Sturgis advertiser. (Sturgis, Dakota [S.D.]) 1887-1???, 1889-04-23

nanQS, mad been IN her possession f0r
years and was carefully inspected and
handled by her as regularly as the gar
ments for worldly wear.
knew man well, whom in the
course of "a long and intimate acquaint-
ance / never heard use profane or I'M
seemly expression. He was mild and
quiet in manner, general favorite
with all for his genial qualities. While
expostulating with half-drunken team
ster who was abusing miserable horse,
the villain drew knife and gave him a
deadly thrust. The doctor who was
summoned told him that he had but a
few moments to live, and asked him
what disposition he wished to make of
his wealth, what words he had to send
to his family. Disregarding these i'm
portant questions the dying man raised
his head and body from the lounge on
which we had laid him. With
clenched fist appraised and preceded by
a terrible oath, he explained, eff I
meet that man in Heaven or hell. I'll
kill him!" and fell back corpse.
i stood beside the bed of bright,
gentle little girl, 10 years of age, too
tender in heart and too young to know
of bravado, who had been told that she
must very soon leave all her friends;
and she died laughing at the antics of a
kitten that had clambered upon her
bed unseen by the weeping eyes about
her.
While in command of detachment
of sixty men and officers, in one of the
Southern States, in August of 1854, I
lost thirty-two men and Lieutenant in
two days and three nights, with the
cholera. We had been sent away hur-
riedly, without surgeon or medical sup
plies. The disease appeared the even
ing we reached our station; the news
few like wild-fire through the surround
ing country and its inhabitants de-
serted their homes; the steamboats,
would not stop within three miles of
my post, or allow a soldier to come
near them. We were cut off from every
thing but death. Battle was nothing to
the terror of those days and nights. I
had not enough we'll men to guard the
camp or bury the dead; bodies lay fes-
tering in the hot tents or in the sun
where the stricken had fallen. Those
who were not affected were paralyzed
or wild with fright, but when the dread
time came, all who succumbed, good
and bad alike, died peacefully.
Finally, can tell of mig Oao7o death.
It occurred at the time have just men
toned. but after the disease had seemed
to have spent its force. I was lying,
very weak and exhausted from slight
attack of cholera, in my tent which was
open at both ends to catch what little
air was stirring. threw the covering
carelessly off me, and reached for
cup of water near my cot. In an instant
I was seized with that sceurge of the
Southern low countries, congestive
chill. The cup flew from my hand; my
limbs and every sinew became rigid as
steel; my jaws closed with vise-like
force; clammy sweat covered my body,
and great drops large as marbles rolled
off my forehead and face; my eyes
opened wide, and I was powerless to
close them. All this in moment of time.
Isaw my black boy, sitting near, spring to
the outside. Ny mental faculties were
still alive. I knew I was going to die.
God knows, and I knew, then as do know
now, that I had sins Unreasonable to
answer for, and that heavy punishment
was my desert. But, strange to say, I felt
no fear-sufered none of the agony so
often asserted to be that of the sinner
called to his doom when "unprepared."
The uppermost thought in my mind
was in regard to matter that it
would be supposed was the last one to
trouble departing soul.
I had beautiful and costly meer-
chaum pipe. A comrade continually
tried to beg or buy it. I always told
him he could have it when was dead.
Every officer in the regiment had heard
me make that promise dozen times
those with me knew of it; and as I lay
there, the soul passing from my body, the
supreme thought was, "Will Frank ever
get that pipe?" All this, as I said
before, happened in second, and then
I was dead.
Why was ever revitalized I have
since continually wondered, but I
opened my eyes to see two big fellows
rubbing my rigid limbs, while big,
good, brave officer made his hands fly
like lightning over my chest. They
were using turpentine and mustard, and
I could see the thin flesh roll off in balls
under their hard palms; my form was
stiff as an image carved from stone;
their violence worked it off the cot until
only my neck and head rested thereon,
but still it showed no signs of relaxation.
I felt no pain from the harsh remedies
at first; there was only feeling that I
wished them to quit, to leave me alone,
but could not utter word. Soon a
prickirg sensation, as of millions and
of darts in every portion of my
anatomy, told me of returning blood
and was again alive. But
that had passed through the valley of
the shadow of death am sure as I am
that breathe this moment.
attempt no scientific or other de-
ductions-seek after no solution of the
peculiarities of the persons and matters
I have stated. I write simply the
truth.
A Newspaper in the Year $3.50.
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