The Waco daily examiner. [volume] (Waco, Tex.) 187?-1888, 1884-07-12

PRONOUNCED REMINDERS OF DEATH.
Tho New Orleans Physician who Keeps
Constantly By His Bedside His
Coffin and Crave
Clothes.
IN. o. Times.Democrat.I

in upon an old gentleman who for years |
has been devoting his life to acts of benef- |
cence, and yet to the general public his
charitable deeds, peculiarities of charac-
ter and mode of life are as things un-
known.
On Rampant, between Union and French
men streets. stands a comfortable double
cottage. fronting immediately on the side
walk. 1t is built in the old Creole style.
with high, sloping rooms, having window
shu tiers, and the oldfashioned doors with
glass panels above the lock. The regula
ton box-steps lead up to the entrance,
through which the passer can almost al
ways see parlor full of ladies, with deli.
cate. cmaciated children on their laps, all
waiting their turns to be received. The
proprietor OF this modest residence is Mr..
Peter NJ. Peterson, q native of Denmark,
ANA citizen of New Orleans for the past
tifty-siX years.
He Is now seventy years of age, and some
twenty-five years ago retired from active
business, after having obtained compe-
tencY. Under Governors Walker, Hebert
! and Wichlitfe he served faithfully as har
BORN aster of the Third district, and was
re-appointed by Governor Thomas Over
ton Moore, but resigned his position and
retired.
with all his years he still preserves a
cheerful, happy manner, vivacity and
fund of dry humor that is most entertain
| ing, and though most of his old intimate
friends have passed away, still enjoys II
quiet chat when he has the lei. ure to take
it.
Entering the parlor yesterday. the
| -,
| greeted with a warm welcome by Mr. Pc
trrson and invited within. Although
! buslv engaged, he took enough time to
converse about himself and his lite, all OF
which was of a most interesting charac.
| ter
His wife died some fifteen years ago,
aud her loss was an irreparabe one to
him. Without a relative on earth her de-
mise was the last link binding him to
earth, and alone and sorrowing he contn-
ued to inhabit the old homestead, with
nothing to occupy his mind. strange
drowsiness came over him, and he slept
most of the time, awakening unfreshened
and still in a drowsy condition. He re.
solved to take up the healing of the sick az
"a means of relieving the ennui into which
he had fallen. He had for years devoted
himself to the study of medicine, and had
| perfected a system of his own which in the
past had secured some remarkable cures.
Possessed of secrets known only to himself,
his successes increased his practice so fast
that he found it impossible to attend to all
| who called.
Never receiving cent for his kindly at
tentons, he was beseiged from daylight to
late into the night with people pleading
for his aid, until of late he has had to re
fuse to see any but those affected with the
most serious disorders.
His parlor is now curiosity shop OF
rank upon rank of bottles and walls, each
j containing cancers, tumors, ct III omnc,
! QcHuS cures he has effected. 1t is u WORK
of self devotion, and, from consumption
to the most frightful acute diseases, he ha'
with untiring energy given the last fifteen
c years of his life without the hope of any
! reward beyond the self-satisfaction of do
ing good.
A devoted husband, on the death of his
j wife he erected tomb, which has attract
ed as much attention as probably any il
the cities of the dead in the neighborhood
Visitors out to the ridge cemeteries will
3 probably recall, on the right-hand side OF
the Metairie road, little beyond wher,
the Canal street cars turn toward tn,
Halfway House, what appears to be a
pyramidal pile of large stones. 1t is not
unlike some Icelandic cairn. This was de
signed and built under the direct super
vision of Mr.. Peterson. The rocks wer,
brought from Brazil, and there were used
in its construction Is tons of them.
The interior is finished AS neatly as
y, casket, there being copper casing cover
ing the entire inside of the vault. This il
painted in white zinc paint, and the di
mansions have been SO scrupulously al
" hered to that there is not half-inch t,
q spare for the coffin of Mr.. Peterson, wher
he shall be laid away.
In anticipation of this event Mr.. Peter
son keeps in his bedroom neat cotlir
- which fits him accurately, and in his ar
moir "A suit of black broadcloth grave
clothes, which he renews every year. A
" ne is the last of his race, he has made thes
y preparations so that no one need have an,
trouble ms to his interment. With all theS
, funeral preparations around him. contrar,
y to what would be expected, he is always II
= n GOOD humor and takes life with a
" eouaIimitv seldom seen. He has no hesi
dissolution, and the final end has no ton
:, rurs for him.
:, The upright coffin standing against th
:. wall is anything but pleasant object t
ID. look upon on retiring, yea such are the ei
fects OF long habit that lie discusses it
>, measurements and qualities without
change of expression.
, He lives alone and now seldom goes out
, and his days are devoted entirely to hi
pa,ientS, who come from all parts of Tia
city, and even the State.
ia During the conversation he exhibited
n mahogany brown mass, not unlike putty
y although of "a diff erent color, which he SAL
A. was his plaster for removing cancers.
a had been analyzed by physicians, he said
"a but none had been able to discover it
T. components.
The bottles, the patient in an adjoinin
S, room having remedies applied for canoe
a. in the side the coffin and grave clothes
e. and the bright-eyed old gentleman, mad
d No picture not soon 10 be forgotten,
-