid, starting
up and looking, In his heavy wrappings,
like a clumsy pattern of mummy
"Whatll"
"Oh, dear me, cousin, you must not
get so excited. Remember your heart
disease, beg;" and Kate pushed him
into his chair as she spoke. He groaned