Telegram-herald., 1889-10-09
FOR LlFE or DEATH.
Hos = Cholera Stricken Soldier Obtained
DFtnk in India.

ko9 thDAcrArStflaAcn Soldier ODl4iGcl
Drink in India.
I came % India ia ls5- As a private IN tbs
--th regiment and ny company formed part
ofths garrison az Arcot, says writer IN
Bllckwood's 5 Magazine. Lie 10 barracks Ia
India - verv t~ll, and 4. was with great
satisfaction that we heard an order had
been given FOR our company 10 march 70
Vellore 20 strengthen the garrison there,
which had been very much reduced By chol-
era.
IL was then about the middle OF March,
aid consequently later than is usual for
moviag troops, as the days begin % get very
bot on the plaias IN the Carnatic about that
tine OF tho year. But ours was special duty,
and, as we should only march in the very
early morning, We did not fear the incon-
venience Of tae midday heat.
IL was on the second day after leaving
ArcOt that, lats In the afternoon, l was
listening 70 description OF Veilore oy one
or our fellows who had been there, when
suddenly felt spasrns and sickness.
''HollOai old fellow, how blue you look %
remarked a companion sitting next 70 me.
and as be spoke my comrades shrank ter
ror-s:ricken from me. IL needed no doctor
% tel what was tas matter. The cholera
had seized mel
was hastily conveyed 70 the temporary
hospital, where our assistant surgeon a.
ready had several cases Of the disease under
treatment, aud was laid on charpoy. rap
idly passed from the hrSt 70 the second stage
OF that raalady, and by nine o'clock at night
the incessant vomiting and purging had re-
cuced ms 20 q condition OF weakness ap-
preaching insensiolity. l was consumed
by burning, raging thirst, but the dresser
cisregarded al my entreatics for drink Of
water. The system OF treatment for chol-
era in those days allowed the patient moth
Ing morethan just TO have the lips moistened
occasional,y with weak brandy aud water,
and this simply aggravated the torture Of
thirst. Nowadays champagne Is given. and
the sufferer Is allowed to drink pretty freely.
The hospital was, OF course, only pandal,
hastily constructed with palmyra-leaves,
with largo cu3cus-mas ct the entrances at
each and. Two large chatties OF water
were placed just outside each entrance.
had begged, sworn and menaced
a. intervals, but no ono paid the
slightest heed 10 me, and I was
sinking into that condition Of torpor
which Is the i'm mediate precursor OF tie
third and fatal stage Of cholera, when heard
voicesin the pandal. The assistant surgeon
was making his last round for the night
accompanied by the hospital-dresser. With
u violent effort / reused myself aud eagerly
listened for their approach. / wanted 70
hear ny fate pronounced
They stopped AZ length where lay, and
tie doctor examined my body.
"Mottled," l heard him remark 70 the
dresser, "he Is inscnsible already, and will
not las. long. So Wetherall viii make six ~
Make sixi'' said to myself; "nake SIX
whatf SIX corpses, Of course, tor burial at
daylight 70 morrow morning"
They had gone and the place was in dark
ness, save for the glinmer OF q cocoanut-
OIL lamp. l heard the scratching Of mu-
nooties Just outside, made By the camp
followers, who were digging q common
grave for six Of Us
l felt utterly stunned and quite indifferent
o. omy fate. Ny tongue was like piece
CT dry leather In ny mouth, which had long
since ceased TO yield any saliva to reheve
the agonizing burning Of my throat and pal
ate. could not have made any sound had
Ilttempted 20 do so; but l did not try, for
tne attendants were all stretched on the
ground fast asleep I felt was deserted
LETT % die.
Twas beginning % wander, I think, and
was back again IN the bright, green, En-
glish meadows, picking dsisIes with my 1t
tie sister, and sol should have passed away.
Bat just a. that moment, the coolies, who
had finished digging the grave-my gravs
passed the entrance Of the pandal; and
one Of them threw psnuikinful Of water
On the mating screen.
r. was like 1alvanic shock 90 ne. re-
solved 20 have a drink st any risk had
70 die, 90 what matter IL FASTENED ny
- 1-fr4 -rfr7 s~r1fd
waterl
| tried % get Up, but I was too weak 20
stand. and fell down at once. Then / re
fccted that was more likely 20 be seen II
I,Talksd. and II detected in ny attempt
should be brought back and perhaps DO
strapped down 20 die. So tried 20 crawl.
was about ten minutes dragging myself
from my cot % the entrance, and wrlgg ed
under the screen.
There were he chs,ties before net
The arss ssized was empty, aud he dis
appoin tueut nearly made ne swoou, but
the second vas brimful threw my arms
around it aud dragged myself 70 n l
plunged nv head into the delicious, lin
pid water. and devoared. rather than drank.
huge m0uthflis of t6e cool aud heavenly
fgid. I felt ny stomach swelling with ths
enormous drsurhts I swsl owed; huf
laughed ard dtauk again and sgaia-
rocked uaUgat Of lie or death then
At isngth I eoald drink no more, and
tasn discipline asserted igssf l knew I
had no right 90 be cut there, and I thought
if we're Missed from NJ cot I should be
reported So crept back The way lad
coue aud shortiY after fe.l into profound
sleep
(. ras broad daylight when sToks and
saw the assistant surgeon and areaser
s'anilrr beside ne
"H-7v 9 laisr' ASKED he doctor, Wssa-
eren -r Tht ~ have been dad ~
"P'cass. sir.r said 7. Il an feeling much
be-te~. sna have 20 Wish q maks he sixth
e.. ncrnfnrr
"7he-e we're six Without r01,r sasd the
6-fr- sally
Irzp rsccveref snt a. 7 rad aev-r
trs-. --l in the perm icsors country arrack
500 co scliiers out here, wzs socu cults
str'o szsin. Blt it was soms time before
ts my one hor 7 recovered from M At
ttcs - cholera However. I tod 80 doc
tcr enc iag al shout lt. and thouEh he sald
t1ecoid water ougat &C aavs killed ne, I
observed tae roor fellows who wer- IA
sospifai v.-h eholera g1t - ezra sl.oVaacs
a. rNef