Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1877-07-04

-lfOTdSU0yth.
Sleep is the litigation of sense, but the liberty
of reason. We are somewhat more than ourselves
in sleep, and the slumber of the body seems
10 be but the waking OF the soul.-Relgi0 Nedici.
Tom and I were only brothers. Our
parents having died while we were quite
young, left Us little besides their bless
ing, and alone, and almost friendless, we
had struggled on together in misfortune
and adversely, looking forward hopefully
to successful and happy future. Our
lonely place in the world had strength
ened an early affection, and at the time
of which | write the feeling had become
a closer and warmer sentiment than that
commonly existing between brothers.
Indeed, we loved one another dearly
[ tell you this to show you how great
was my sorrow and anxiety when, one
day IN the latter part Of June, 1870,
Tom was brought to bed with serious
attack Of typhoid fever. Being a med
ical student, [ was constantly noting lit
tie symptoms that would have escaped
layman's eye, and hourly vascillating
between hope and fear. | made myself
very miserable for days at time, when
there was really no necessity.
For three long weeks, day and night, [
watched at his bedside, and, at the end
Of that time, physicians pronounced him
out Of danger, they strongly advised me
to go into the country for rest. In
deed, | was Worn out, mentally and
physically, and, when Tom joined the
doctors III a request that [ should go out
of town to recuperate my Uis vitR, [ re-
luctantly consented to leave him.
| sought the country, and one fine
afternoon in the latter part of July I
found myself at Lake Mahopae, having
arrived the day before. A short "a
hours had made me feel almost myself
again, although my nervous system had
by no means regained its equipoise
Tempted by the CLASSY surface of the
lake and the rich masses of verdure over
hanging the shores of its two islands, [
yentured forth in little row-boat, tax
ing fishing pole and some bait with me-
Having pulled slowly out and passed be-
hind Round Island, | headed in again,
and anchored at a little distance from
Grand Island. Casting my line, I lit my
pipe, and patiently waited for a bite.
The day was warm, and the wind fast
asleep far away. 4 half hour droned it.
self along, and not bite-not even a
nibble. Wonderfully lazy, and some
what disguised with my luck, stretched
myself out on the cushioned seat, and
began to muse on the subject of fish and
fishermen.
Suddenly there came crashing sound
from the shore of Grand Island, loud
cry, and then thud, as If some heavy
hoo hoe 70! r
ton whence the sound had come, and
saw large object, apparently the body
OF a man, lying on the shingly beach,
where it seemed to have fallen from a
jutting mass Of rocks above. Surprised
and alarmed, [ seized the oars and pulled
to the spot where the object lay. Ny
fears were well grounded, for, to my
horror, [ found an old man there,
bloody, and groaning with pain When
[ asked him where he thought he was
hurt, he pointed to his head and leg.
With true surgical instinct" [ was
about to rip up the leg of his pantaloons,
to see if there were any broken bones,
when he motioned me to stop, and said:
Don't; please don't touch it. Take
me home"
III arrange the boat first, and make
it a little more comfortable" [ said,
starting toward it.
No, no" he cried, q live up there"
pointing to the woods behind u.s. " Cant
you carry me?" [ looked at him in
amazement, for the clerk at the hotel
had told me that the islands were unin-
habited. Some poor devil thought.
who is hiding from justice, or some
one, perhaps, who, tired of the world aad
its ways, lives here by himself" -
Whichever it might be, the man seem
ed badly hurt and In need of immediate
attention. More than that, felt a
strange interest in him, and was curious
to see where he lived and what manner
Of man he was. Despite all my care in
lifting him, he groaned with the pain.
IL. J.