Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1884-07-17
SAILOR JOHN.
THE MYSTERIOUS HAN WHO DIED
IN NO. % AT THE HOSPITAL.
A Strange Story From the Leaves Of
an Army Surgeon.-.H0w q Dead
Man Kept His Word.
New Orleans r,us.-p.mocrat.


New Orleans Times DEMOCRAT.
We we're sitting alone in the twi-
light leisurely putting at our cigars
when one Of the hospital nurses came
ont and whispered to the doctor that
Sailor John was "agoin." The pas
sing away of "a mortal is an event
about which there is always some
thing OF the mysterious, and SO we
walked down the corridor and enter
ed Ward l2. The nurse was right.
John was "agoln.'' Like an alto
relieve, out Of the rumpled pillow
rose q face that was Romaa in its
rugged outline, and even the pinched
nose, sunken eyes and compressed
lips did not obliterate the likeness to
some of those historic busts dug up
among the ruins of early Italy. A
student said it looked like Seneca,
and truly there was much to recall
the old philosopher in the wrinkled
features.
I The man in bed "a, restless with
fever, turned over so as to face the
couch Of the dying man. and with
wild, staring eyes watched every
sinking respiration of the old sailor.
An awkward plethoric beetle buzz
ed around the gas jet in an irregular
orbit, its hum being the only sound
to break the silence which the faint
breathings of the sufferer softly
punctuated. The doctor lifted the
sheet and felt the pulse of the pa,
tient. "It's about over," he remark
ed, and he laid down the helpless
arm.
There was q rattle in the throat,
a long-drawn sigh, as if all the sor-
rows of a lifetime were relieved as il
died away, and then the eyes opened
They looked into the doctors and
seeming to find comfort in the return
ing glance of compassion, they clos.
ed slowly. Then there was twitch'
ing of the muscles around the moutf
and in supreme climax of effort the
lips moved and family came forth
stHard port it is, sir" A slight
tremor shook his frame, and all was
over. .....
John had reached the harbor.
Then there was tread of feet ir
the corridor and the carriers of th'
dead came in, and John was tahe1
out to the dead-house and laid beside
other storm tossed barks that haG
that day found last mooring-place
whittier the whole armada of human
ity drift at last. The hospital bel
gave one stroke to announce the de
parture of another soul, and thel
the nurses looked over the ward bool
to see who next should receive hi
dose of medicine, and hospital lif'
resumed its quiet current.
| We went back to the portico ant
resumed our cigars. ga curious
fellow, that" said the doctor: s'thi
is his fifth visit here, and he knew
it would be his last. He was alway
begging me to be at his side when th
end came, and by good luck I chanc
ed here tonight.
"Strange as it may seem to you
this same man was once king. Yo'
smile, but nevertheless, it is true. HI
was cast away in the Pacific am
reached one of the small islands ou
there, where he lived and became tn
ruler of a little kingdom. He longe'
: for white society and abdicated AM
went back to the sea. ''.' -. ..
"But that is not what l wanted t
speak about the doctor went or
: lighting fresh cigar. ''It's his Gu
rious ideas of his ability to com
back from the other world. He ha
talked to me by the hour on this sut
! ject until 1 put him down as spirit
ualist of the most orthodox kind. d
S has promised me to make his pre-:
ence known on the night of his n:
tivity, June 80, and has excited m
curiosity not little"
"If he could only do that" sal
: I, sit would be the solving Of all OF
doubts
l. eyes," replied the doctor, 81
message ever came from beyond Il
Styx, and good sailor as John wa
he cannot, I believe, recross tn
lnky fiood.'
The above little episode happens;
in the Charity hospital about the mi
die Of May, 1869, and the doct'
spoken of was one known and hela
ed throughout the city and state.
i is but little over year since he, t,
crossed the Lethean stream, but b
:. fore his death he told the writer Il
facts given below, speaking OF. tie
d as curious coincidence, and not t
moment looking at them in a suls
= stitious light. k.
He was man of remarkable nery
was as brave as Ceur de Leon al
would be as little daunted by the a
pearance of a simon pure ghost
. he would by the approach OF an o
friend. It was but short time b
fore his death and whilst Canal sire
was a pandemonium OF sound, a
1, horns and fire crackers were maxi
Christmas eve hideous, that, seat
in his Office, the conversation turn