The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1875-11-11
symptoms are of a very grave nature.
You see the fever had undermined yorl
before you came home, and unless

DeIOre you came home, and unless -"
"AH right, DOCTOR" Isays, /" Iunder-
stand. You mean that unless you can
get a new plate in the boiler she won't
stand another voyage. -
'sOh, come! we won't look upon it as
a hopeless case," he says. ssThere's
always hope.' y After little more talk,
he shook hands and went away.
Next day when he came had been
thinking it all over, and was ready for
him. don't believe was bit better.
In fact, / know I was drifting fast, and
| saw it in his eyes as well.
waited till he had asked me his diff
ferent questions, and then, just as he
was getting up to go, asked him to sit
down again.
"Polly, my DEAR" says, 81 just
want few words with the DOCTOR" and
she put her apron up to her eyes and
went out, closing the door after her very
softly, while the doctor looked at me
curious-like, and waited for me to speak.
doctor" says, "youEe about
given me up. There, don't shake your
head, for I know. Now, don't You think
I'm afraid to die, for don't believe
am, but look here. There's seven chill
dren down stairs, and if leave my wife
a widow, with the few pounds i have
been able to save, what's to become of
thema Can't you pull me throughp"
my dear fellow,n he says honestly,
"1've done every thing I can for your
case" -
"That's what you think, DOCTOR"
says, shut look here. I've been at sea
thirty years, and in seven wrecks. It's
been like dodging death with me score
OF times. Why, I pulled my wife there
regularly out Of the hands Of death, and
I'm not going to give up now. I've
been --s a I T sss
"stop. stop" he says gently. ss'You
are exciting yourself. -
"Not a bit, !" says, though my voice
was quite q whisper. "I've had this
over all night, and I've come to think
must be up and doing my duty.'
"But, my good man, he began.
"Listen to me, DOCTOR" says. IA
score Of times I might have given up
and been drowned, but I made fight
for it and was saved. Now ] mean to
make a fight for 1t right here, for the
sake of the wife and BARNS. don't
mean to die, doctor, Withonta struggle.
l believe this here, that life is given to
us all as treasure to keep. We might
throw it away by our own folly at any
time, but there's hundreds Of times
when we may preserve it, and we never
know whether we can save it till we try.
Gives drink of that water.''
He held the glass to my lips, and /
took q big sdraught, and went on, he
seeming all the time to be stopping to
humor me in my madness.
That's better, doctor,'' I says.
&C Now look here, sir, speaking as one
who has sailed the seas, it's terribly
stormy time with me. There's lee
shore close at hand, the fires are drown
ed out, and unless we can get up q bit
of sail, there's no chance for me. Now
then. doctor, can you get up bit Of
sail?''
81 win go and send you something
that viii quiet you, - he said, rising. {
"Thanky, doctor, . I says, smiling to-
myself. "And now look here, I'm not
going to give up till the last, and when
that last comes, and the ships going
down, why, I shall have try if I can't
swim to safety. H that fails, and can
really feel that it is to be, why, hope
I shall 90 down into the great deep
calmly, like . hopeful man, praying that,
Somebody above win forgivf me all I've
done amiss, and stretch out / is fetherly
hand to my little ones"
He went away and Idropped to sleep,
MORN ov,t xuifh ,,nv ovovkion
When I woke, Polly was standing by
the bedside Watching me, with bottle
and glass ON the little table.
As soon as she saw my eyes open she
shook up the stuff and poured it into, .
wine glass. sssrH ssg4ss ass e sts.se n RS 81
'sIs that what the doctor sente'' I
says.
aYes, dear; !; you were to take II di-s
rectly.', IS s-.F ss Il ID s.iI
"fhen shan't take it, / says.
=" He's give me up, and that stuff's only
to keep me quiet. Polly, you go and
make me some beef tea, and make it
strong"
She looked horzi6ed, poor girl, and;
was about to beg me to take hold Of the
rotten life-belt he'd sent me, when I
held out my shaking hand for It, took
the glass, and let It tilt over there was
only about . couple of teaspoonfuls in
it, and the stuff fell on the carpet. /.
Isaw the tears come in her eyes, but
she said nothing only put down the
glass and ran ont to make the beef tea
The doctor didn't come till late the
next day, and I was lying very still and
drowsy, half asleep like, but I was
awake enough TO hear him whisper to
Polly, Sinking fast;;'' and I heard her
give such heart broken sob that as the
next great wave came on the sea where
I was floating i struck ont with all nv