The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1885-12-31
A SURGEONS MYSTERY

cent City. The Charity Hospital W;
over.crowded With patients, but tn
younger members of the faculty ha
been granted few weeks leave of at
sence. 1t seemed the poor of Ne
Orleans had chosen the most inopportun
time to fall victims TO accident, casualt
and disease, so much so, that the olde
physicians were scarcely perlnitted t
leave the building, and the old, gray
haired chief of surgeons remained over
night till near the morning hours. Thi
was nm unusual thing with DR.. Dardenne
for the oldest employee of the hospita
could not remember when the doctor ha
staid over night in the institution. Dl
DardenEe was very tall, very straigb
man, with iron gray hair, gray NOUS
tache dark complexion and black eyes
in short, the appearance of a Frencbmal
with the manners and characteristics O
an Englishman. His every attitude wa
indicative of great nervous energy ant
intellectual power, while his 6rml.
closed lips and overshadowing brows ex
pressed, in the language of the street
that "he wouldn't do to fool WITH" bu
could be counted on in daring emer
gency.
Oa this particular night, several stu
dents who had been assisting at surgi
cal operation, performed upon one of tn,
patients OF the Charity Hospital, wer,
grouped together in the waiting room O
the building, learnedly discussing th'
method and probable results of the oper
alton. At last one of the number OBJ
served that DR.. Dardenne had entered
the room, and was nervously pacing uE
and down the floor.
II say, Jennings" said student, nov
is our time to get at old Dardenne's mys
terry. Ho is in good humor tonight
and our opportunity may not occur again
soon. What do you say 2" .3l,
They all agreed, but ii was easier tt
agree than to act in connection there
with, for DR.. Dardenue, though kline
and gentle as a woman, was always dig
ni6ed and unapproachable.
A long silence ensucd, which was only
disturbed by the doctors firm quicl
tread, as he continued to journey to anG
fro. At length the students lit the ga
Jets upon the large centre. table and seat
ed themselves. Then they waited, anl
when the silence grew oppressive, DR.
Dardenne suddenly turned upon then
WITH:
"Well, young gentlemen! What is or
your minds and why are you so quie
this EVENING""
been whispered story concerning your
self and the hospital, and the gossippine
students have made wonderful mystery
of it. Now, sir, if not intruding upo1
your privacy, We would be pleased tt
hear the story from your own lips"
The doctors face hardened in an in
slant, and his step grew quicker as he
listened to the students questioning, bu
presently be threw himself into large
arm chair and burst into a loud laugh.
The students were startled.
There was something SO unnatural
unearthly and unreal in the doctor.
laugh that the mystery was Immediately
deepened; and the students iuvoluntarily
drew their chairs closer together.
1T is wonderful, " said the doctor "hoW
hospital traditions survive. Why,
had supposed that old story forgotten
years ago by all save I. shall never
forget it. Let me see. 1t happened just
nty.eight years ago this month.
"Tbe hospital OF that day was oul
present hospital, and 1 was student
myself, but an assistant surgeon also, in
cases of emergency, and that is how
came to sleep in the building.
"The room I occupied was in the
northeast corner, on the third floor. II
was largo room with two windows in
front and one at the side. My bed was
placed in the northwest corner, and al
the southwest corner was the door, which
led into the hall. / am thus particular
as to the details, because remembrance
of them will enable you to better under
stand my story.
! "It was my privilege at that time to
engage in some outside practice, and one
night was called some distance in the
city to see patient. l had occupied my
own time in going and returning and
thus it was that l reached my room al
eleven o'clock in the evening.
"Then, as now, ] was deyotee oi
tobacco, and it was with sense of relief
and qualification, that I lit my pipe and
lay down upon my bed to smoke. 1t is
indistinct in my memory how long l lay
there, but it must have been half an
hour, and all my senses were as acute
| ond actire az at this moment
Suddenly I permitted my hand and
arm to fall over the edge Of the bed and
10 my astonishment another hand closed
upon mine with vise-like grip. 1t was
q cold, bloodless hand, and / recognized
in all its outlines the hand of a corpse.
Though say it myself, | had the repu-
tation in those days of being young
man of great personal courage, and
Immediately regained my wanted
equanimity, but before could fully re.
cover from my estonishment, the hand
was gone.
"All the superstitious tales of a life.
time crowded into my brain, aud lay
there wondering from what on earth that
queer circumstance could have originated.
With desperation-for I was growing a
little nervous-I reached down and felt
about tue floor for the hand, but it could
not be found and was still more
mystificd. Again aud again l reached
under the bed, as far as possible from
my reclining position but each time
without success. This constant failure
to renew my experience with the bloodless
hand nerved me to my usual composure.
Then arose and proceeded to make an
investigation, and l was not at all sur
prised to fud underneath the bed the
!ifeless body of a man. Though the
room was quite dark, I could almost
distinguish its features, and knew that it
must be man of about forty years of
age. The body was partially dressed,
but from the waist up there was no
clothing.
"NIy familiarity with dead bodies was
of long duration, and l was no longer
bothered with supersttious doubts or
fears, except as to the one fact that the
lifaless hand had suddenly reached out
and closed upon mine but that l dis
missed from my mind upon some physi.
illogical reasoniugs satislactorylto myself,
and thought that Icuuld not be frightened
again.
"How the body came into my room
and under the bed was the next inquiry.
That question, however, could be easily
solved, for the hospital students were
more mischieyous and more daring than