McCook weekly tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 188?-1886, 1885-03-26

that could feel the sweat starting on
my forehead / could not keep back
the groans of agony which rose to my
lips.
Presently the nurse came in. See
ing how terribly l was suffering, he
called the surgeon who CHANGED to be
passing through the hall.
"PoOr fellow! he's bound to have
hard time of it," the surgeon said.
"Give him this powder now, and if it
doesn't relieve him, give another. 1t
may be necessary to give two, but
don't do so unless he suffers intense
ly."
l swallowed the powder. Gradual
ly the sense of excruciating pain died
out. and at last oblivion came.
1t was late at night when l woke
from the stupor produced by the
drug.
Just as it came 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
puddle of water into which one drops
a 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 emptied
some powder from vial he carried
| into 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 all consciousness
leaving my brain. Soon [ knew no
more.
When again vague sort of con-
benumbed senses as the first faint
beams of coming day steal in upon
the gloom and darkness of night, 1
became aware of the sounds of voices
in the room. l could hear words
spoken, but they seemed far off.
Gradually they seemed to come near
er until at last l could distinguish
what was being said.
He died day before yesterday" I
heard the surgeon say, in tones full of
respectful sympathy. "The nurse
! found him suffering terribly and gave
large dose of morphine. That SEEM
ed to quiet him. The nurse reported
the case to me, and I came as soon as
l could. When l came he was dead.
l am sorry you could not have been
here sooner, madam. He often spoke
of his mother. If l had dreamed how
near the end was, | would have tele-
graphed at once. But J supposed
there was no immediate danger"
Il wish l could have oeen here" a
voice choked with tears made reply
the voice of my mother. "Oh, my
poor boy''
Then felt warm kisses pressed upon
my lips and tears felt like rain upon
my face.
Good God! They thought I was
dead The terrible truth flashed over
ME like lightning.
For many hours had been lying
there wrapped in the icy semblance of
death, and my mother was preparing
to take my body home for burial! l
tried to open my eyes, to speak. In
vaini No muscle moved in response
to the dictates of my will. The cur
rent of life was frozen in my veins.
1t was terrible, terrible, terrible, the
awful sickening feeling that crept over
me when l found that my body had
thrown off allegiance to my will, that
/ was powerless to move finger or
lift an eyelid. l was dead to thought
came to me that perhaps this was all
outward appearance. Once the really
death, and my soul had not yet taken
its leave of the house of clay. But |
could not believe that, and L strove to
snake off the lethargy upon me again
and again. But my will could not ac-
complish its. purpose. | felt myself
receding into Inconsistencies again.
as wave goes out from shore till its
identy is lost. / was wave on the
tide of life, going out into oblivion. l
thought then that [ was indeed dying.
The semblance of death was fast be-
coming it's reality. Then came
another long and utter blank in my
existence.
When again consciousness returned
it brought sensation or intense cold.
l seemed to be IN some region of ice
and frost. All my energies seemed
CONCEALED in deadly numbness. Again
l tried to move, to open my eyes. Not
muscle stirred.
How long was this to continue? 1
asked myself that question, but L
could not answer it. Then the thought
came again that after all mig hit be real
ly 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 as be-
foreP Who could tell what happened
after the breath of life has left the
body? The lips of those called dead
never opened to divulge the secrets of
death. Perhaps 1 was finding them
out. But no! no! 1t could not be
that I was dead! 1 was in a trance.
But they believed | was dead. and they
would bury me alive!
By slow degrees the truth of my po-
sition came upon me. 1 was in my
coffin!
leave you to imagine, If you can,
what l felt. But you can not. No
one can who has not been through the
same terrible experience.
The, c+arc mo info tho room