The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1910-10-04
THE TALE OF
HOSPITAL GHOST
Extraordinary Case of Grave
Robbery Caused by a Dia-
mond Ring

mOnd Ring
(By the late J. H. Myrover, of Fay
etteville.)
Hamlet-"Alas! poor ghost!'
Horatio-"But soft! behold; 10
where it comes.
I'll cross it, though it blast me; stay,
illusion!
If thou hast any sound or use or
voice, speak to me;
If there is any good thing to be done,
That may do ease to thee, or grace to
Speak to mel"
One of the most remarkable cases
of grave robbery. or, if I may venture
on a piece of ugly slang. body
s~natching," like the stealthy, mid
night, ghoulish work of Jerry
Cruncher, in Dickens Tale of Two
Cities" is part Of the past %eventful
history of a large town in North Car
Dina. simultaneously with this des-
ecration of the reStinS-place of the
dead, there was a mysterious occur
renee, unexplained to this day, still
talked of with bated breath by the
superstitious; still secuted by the
skeptical and strong minded, with
"no nonsense about them"
William Garvin, a citizen of some
prominence, past middle life, and I'M
married, was admitted to the hospital
for treatment. suffering from a COM
plication of m~aladies, one of which
was very serious, and at the same
time SO singular and complex IN its
nature, SO unexpected in it's develop
ments. and so battling in it's alterrHi-
ting periods of diminution of severity
and increase Of violence, as to awaken
the deepest interest in the superin-
tendent and hospital staff, as we'll as
in men high in the surgical and medf-
cal profession at a distance, an ex-
haustiVe article on the case having
been contributed to a medical jour-
nal.
On his entrance into the hospital
the patient was badly run down ply
sically, and all possible care and at
tention were given to the ameliora-
ton of his cOnditiOn-aS to his diet,
his hot baths, and the temperature of
his room, while about once a week
he was subjected to mild static cleo
triCal treatment. AT times he mended
sufficiently to dress himself, and walk
aDOul ne COIIIOOIS ana lHtO the SUN
parlor, making the acquaintance of
convalescent patients. Though never,
even at his best. without physical
suffering, he was always cheerful, re-
signed, affable in manner and courte-
Gus in bearing.
Mr.. Garvin was under middl
height. of slender build, with dark
blue, ~deep-sunken eyes, light hair
streaked with gray, and clean shaver
face, except for a close clipped NOUS
tache. He was an interesting con
versationalist, having raveled much
and seen much Of the world, narrat-
ing his personal experiences Of men
and places graphically and with great
effect. He had a keen sense Of hu-
NOR, INDUCING in pleasantly and
badinage with the nurses, and de-
lighting to find nicknames for them
out of a fertile imagination. At the
same time he was SO ~cOnsiderate, SO
careful to avoid giving them unnec-
essary trouble, that they all became
fond of him. A messenger was fire.
quently sent out for fruit, fancy can
and especially for the night nurse.
who, he was wont to remark, was a
greater heroine in her rule over the
realm of the afflicted and the suffer
ing than Queen Zenobia at the head
OF her cohorts.
But the short and uncertain spells
of semi-convalescence on the part Of
Mr.. Garvin did not deceive the skilled
and Vigilant superintendent and ply
si~cian-in-chief. The caS was very
grave. The patient had been fol-
weeks under treatment, with a view
to the building up Of his broken down
system that he might be sufficiently
fortified by an accession Of phyS1ca,
strength to undergo the difficult and
critical surgical operation by which
alone his life could be saved. The
result was only partly satisfactory, fol
although he was better han on his
entrance, he was still sadly lacking ir
stamina.
In a few days, after giving deer
thought apd the mos4 painstakine
study to the case DR.. Blank, the su,
perintendent of the hospital, EN-.
braced the opportunity Of a visit O
Mr.. George Garvin, who had been de
voted To his brother thrO11phnnt nj