The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1884-08-29
MIDNIGHT NADEAD-HOUSE


We were sitting alone in the twilight
lcisurcly putting ut our cigars when one
OF the hospital nurses came out and
whispered TO the doctor that Sailor
John was "agoin." The passing away
of a mortal is an event about which
there is always something of the mys-
FERROUS, and so we walked down the
long corridor and entered Ward II.
The nurse was right. John was
"agoin." Like an alto relieve, out of
the rrumplGd pillow rose n face that
was Roman in its rugged outline, and
even the pinched nose, sunken eyes
and compressed lips did not oblitcrate
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 wrin-
Killed. features.
The man in bed 81, 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 plcthoric beetle buzzed
around the gas jet in IN irregular or
bit, It's hum being tho only sound TO
break the silence which the faint breath
ings Of the sufferer softly punctuated.
The doctor lifted the sheet and felt the
pulse OF the patient. "It's about over"
he remarked, and he laid down the
helpless arm.
These was rattle in the throat,
iCng-drawn sigh, as If all the sorrows
OF Il lifetime were relieved as it died
away, and then the eyes opened. They
looked into the DOCTORS, and seeming
TO find comfort in the returning glance
Of compassion, they closed slowly.
Then there was n twitching of the mus
Giles around the mouth, and in su-
prcmc Climax of effort the lips moved
and family came forth, Hard port it
is. sir" A slight tromor shook his
frame. and all was over.
john had reached harbor.
Then there was a tread of feet in the
corridor and the carriers of the dead
cnlme in. and John was taken out to the
d"an-house and laid beside other storm
tossed Darks that had that day found n
last mo0l iug-place, whittier the whole
armada II humanity drift at last The
h"spi'nl hcll gave one stroke to an
n0uncc the departure of another soul,
ANA then the nurses looked over the
ward ., ok 10 see who next should re-
cr.vu / i, lose of medicine, and hos
p.ial at" resumed its quiet current.
W" ~ NJ back 10 the portico and re-
iumrd ,hr cigars. "A curious fellow,
Inat." ~. | the doctor; this is his fifth
visit here. and he knew it would be his
.in>t. II" was always begging me to be
. a., sidu when the end came, and by
IurR | CHANGED here tonight.
Strange as 1t may seem to you, this
same man was once king. You
smile, but, nevertheless, il is true. He
was cast away in the Pacific and
cached one of the small islands out
there, where he lived and became the
ruler of little kingdom. He longed
for white society and abdicated and
went back 10 the sea.
But that Is not what / wanted to
speak about" the doctor went on,
lighting fresh cigar. Its his cur
ious ideas of his ability to come back
from the other world. He has talked
TO me by the hour on this subject until
put him down as n spiritualist of the
most orthodox kind. He has promised
me to make his presence known on the
night of his nativity, June 80. and has
excited my curiosity not little"
'.If he could only do that" said /,
.ft would be the solving of all our
doubts"
Yes" replied the doctor. mo mes
sage ever came from beyond the Styx,
and good sailor rs John was, he can
not, believe. recross that inky flood"
The above little episode happened in
the Charity hospital about the middle
of May, 1869, and the doctor spoken of
was one known and beloved through
out the city and state. 1t Is but little
over year since he, too, crossed the
Lethean stream, but before his death
he told the writer the facts given be-
low, speaking of them rs curious CO.
incidence, and not for a moment look
ing at them in superstitious light.
He was q man of remarkable nerve,
was MS brave as CGur do Leon and
would be as little daunted by the
appearance of a simon-pure ghost
as he would by the approach of an old
friend. IL was but n short time before
his death and whilst Canal street was
pandemonium of sound, and horns
and irecrackers were making Christ
mas Eve hideous, that, seated In his
office, the conversation turned on
things supernatural. The trepidations
of youth over spooks and the fears of |
tho superstitious Of older growth were
laughed at, and it was not till after the
subject drifted to hospital life that the
doctor exclaimed:
That's fact; don't believe ever
told you my experience in the dead
house OF tho hospital after Sailor Johns
death. / never cared about saying |
anything regarding IL, for II have 10
confess It. for the first time In my life |
was little weak.
.'You know the dead-house at Char
ity hospital and its INTERIOR Well, / /
had had case of aneurism that puz-
zled all Of us, and. being young phys
ician then, had natural pride In my
diagnosis. which did not agree with
that of the other surgeons. So / de-
termined that when the patient died,
as he was sure to do. would hold an
autopsy myself. Well, the poor fellow
succumbed ut last, and, as had been
busy all day. could not get back to
the hospital until III o'clock on the
ulpub VI Juuc OO. TememUcF the Udte |
well. Illuminating the inside room of
the dead-house. there was but a single
gas burner alight Rigid on one Of the
dissecting tables was my subject await
ing me.
Il needn't tell you that, after all Of
my student life at the hospital, going
out there alone ut that time of night
produced not the slightest impression
upon me. We were TOO used TO such
things to notice them. In fact, SO
great was my desire TO prove my dag
nosis correct as against that Of other
PHYSICIANS, / thought only Of the case.
and nothing else.
1T was anything but a pleasant
night may say that came. re-
member a more disagreeable one. A.
clustering norther was blowing and q
heavy rain falling. The wind moaned
around the caves Of the hospital as II
hundreds Of sufferers were In agony,
and the gurgle of water In the cutters
.Nt Lar a. ..tms T. 1