The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1893-04-22
HOW 1 DIED.

while q voice, seemingly borne beyond
the confines Of space and gathering force
as Il approached the boundaries of auIio-
ular demonstration until It doomed like
the deep bass of the sea, uttered these
words,
''rhe poor fellow is going fast Give
his spirit chance to free itself"
"Do you believe in that old woman
rotf' asked another, and from the re-
Rion Of enchanted drowsiness where
seemed TO linger caught myself listen
ing for the third voice, which seemed
to know would speak next, And didn't
listen in vain, for even while l struggled
with the unseen forces that were hurry
ing me away a womans voice, clear and
strong and sweet as the notes of bell
that was forever ringing in my ear, said
1--WE believe in Gods mercy, and we
believe that this poor pain racked body is
about to throw open the door by which
the spirit goes free; is a closed window
hinder its going, we will throw every
window in the old hospital as wide as
the sky"
"And give the rest of the poor devils
IN the ward a chance to catch a mortal
chill, " responded the second voice. you
are as consistent as the rest of your sex,
Miss Brady
While yet the echo of the head doctors
voice beat the air in circles Of receding
sound, / suddenly ceased to think, to
hear, TO feel, to be. And yet was
knew by some newly developed sense
that lay mute and white upon the cot
which had supported my body so long,
and that the fragrance of prayer hoated
through the awful stiffness Of the room.
Il had no form nor sound, and yet some
thing within me perceived it, as the Ian
guid senses perceive the fragrance of
newly mown hay upon a serene June
morning.
A continuous pageant Of the most Sc
raphic vision unfurled in endless progress
sion before me. saw the green hills of
my childhood's home lift themselves like
emerald bubbles in haze Of enchanted
air. saw the sapphire OF the sea set in
a rim Of violet dawns and Caffodil moons.
saw the stretch Of desert sands like
drifts of snow within the compass of a
lonely land. And in the midst of their
bewildering vision ! suddenly saw
cleaning slab within windowless room,
where something long and white and
still was lying. Drops of ice were form
ing on the edges Of the slab, and a death
cold stream was purling across its shin
ing surface Something that was not a
voice, and which made itself manifest to
me through other channels than the ear,
spoke lightly of the grave wherein /
soon should lie.
1--WE will bury him tonight, it seemed
TO say, there will be no friends to in
tertere, and there are too many dying
these few days past to keep 'stifs over
q half day."
But the law grants even stiff its
rights" responded the womsnly voice
had learned to know, I'VE have no
right to bury him with such indecent
haste"
Right or no right, law or no law,
he'll have TO get out Of this tonight" re-
piled the first voice.
The contention had no effect upon the
something within my ice bound frame
which still held its mysterious connec-
ton with sentient life. That flament,
fine as the gossamer shred by which the
spider binds together the ether and the
rose, seemed an electric wire charged
with messages from an unseen world
could hear the rise and fall of angelic
choruses, like the dip of songful seas,
and clear and sweet and distinct, above
them all, heard the woman's voice l
Learned from out the cold embrace of
death to note.
HE shall not be buried tonight, nor
yet tomorrow, if that flush continues on
his face"
What flush are you talking aboutYn
responded the doctor, bringing the light
he carried nearer the face that lay upon
the marble slab where the ice drops
were forming, crystal by crystal, like the
beads one threads upon growing strand.
why, the flush we both have noticed
since we stood here. | knew by the in
tent gaze you bestowed upon what gen
orally demands but passing glance that
you discovered il when | did, and de
mhnd that the body DO removed TO the
ward until we investigate the case"
THAT flush is only the reflection Of
your red dress, laughed the doctor.
"You are wasting time" said the
nurse. II shall call a stretcher to carry
this living man out Of the morgue. Aft
srward we may resume our converse
ton
you shall do nothing Of the sort, A." re-
piled the doctor, placing his hand as he
spoke upon the outstretched arm Of the
nurse with compelling force "You have
made fool Of yourself over this fellow
from the first. Not hanger on in the
ward but what noticed your interest in
his handsome face. You are bound to me
by ties you cannot break, and rather than
hse you under the enchantment Of this
fellow again / simply viii smother the
feeble pulse Of life that fingers in his
veins and make a surety Of hts death
"You may be villain, but you are not
aeoward, DR.. Ware, replied the woman,
whose hand he still held "To refuse 10
give this man the chance TO live would
be the most despicable act of your life,
and, so help me God, / will deuounce
you as a murderer before the first justice
can find If you do not instantly sum
mon assistance and remove this body
from this place"
mot 90 fast, my dear Every mo-
ment's delay eXtinguishes more and more
the chance for life, and if the attendants
we shall summon find a dead man on
theslab who will believe your hysterical
story In the face Of my statement that no
sign Of life eKistedi Women nurses are
not In favor just at present with the
board they are too sensational, too emo
tiOnal, too indiscreet. Your bravado
will eyentuate only in your own dis
grace"
With the bound of cat. the nurse.
while he was yet speaking, broke from
the doctors OBTAINING hold and reached
the door Quick as thought she opened
II and few down the long corridor,
Shall the future eternities hold for me
another moment fraught with such pain
As thrilled my tortured limbs when the
doctors malignant face bent above my
sealed eyes, and although conscious Of q
vast reserve power | felt myself I'M
able 10 move the lightest member or lift,
By . single hairs weight, the closed hdsi
felt his fingers press the delicate anato-
my Of my throat, and ! knew that be
was seeking to throttle the little life left
h my body Every drop Of blood be-
came q spear Of flame to thrust my quiv-
ertng heah, and the effort made 10 groan
started what seemed 70 me 90 ho show
aga Of hot blood from every pore.
The SQUAD of hurrFing feet aud clam
erilE. V1inea 1nid the doctors hand