Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1885-01-17
SELECTIONS.
IN A DEAD-H0USE.

We were sitting alone in the twi
light leisurely putting at our cigars
when one of the hospital nurses
came out and whispered to the doc.
tor that Sailor John was +" agoin.n
The passing away of a mortal is an
event about which there is always
something of the mysterious, and SO
we walked down the long corridor
and entered ward IL. The nurse
was right. John was " agoiE." Like
an alto relieve, out Of the crumpled
pillow rose a face that was Roman
in its rugged outline, and even the
pinched nose, sunken eyes and com
pressed lips did not obllterate the
likeness to some of those historic
busts dug up among the ruins Of
early Italy. A student said it look
ed like Seneca, and truly there was
much to recall the old philosopher in
the wrinkled features.
The man in bed %, 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 awkard plethoric beetle buzzed
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
sheets and felt the pulse of the pa.
tent. ats about over" he remark.
ed. and he laid down the helpless
arm.
There was q rattle in the throat, a
long-,lrawn sigh, as if all the sorrows
of a lifetime were relieved us it died
away, and then the eyes opened.
They looked into the doctors and
seeming to find comfort in the re.
turning glance of compassion, they
closed slowly. Then there was a
twitching of the muscles around the
mouth, and in a supreme climax OF
effort the lips moved and family
came forth, $. Hard a port it is, sir.''
A slight tremor struck his frame,
and all was over.
John had reach harbor.
Then there was a tread of feet in
the corridor and the carriers of the
dead came in, and John was taken
out to the dead-house aud laid be.
side other storm tossed barks that
had that day fouad last mooring
place, whittier the whole armada OF
humanity drift at last. The hospit-
al bell gave one stroke to announce
the departure of another soul, and
then the nurses looked over the ward
book to see who next should receive
his dose of medicine, and hospital
lite resumed It's quiet current.
We went back to the portico and
resumed our cigars. "A curions
fellow, that" SAID the doctor; "this
is bis fifth visit here and he knew It
would be his list. He was always
begging me to be at his side when
the end came, and by good luck l
CHANGED here tonight.
"Strange as it may seem to you,
this same man was once king. You
smile, cast away in the Pacific and
reached one OF the small islands out
there, where he lived and became
the ruler of little kingdom He
longed for white society and abdi-
Gated and went back to sea.
/" But this is not what / wanted to
speak aboul," the doctor went on,
lighting a fresh cigar. "It's his
curious 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 a
Spiritualist Of the most orthodox
kind. He has promised nue. to make
his presence on the night of his ma
tivity, June 80, aud has excited my
curiosity not a little"
/ If he could only do that,r said l,
" it would be the solving of all our
doubts
: Yes,' replied the doctor, .no
message ever came from beyond the
Styx. and good sailor as John was,
he cannot, believe, recross that
inky food"
4 The above little episode happened
in the charity hospital about the
middle of May, 1860. and the doctor