der the direction of the physician, assume the
entire responsibility of the case.

This nurse was one of those conceited people whose aid, after all, is
worth very little. He was as far from affording the kind of assistance
I required as could possibly be. And yet his intentions were in the main
excellent.

The selection of physician was equally unfortunate. My teacher had
nearly as much as he could do to take care of his wife and child. At his
request, and in accordance with the wishes of my friends, their and my
former physician were called in. When the danger became more imminent, a
third was occasionally consulted. It was supposed, no doubt, that in the
midst of counsellors there was safety.

The counsels of our third man, or umpire, may have had influence; but
his manners were coarse, and in many respects objectionable. He was in
favor, also, of a highly stimulating treatment, which appeared to me to
add fuel to the flame, for I soon began to be at a loss when called upon
to recollect things and circumstances. He saw the tendency, and, partly
by way of "showing off" his powers of diagnosis, as well as in part to
gain applause should a case so desperate turn out favorably, said, in
the hearing of my nurse, "He'll die in just thirty-six hours."

Now, whatever his intentions were, and however honest his declaration,
my nurse swallowed it at once, and was restless till he had an
opportunity to divulge what he regarded as an important secret. It is by
no means improbable that he entertained the usual impressions that a
special preparation should be made for death, and that it was needful I
should know my danger and attend to the subject before it was too late.

In one of my most lucid intervals, therefore, he said to me, "Do you
expect to recover from your disease?"--"Most certainly I do," was the
reply. "Do you know what Dr. Thornton thinks about it?"--"Not certainly;
but from his cheerful manner, I suppose he thinks favorably."--"Do you
think you could bear to know the truth? For if it was unfavorable, would
it not be too much for you in your enfeebled condition?"

My heart was in my mouth, as the saying is, at this broad hint; and with
a strong and earnest curiosity, I begged to know the worst, and to know
it immediately. My attendant saw, in my agitation, his error, and would
doubtless have receded had it been in his power; but it was too late;
the die was cast; my curiosity was all on tiptoe, and I trembled, a