Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1913-01-18
MAN FACED DEATH
Describes Sensations When He
Nearly Lost His Life.
Writer Was Almost Drowned. Was
Wounded by an Arabs Spear and
Attacked With Deadly Cholera
and skill Llvea-

London.--In the course OF an ad-
venturous life I have been face to IA 9
with death many times. but ! recall
no more than thrss occasions when
lost hope and resigned myself to
leave the warm precincts OF the
cheerful day." says n London writer.
My actual tho1ghts and feelings at
these times were 10 different from the
generally accepted ideas on the sub
ject that l venture to think that a
description OF them may possibly be
considered Of interest to many.
II was my luck to be drowned once
upon a time--as far as senation went.
1t did not happen when I walked over
n wharf in New York on q dark night.
nor when found myself under ON
overturned surfboat on the west coast
Of Africa. but II occurred In a public
swimming bath in London, and two
friends looked on and laughed while
I was drowning.
We had gone into the bath early
one morning after a firing nights
work. and we three were the only oc-
cupants. was frolicking about at
the deep end, when | was suddenly
seized with cramps and let out a
straugled shout OF distress My
friends knew that I was a good swim
mer and thinking that ! was acting
the drowning man. as had often done
before In their company, laughed at
my comical fiounderings and my
agonized appeals for help.
Indeed. az long as retained con-
seriousness. my thoughts seemed to
concentrate OF their own volition. up
on the asininity OF my companions In
not being able to see that ! really was
drowning At no time during my
struggles was there any thought OF my
past life. nor did Il occur to me to
thi=k prayer. although was religi.'
GUS man and knew that was very
near death
My last sensation was the fancy
that heard soft. tinkling music. an
Illusion that has been explained to me
as having been caused by the water
trucking into my ears.
Then. again, was once unlucky
SO Of a broad-bladed Arab spear poked
between two OF my ribs. and the
doctor told me frankly that II | had
any dying messages to leave | had bet
ter speak them while ! could. az
would soon be beyond speech.
The chaplain thought that was in
extremis He was not of my faith
ut he was 40 narrow sectarian. and
he offered me the consultations OF my
own religion as well az he could But
his voice sounded as II II came from
afar, andI couldn't follow what he was
saying. only wished he would come
nearer. SO that ] could make another
attempt to finish that message. II
was message had always intended
to send before the curtain was rung
down, and It seemed to be the only
thing that mattered.
The blood that welled up into my
mouth was choking me. and u was
painful--oh. 80 painful!-to breathe:
but after all, ! thought. dying was not
SO bad. and I could be glad to go II
could only finish that message.
The scene shifts now to cholera
camp. All the seizures up to mine
had ended fatally. and had no hope
whatever of any other issue But
wasn't thinking Of the hereafter MY
mind was entirely taken up to the en-.
clusion Of everything else. with the
terrible physical agony ! was under
going. and ] was longing for death
to come to put al end to II. II seemed
to me that there was no boon like
death. and craved and longed for II
to come with all my soul