The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1886-01-22
WAS 1T LIGHTNING9
( A Scientist Attempts to Revenge
the Death of His Wife.

The summer heat was excessive, and
the poor sufferer lay painting for breath.
Her husband bent over her, tenderly
seeking to relieve her pain. Unwear-
edly he famed her flushed cheek, and
from time to time fed her parched lips
with small pieces of ice. The room, in
spite of the disorder incident to critical
disease, gave evidence of refined taste
and comparative wealth. In the mo-
ments of ease, when the sufferer ceased
her moaning, with gentle, soothing
tones the husband plead with his wife
10 throw off the feverish flush and de-
lirium, as if recovery was dependent on
her own poor will, whose throne was
evidently very sorely shaken, if not
completely overthFOwn by the terrible
fever III reminded her of their past
struggles that at last had won for them
a competency and home. They were
Just ready TO live, he said, and he plead
that she must not die.
While h9 was soothing and pleading
with his Wife, the physician entered the
room. After !. careful examination os
the patient, he spoke with a hopeful
6de that he had not used in the pre-
Ceding DAYS: "A few hours of careful
nursing and the crisis will be past"
and With these words he left the hus-
Band to the hours of the night watch.
With the morning light came again
tie welcome step of the physician, and
rs he saw the quiet sleep into which
his patient had fallen, the look of care
passed from his face and with whis-
per, while grasping the outstretched
hand of the watcher, he gave greeting
Of Joy in the assurance of recovery,
and said; Tender watching and quiet
sleep are all that are needed now"
'She shall have them, if human love
can accomplish it" was the reply of
the watcher, who face was lighted with
unspoken gladness.
It was the Sabbath morning, and the
city in its quiet seemed to promise
day of healing to the sick one. The
early morning hours passed slowly,
with lingering GOODNESS fastening the
Sufferer back from the gates of death
to the glad home-life of ministering
love. The breathing grew more and
more regular, and from time to time q
gentle sigh of satisfied resting escaped
her lips. The watcher leaned back in
his chair and with a dreamy look of
dove resting on the sleeping face, evil
IDENTIFY found comfort from past fear
and sorrow, in dreams of future peace
and increased Joy.
But suddenly his dreams were rude
~ broken and the sleeper thrown into
She delirium of the reawakened fever.
From the cathedral opposite came the
clashing of the bells, not tho regular
melody of pleasing chords, but the
clash and elangOr, harsh and discOrd-
ant. as if the ringers were possessed
With the heathenish idea of frightening
away by their rude noise any lingering
demons. They sent no appeal to come
II the house of the Lord, such as in
gentle regular swing might as a lula
By soothe to a deeper sleep, but wild,
Washing sounds that startled from
sleep into fever fright. With the con-
tinued pealinH of the bells the delirium
increased. A hurried message brought
she physician back to the bedside of the
patient. A single glance at her oOndi-
ton filed him with alarm. After
moment of thought and attention to
the delirium, he said, "the noise of the
bells must be stopped"
Hurrying away he sent in word to
those in charge of the cathedral and en-
deavorsd to secure the needed quiet.
To his surprise his appeal was rudely
and positively refused. In vain he re-
mOnstrated and plead, stating that a
life depended on the cessation of the
noise. At last he gave up the effort
and returned to the sick room. He
found the sufferer rapidly growing
worse. After a vain attempt TO calm
his patient, in response to the agonize1
n Of hTseI hln hrFw
riedly to the city authorities. Here,
also, his effort failed and he returned
with a sinking heart.
Through the hours of the sultry day
he manfully struggled to save his
patient, and sOOthe the agony Of the
loving watcher. With every outburst
of the clashing bells the fever-strioken
one would spring up, and, cllnging to
her husband, beg to be saved, with
wild delirium of fear intensified by the
fever-clouded brain. There could be
but one end to such a struggle, and at
eventide it came, as with a cry of agony
her spirit passed through the noise
stricken air into the peace and quiet of
the lVnd where there is no fever to
smite the body and no barbarity of man
to refuse the appeal for the sul ming
and dying. In that death chamber sobs
of agony broke from the quiVering
frame of the bereaved man. Alarmed
for the life of the agonized man, the
physician piled remedies and with
soothing words sought to keep that
strong mans heart from breaking.
Touched, also. in his professional pride,
be cursed the bells and those who had
refused his appeals. But for those
beUs' he said, you might now be re-
3oieihg in the rapid recovery of your
wife. y
The sobs died away, and the now
fearless eye of the bereaved man grew
dilated and wild. He slowly repeated
the curse that had fallen from the lips
of the physician, and added: God do
so to me, and more, also, if do not
avepge my loss" He rose from the
bed, on which he had thrown himself
ID the Outburst of his grief, and, gently
smoothing the tossed and tangled hair
from the brow of the dead, said quietly;
my poor murdered wifeh Turning
10 the physician, he said: ''No more
tears, doctor; an avenger must have
clear vision" The physician was
startled, but, as he looked up, he saw
only 9 pale, quiet, patient face, He
did not see that with the tears of that
poor, tired, tried man had passed away
his reason. Kind words Of grateful
thanks seemed to come freely and
naturally from the lips that had taken
on q smile of patient resignation.
All through the sad hours of the
funeral the physician ministered as to
a brother, and when, after the return