The Van Buren press., 1875-07-27


Put off the train, bag and baggage,
was driven to a wretched little tavern ant
left to die or recover, as saw fit. | have
distinct memory of Il doctor feeling m
pulse, of dreary certainty of filth ant
discomfort all around me- and of burning
thirst. Then followed agonizing dream.
of delirium, with pain in every limb, rack
ing headache, loneliness, madness. was
fever racked, with horrible fancies-now
being sawed apart by medical students
now heset by wild beasts rendng me limt
from limb, now in sea Of fire, now in q
desert, craving water | could hear ting
ling from near fountain, and yet could
not reach it.
Then, in my delirium, came some angel
who cooled my lips, put water to my head
let air in upon my sitting agonies.
could net make my tongue attsr th,
words in my mind it would baDble o
everything else, but chiefly Of Susie, and
the fear that she would come to take the
horrible fever.
And in my home there was a scene en-
acting have heard described so often |
can put it here as if I had seen and heard
1t all. Susie lay white and weak in her
own room, with our frst-born in her
arms, nottwo days old, when telegram
came to her. The docter at Vaughan
Station had found my address in my note
book, and telegraphed my condition
'Oh,' sohbed Susie, he will die there,
all alone, and will never know, mother,
what you have done for him.
He shall not die alone, Mrs. Gardi-
ner, resolately. He shall have a good
nurse, and a loving one, as fast as steam
can carry her. Eh, Hannah 2
'Yes'm,' said Hannah. You make
your mind easy, ma'am.. I'll do my
duty
There is no train, till night Can we
pack trunk of invalid comforts, Han
nah-wine. ielies, clean linen, bed clothes
md fruits ?
Yes'm, said Hannah, again.
SO while | tossed and burned, these
.wo raced round the city, gathering up
comforts for me, till the trunk stood
backed and ready when the carriage
,ame to bring my narse to me, and Susie
,ried over her baby, and sent me tender
messages.
From some abyss of horror-some
horrible rock of dclirious agony, l have
. faint memory Of being recalled to a dim
of realities by low, sweet
1oice saying:
Drink this
Something cool, and pleasantly bitter,
vas put to my parched lips, and over ev-
.fy sense efcpt 4 torpor, gentle sooth-
ng to slumbcr, till ap.copsciousnes died
night, asio .4-4,4ss,. GOT, 1,sAia.,s. sut., +,
money in hand I eng ;'s,7;s-.a ',;s -. "f j !. !,
| looked about ND l was perfectly
that had lost my reason in a
bare, desolate room, where tie sun peer
I'd through dirty windows, and the bar
est necessaries of life were of the poor
est description. looked at the windows
shaded by dark green paper and soft mus
lin curtains; ut the floor, scrubbed and
sweet smelling; at the bed-inen, white,
clean and cool: at a little table beside me
with snowy cloth, upon which lay great
white grapes, luscious oranges, tamarinds
in goblcts Of water. Then feebly turn
ed my head to see standing beside me,
with anxious tenderness in her soft blue
eyes, my-mother in law
You must not talk she said, very
gently, her soft little hand falling upon
my forehead like snowflake, but try to
keep very quiet All is well at home,
| hear from Susie every day. She is get
ting well fast, and your son is in splendid
health. .
My son"
Now, have given you apleasant sur
prise to dream upon. try to sleep again.
But first take drink of beef tea. 1t
should taste of home. for l bought the
beef in cans from your Uncle
Israels store. He sent the grapes and
oranges, and lot Of good things you
shall have by and by.
But YOU said, wondering still, 'aro
YOU not afraid of the fever?'
Il have taken all prudent precautions.
WINS the reply, and my fear was not SC
strong as my love for my son
Thank YOU mother, / whispered,
and | saw, through my own misty eyes
her lips quivcr, as | called her by that
name for the first time.
Can | ever tell how she nursed me back
to health, humoring all my sick iancies,
yet guarding against all hurtful indulgen.
ces? All the CHEEKY letters Susie wrote
she read to me, and answered for me, till
my own weak fingers could guide pen,
Gil. In her thoughtful affection, she had
packed in the wonderful trunk, light read
ing to beguilc the hours of convalcscace
When ! could sit up, she exerted her in
genuity to keep me from feeling lonesome
and would talk unwcaringly of that won
derful baby, with eyes blue as patch oI
summer skies, and n mouth like cleft
rosebud. Susie's letters were n great
comfort, and answering them, giving hu
morsus accounts of cur wrctched accom-
dations, occupied many hours.
But the day came. at last, when the
doctor said could start Tor home with
out fear of carrying the contagion with
me Carefully we destroyed every arti'
Gle that could cndanger our dear ones
and started for Memphis, with the pleas
ing certainty that, no accidents befalling
we could travel by easy stages, and react
home before my boy completed the sec
ond month of his little life,
The unwearied tenderness that hat
brought mc back from the jaws of deatt
removed all discomforts from my jour
, 4 ., ,II ,,z,lr,,l So,