Daily Republican., 1885-01-20
A WONDERFUL STORY.
Lewis,own tMe.) journal. JAM

Lewistown tMe.l journal. Jan.
On. Of the many good deeds Of Mrs.
Sarah Sampson, OF Bath, To whom Con
gress In asked TO give pension, was
the nurbiIg back 10 life OF soldier
boy who now Is prominent business
man IN Maine city, well known po-
li,ically and socially throughout the
State, and a favorite everywhere. This
gentleman haa had an experience
through " hich few men have passed.
He literally has attended his own fuDe-
raj. He told ne the following re-.
markable story upon the condition that
| won Id withhold his name
When the war broke out, SAID be,
a. was puny boy Of II years, one Of
the .ickly kind rot worth their feed.
lived III Waterville, and enlisted with
the famous Waterville College com.
pany. was 40 inferior fellow phys.
ically that they ret ont not TO take me,
but was bound to go, and IL others
said they would go II | went and would
stay ut home III did not go. 50 went
to the front with the Third Maine
Regiment ef infantry, and November,
| 1861, found me In Camp How ard, Alex
audIia, Va. The camp was named tor
Gen. o. o. Howard, who commanded
the regiment
+" You can judge of what Kind OF a
youngster ] was from the fact that At
! the first battle of Bull Run the First
| Lieu'ena t of my company loaded my
gun for me.
" Well, one day while we were in
camp ut Alexander We were ordered
ont to Fairfax Court House on q short
expedition and took cold. aggrava-
ted it by lying on the damp ground
| after my return, and the next thing i
was stricken with diphtheria. Some
of my chums had me removed to the
| hos piial tent al told the officers that
must have all done for me that care
and money could do.
" They were very good to me, but
| grew worse. A great sac formed on my
throat. 1t grew 30 large that l could
see it as lay in my cot, and 1t protrud
Ell from undtr my chin. l became
speecbless and remained in sort o
stupor. l could hear and was dimly
cognizant of what was going on arounC
me My face at last swe.led no that
could not use my eyes and was practi
cally blind. Tie surgeon, DIR. McCrure
of Bangor, and DR. Hildreth, OF Gardin
er, told me must die. l took RIM
of my finger and told my comrades u
send it home To my mother, l sent
dy ing message to her, and awaitet
death. Twas reconciled, and in m.
semi VI conscious state, quite comforta
, bic. l suffered no pain. My limb
. grew cold and ! sank deeper into tn
stlpor. heard them say l was dying
had fingered along until 1t WAS nov
In January, 1862. DIR. Mcclure tool
hold Of my wrist one day, threw it dow
: after trying 10 feel my pulse. and
: heard him ray The hoy IL dead
q his pulse has stopped. Take him out
4 - could not make sign or noise
& Lut had sense enough remaining I
think of my jack-knife. l though
they would wrap me up in my blank
aud bury me, and 1t popped into M
head that might dig my way out wit
my lack knife, although how was
I do it, not being able TO move musclt
/ can't tell you.
"My friends gathered around n
and heard their expressions OF gre
The time was get for my funeral. Th
company was drawn up and the chap
- lain, tic Rev. Mr.. Leonard, VIII
~ i. preached in Bangor before and aftt
er the war, prayed and made brief r.
marks. The ceremony was not enJoye
, by me, but my mind was 30 niue
il. dulled that did not fully realize II
danger of my situation.
;" "They took me into the dead hou'
=. and laid me down. Soon the doctor
81 came around and took out their knive
IL l knew what that meant. They we
going to dissect me before l was burit
Is In order to find out something abo'
Il. that enormous sac on my throat. l hs
~ to silently face the prospect of beiI
Nv carved alive.
:" ".Doctor, guess You had belt