The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1891-06-10
THE DEATH ANGEL CALLED.
a NURSE TELLS HER EXPERIENCES.
The Belle who Wanted Champagne-He
Heard BelPs Gates open for Him
An Awful Death-The Boy Pray
ing for His Father.
81 have witnessed many curious death

now forty years OF age ana nave Deen
nurse for twenty years, though l have
been in this country only ten.
- few years ago 1 was called into a
very aristocratic family on Fifth-ave. This
family is very rich as well as aristocratic
AS 1 am usually called upon in critical
cases l was not surprised TO find the
patient very low. She was the loved and
petted only daughter. She had Just made
her debut the season before and her
second social season was at its hight. 1t
appears that she was very lively girl-a
spoiled child-and had caught a severe
cold at an entertainment. Instead OF TAX
ing care of herself she went about as usual
every night in evening dress. When / ar
rived at the house l found her lying in
magnificent room practically at the point
of death with pneumonia. Three physi
clans were in consultation. The family
was terribly frightened. The girl was
very lovely, for pneumonia is a sudden
disease and she had not been in bed more
than two days. / found her wandering IN
her mind. She seemed to half compre-
bend what / was, for she turned her dark
eyes on me a moment and inquired:
W III Il DC dDAC ~ ~ " thN bt'A'
Ball Mercy, child said 1, trying to
soothe her, don't think about balls. After
q while
Ring for champagne she ordered
fmperiouslv. Il IN going to dress for the
bal. / must GO She tried to hum a
waltz. then suddenly exclaimed: Cham
paQnei Champagne Bring champagne
In warns the heart so! My heart is
getting coldl Bring more champagne
''She choked and gurgled and her voice
Bsnk to a whisper.
"Tbe doctors were at her side in a
moment. 1t was evident her young life
was fast eDbIDg. The stlmulant was
brought Rising on her elbow she grasped
the freshly opened bottle from the tray
and before we mad time to recover from
our establishment poured its sparkling
contents down her throat. Her eyes
shone like stars.
Champ but the word was never
finished
''She flung the bottle from her, sank
into the soft pillows and expired.
hadn't been there ten minutes.
There was rich old merchant over in
Thirty-fith-st. whom was called upon to
attend. He had spent a lifetime In the
accumulation of considerable wealth and
in his old age went straight IRON his
counting-house to his bed. He could
scarcely be brought to realize that his
stay on earth was short. His large family
was very anxious concerning his future.
but couldn't get him 10 consider the ques-
ton The family doctor told me his case
was hopeless and instructed me TO i'm
press this TACT on his mind, which was in
clined toward business and trivial things.
His daughter met me IN the library and
took me up to the sick room. She was
richly-dressed and very lovely lady.
That IL the way you spend my
money! SAID he from the bed as soon as
we came forward. lie paid no attention
TO me. Just look at this dress"
"'Dear me- Never mind, papa-please
don't talk OF such things now. Try and
fix your mind on more serious things.
This is the nurse
Nurse nurse 1 don't want any
nurse. She can't be more serious than
this thing Of throwing away hard-earned
money!
while he had resisted every attempt
TO prepare him for death, day or two
later he was a little restless and Law eve
ing me for long time. He suddenly
spoke up:
SO I'm going to die. am 10 His voice
was deep and harsh and sounded as if it
came from the grave. | was startled al
most out of my usual self-pOssessiOn. but
finally managed to tell him as gently as
possible that his time on earth was very
short. indeed If he had anything on his
mind he'd better act accordingly.
We'll, / s'pOse | might as well GET
ready to 60 be growled, as if it bored
him. Bring 'em in, referring to his
family
81 hurriedly summoned his wife and
children. He feebly tried to raise himself
but gave 1t up. Then he gave them an
extended lecture on their mode of living.
He reminded them that he had worked
early and late to leave them
Incompetence, and he hoped they wouldn't
waste 1t In riotous living. They ought to
curtail expenses and reform on certain
matters Of dress. Though he was terri
bly, exhausted when he finished, he waved
them aside abruptly, and grOwled:
Now get out and send in the other
gang"
'He lectured the rest in the same way.
One of the members of his family re-
manned after the rest had gone out. 1t
was his young son. | held nv finger on
the old mans pulse. Il was Pickering.
Can you pray?' he suddenly asked the
young man.
Eyes. father sobbed the lad. his heart
almost bursting.
"'Well, then, preach up was the hoarse
reply.
The boy fell upon his knees by the
bedside and uttered a few choking words.
while the old man rested his hand upon
his sons head. In half minute the old
merchant was dead"
"Widely different" continued the
nurse, "was a case / was called upon to
attend when | was in England. IL was
that of an old man, too--a rich country
squire. He was a terrible old fellow, who
had a reputation all over the country side
of having lived a reckless life, of being a
grinding landlord, en- atheist, and even
terror TO his family. In fact, he had
driven them out doors one by one until
he was practically alone with his servants,
a few greedy relatives keeping a risky
place in the near background. But sin
gle daughter had stuck to him, and she
was afraid to say or do anything.
Poor girl, she didn't know what
70 do. / had been sent for,
and came up from London. The old man
seemed TO be about breathing his last
when l got there, which was after dark.
] shall never forget that night. IL had
been sultry all day. The say was black
with lowering clouds, and as I was driven
. he 80 -. Ill l.