Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1907-11-29
THE LAST MOMENTS
WHEN THE SPIRIT CROSSES THE
eoRDERLAND.
Passing OF a Life az Seen by On.
Who ls Not a Physlclan-Death
Rattle a Shock to
Listeners.

ono afternoon q reporter for H.
New York Sun was sitting I'm ono -,
the rooms OF the house surgeon n, .
hospital In New York city, smoking
cigar and chatting With the doctor
while the latter busted himself I'm
looking over some Instruments ,ho,
be had taken from n case.
An orderly entered and said. "D,,,
tor. l think he Is dying now"
Are his brother and mother here,"
asked the house surgeon.
No. they said they were coming
but they are not here yet"
ITS n case OF severe operation"
said the doctor to the reporter. "Uc
o his ether all right and rallied
from the shock, but he has boen
losing ground for TWO days. VIII Won
come along with me-"
The reporter followed the physician
into one of the small rooms devoted
to private patients.
Lying fiat on his back on the mar.
row ron cot was a young man. per.
haps a little more than 80. The he'd.
clothing was in perfect order. The
narrow cOunterpanc was sproud
smoothly on the cot and folded over
with the sheet across the patients
chest.
His arms lay straight on either
side. Ills face did not Indicate enact.
alton. His breathing was Irregular.
and there seemed To be a considerable
interval. sometimes longer and some.
lines shorter. between the end az an
nNt.fTn.fn,, nal IL
inspiration. 'rhc orderly stood at tho
foot of the cot.
How long has he been uncon.
scious?" the physician asked.
"A little more than an hour" re-
piled the orderly.
w may talk." said the doctor. tho
won't hear us But this was spoken
In a low tone. as bcfltted speaking in
the presence OF dcath.
Does every person die uncon.
scious q he was asked
Many persons are conscious when
they believe they are dying. They
become unconscious. and they may
or may not regain consciousness and
lose 1t again before death takes place
"A period OF uncOnsCiousncss is i'm.
measurable to the subject. 4 second.
a minute. Il million ycars-thcrc Is
no difference so so far as he is con.
cerned."
The death rattle" whispered tho
orderly.
The intermittent breathing Of tho
man on he cot had given way To a
sound that was strange To one not nc.
customed 10 hear it-a sound 80 far
from human that Il Is mndc but once
In a lifetime, and that IL when one Is
passing To h other side OF the Dor.
dcrland OF human existence.
"Uncarthly" IL perhaps the one
word that comes nearest to dcsiguat.
Ing this sound. because. maybe. OF
the silence OF tho death chamber. Il
seems loud To cars not acquainted
with II. II seems even loud enough
to be heard through the brick walls
and out In the street.
Tho sound ceases and tho Watchers
turn their eyes toward the face OF the
physician. It begins again, AZ II the
dead wcrU awakening.
They Will not come before ho
dies" said the doctor.
rs he likely to regain conscious.
ness, even for n momcHt?" the ply.
stefan was asked.
Il don't think so,' was the reply.
May ! hold HIS hand. so that II no
docs be may feel that he Ia not
alonc?"
The physician nodded assent.
The mans finger tips seemed very
cold to h warm hand that tOok them.
There was no sign OF permission or
resistance. The death rattle cOntin.
ucd with longer intervals between
tho brcathIngs.
For how many minutes this con.
tlnucd cannot be told: II seemed an
age. The strange. mccarthy sound
ceased, and two faces were turned
TOWARD that OF tho physician.
Then there was n %convulsive move.
Incnt OF tho body on tho cot. followed
by n jerk OF The head ns II from
stranGulatlon. Tho Jaw Of tho patient
Toll and his eyes. which had opened.
stared at the wall.
There had been no slgn OF response
from the hand Of the dying man.
Inc orderly stepped TO tho head os
the cot. and with tho thumb md Il Nm.
ger OF II hand pushed down the eye.
udS over tho sIshtlc8s cycs.