The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1885-04-25

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and ct last oblivion came.
1t was late at night when l woke
from the stupor produced by the drug.
Just as it became daylight the pain
| began again, with redoubled intensity
1t would seem to concentrate itself for
a moment in my shoulder, then spread
all over my body like ripples on a pud-
die Of water into which one drops q
stone. Every ripple of pain seemed to
| burn its way along nerve and artery,
| and | could not help shrieking out in the
intensity of my torture.
The nurse was greatly alarmed when
he came in and hastily empted some
| powder from a vial he carried into q
glass of water, and held it to my lips.
| drank the draught eagerly, hoping for
| relief from pain, or death, | cared not
much which.
Again that deadly stupor crept over
me, and felt consciousness leaving my
brain. Soon | knew no more.
When again vague sort of conscious
ness came stealing in upon my be-
numbed senses as the first faint beams
of coming day steal in upon the gloom
and darkness Of night | became aware
of the sound of voices in the room.
could hear words spoken, but they
seemed far off. Gradually they seemed
to come nearer, until at last could dis
tinguish what was being said.
He died day before yesterday"
heard the surgeon say, in tones full of
respectful sympathy. The nurse found
him suffering terribly and gave him a
large dose of morphine. That seemed
to quiet him. The nurse reported the
case to me, and | came as soon as |
could. When l came he was dead. l
am sorry that you could not have been
here sooner, madam. He often spoke
of his mother If had dreamed how
near the end was [ would have tele-
graphed at once. But I supposed there
was no immediate danger"
81 wish [ could have been here" a
voice choked with tears made reply
the voice of my mother. 80, my poor
boyr"
Then felt warm kisses pressed upon
my lips and tears fell like rain upon my
face.
Good God! They thought l was dead!
The terrible truth flashed over me like
Lightning.
Dead!
For many hours I had been lying
there wrapped in the icy semblance of
death, and my mother was preparing to
take my body home for burial! | tried
to open my eyes, to speak In vain!
No muscle moved in response to the die
tates Of my will. The current of life
was frozen in my veins.
1t was terrible, terrible, terrible, the
awful, sckening feeling that crept over
me when | found that my body had
thrown off allegiance to my will and
that | was powerless to move finger or
lift an eyelid. | was dead, to all out
ward appearance. Once the thought
came to me that perhaps this was really
death and my soul had not vet taken its
leave Of the house Of clay. But | could
not believe that, and l stroye to shake
oil the lethargy upon me again and
again But my will could not accom-
pIish its purpose. Ifelt myself receding
into Inconsistencies again, as wave
goes out from shore till its identity is
lost. was wave on the tide of life
going out into oblivion. Thought then
that | was indeed dying. The semblance
of death was fast becoming its reality.
Then came another long and utter blank
in my existence.
When again consciousness returned,
it brought sensation of intense cold.
seemed to be in some region of ice and
frost All my energies seemed con-
gealed in deadly numbness. Again
tried to move, to open my eyes. Not
muscle stirred.
How long was this to continue? l
asked myself that question, but | could
not answer it. Then the thought came
again that after all might be really
dead. How did know that the soul
left the body when what men call death
takes place? Might it not remain and
be conscious of earthly things the same
as before? Who could tell what hap
pened after the breath of life has left
the body? The lips of those called dead
never opened to divulge the secrets of
death. Perhaps Twas finding them out.
But no! no! 1t could not be that | was
dead! | was in trance. But they be-
lieved | was dead, and they would bury
me alive!
By slow degrees the truth of my posi-
ton came upon me. was in my coffin
| leave you to imagine, if you can,
what | felt. But you can not. No one
can who has not been through the same
terrible experience.
Then steps came into the room. [
felt myself lifted and borne out. | was
carried for some distance. Then knew
that those who bore mo were ascending
steps. | heard the creaking of heavy
doors, and then the deep and solemn
tones of an organ broke forth in the
Dead March in Saul.
| knew, then, that was in the church
| had attended previous to my enlist
ment. | was back in my old no me and
friends had gathered to pay their last
tribute to my memory.
Then the organs mighty voice died
out in Il long minor chord and the
minister read in slow, impressive tones:
II am the resurrection and the life;
whosoever belieyeth in Me, though he
be dead, yet shall he live again,
Then came messages of comfort from
the word of God to sorrowing hearts. |
heard the sobs of friends about me, as
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