Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1921-05-26
When Secretary Lane Faced Death.

against him. He stood the operation
we'll. however, and seemed on the road
to recovery when heart failure unex-
pectedly caused his death. After the
operation, which preceded his death by
about ten days, Mr.. Lane dictated 4
remarkable message TO some OF his
intimate personal friends in Washing
ton.
The message showed the former Sec
rerary had undergone the operation
with full consciousness and acceptance
Of the fact that he might not survive it.
II told in detail Of his sensations before,
during and after the operation. OF
which he was fully conscious, as the
condition of his heart would not permit
the use of a general anesthetic. The
message follows in part:
at is Wednesday afternoon and
am now sitting up in bed talking to
my good friend Cotter. Until yester-
day did not clearly visualize any one
thing in this room and did not know
that it had window, except that there
was place that noise came through.
But did know that it had a yellow oak
door that stared at me with its great
big square eye all day and all night.
Last Friday, you see, about 10 O'CLOCK
in the morning, | took the step that
should have taken months, yes, years
ago. Today, most tentatively. crawl
ed onto a chair and ate my first mouth
full of solid food. But four DAYS age
| managed to shave myself and am
regarded as pretty spry.
81 have seen death come to men in
various ways, some rather mover and
Western. once saw a man hanged.
And | have seen several men shot. and
came very near going out that way my
self two or three times, but always the
other fellow aimed poorly. was being
shot at because was newspaper man.
and should have been shot at. There
must be public concern in VIVA, is
printed, as well as its truth, to Justify
1t. That is something that newspapers
should get to know in this country.
After the earthquake in San Francisco
| saw walls topple out upon a man.
And have had more intimate glimpses
still OF the picturesque and of the pro-
sale ways by which men come to their
taking off.
But never before have been called
upon to deliberately walk into the val
ley of the shadow, and, say what YOU,
will, 1t is a great act. I have said
during the last months of endless exam
nation that man with little curiosity
and little humor, and little money,
VINO was not in too much great pain,
could enjoy himself studying the ways
OF doctors and nurses as he journeyed
the invalid's path.
1T was, however, made fowery
path for me, as much as any path could
be in which man suffered more hu-
initiation and distress and thwartine
and Illustration, on the whole, than he
did pain.
But here was a path the end O,
which could not see. was NOT COM
PEELED to take it. My very latest doc
tor advised me against taking it. 7
could live some time without taking it.
1t was bet on the high card with
chance to win, and took it."
At this point occur details
regarding the preparations for the oper-
ton, with note of the fact that gen.
eral anaesthetic could not be applied
on account Of the patients heart, which
mad been cutting up some didoes."
The statement continues:
For two days I had knowledge tba.
tnis operation was to take place at this
time, and my nerves had not been lust
as good as they should have been
ihose men who sleep twelve hours
perfectly before being electrocuted have
evidently led more tranquil lives than
nave or have less concern as 70 the
future. All, now was to know the
great secret! For forty years had
oeen wondering, wondering. Often n
mad said to myself that | should sum-
mon to my mind when this moment
came some words that would be some
what a synthesis of my PHILOSOPHY.
socrates said to those who stood bv
after he had drunk the hemlock, mo
evil can befall good man, whether he
De alive or dead don't know how far
from that we have gone in these 24oo
years.
The apothegn, however, was NOT
apostle to me. because it involved y
declaration that | was a ooo1 mo-,