The Marriage of Warren Johnson and T "It is the secret sympathy, The silver link, the silken tie, Which heart to heart, and mind to mind, -Scott. HE surgeons explained to Sarah what they proposed to do for her lover and how they could enlist her services as a remedial agent. She grasped the situation instantly, acquiesced and promised to second their efforts to place the patient in a hypnotic state during the operation, and enable the Colonel to escape the torture of the surgeon's knife. Sarah explained her part to the Colonel, only so far as to tell him she was going to sit beside him and soothe him into sweet repose, as she said: "The doctors wish you to obtain rest before they subject you to the ordeal of an operation. Your mental and nervous system is too acutely wrought up by the many excitements that you have passed through not to be apprehensive of an unsatisfactory reaction afterwards, if you are not calmed down;" at the same time clasping his hand and stroking his brow, singing a soft sweet lullaby. The sweet pathos and tremulo of her rich voice, slowly rising and falling in sweet cadences, thrilled him through and through as he fixed his adoring gaze upon her face. His breathing became slower and slower with sighing inspiration, until the tremulous quivering of his eyelid, followed by gentle closing, with deep, long inspiration, made it evident to the listening surgeons that their supposition had been verified and their patient was in the hypnotic sleep, which banished pain completely. Making assurance doubly sure, they pricked the surface of the cheek with a needle without any evidence of sensation; they, therefore, were prepared to perform the operation and Sarah withdrew. They began by making a crucial incision over the tenth dorsal vertebra and dissecting the parts carefully so as not in injure the delicate structure underneath, they came down to the injured part. They found that the bullet had struck the lamina of the vertebra and glancing to one side imbedded itself in the bone and shattering it-one fragment and the bullet resting and pressing on the sheath covering the spinal marrow. By means of delicate surgical instruments, the fragment and bullet was lifted and removed. Careful inspection of the spinal cord under the bullet showed some bruising, whether it would be permanent remained to be seen. Time alone could determine this-how far nature would repair the damage and re-establish the lost functions of the nerves and the consequent regain of motion and sensation. Restoring these parts to their natural position the wound was closed with all necessary precaution. During the whole operation the patient was entirely oblivious to pain and surroundings, and, except for the rythmical breathing and rosy hue of the surface, he might have thought to have been a cadaver on the dissecting table. A signal was given, and Sarah entered with the expectancy of hope, the anxiousness of doubt, and the certainty of dread-all blended. After the breathless suspense of her vigil, she gasped: "Is he alive, is the operation a success, will he live?" almost in the same breath. "We hope for the best," replied Dr. Hunter, echoed by Dr. Hopkins. "Thank God," burst forth from pallid lips, which immediately became rosy with restored hope. As instructed, she began in a low key to sing the same soft lullaby where she left off, gradually swelling in volume louder and louder, and gently pressing his closed eyelids, with a soft tap on the cheek, said in a normal tone: "Awake! my beloved, awake!" The eyelids slowly parted and Colonel Johnson, after a long inspiration, looked about from face to face as if from a state of quiet repose and restful slumber, refreshed and a smile of inquiry to which Dr. Hopkins said: "We have been cutting you up, it is all over, did you not feel our knives and saws?" He answered in the negative with a look of incredulity. "You will live Colonel, the surgeons have saved your life," said Sarah, a light of thankfulness and joy coming into her face. The surgeons did not see fit to qualify their hopes and simply said: "We trust so." A slight reaction for the better set in soon after, in which the Colonel regained some sensation in the limbs, but accompanying it was a slight rise in temperature, with some soreness over the seat of injury. This continued with more or less variation for several days in which his mental state was tranquil and happy. Shortly after, although the wound was healing by first intention, that is the ideal healing of a wound to the surgeon's mind, the lost functions did not regain their activity, while secondary ones, remote from the injury, became impaired. The gravity of his condition now became a certainty in the minds of the surgeons; that there was no ultimate hope for Colonel Johnson-they despaired of only prolonging his life for a very brief period. It was thought best, while his mind remained clear, and it might be to the end, to inform the patient that his case was hopeless. This is always the most painful duty a physician has to perform, and he is looked upon as the only person who can do it, either he or the spiritual adviser. A life-long friend of Colonel Johnson, and one who had been his teacher and spiritual guide was the Abbè Thaddeus, a priest of God in the fullest sense. He had been sent out from the Monastery in France a few years before, as a missionary to minister to the wants of scattered Catholics in the Colonies of New York and Connecticut. He was always a welcome guest at the Ridgefield Tavern, the landlord Bishop and Abbè Thaddeus being close friends, whose efforts to satisfy the spiritual cravings of his brethren were seconded by Nathaniel Bishop, Nathaniel often going so far as to inform those of that faith, in the surrounding parts, when the Abbè would reach Ridgefield on his missionary circuit. The Abbè was born in Ireland, and had in early youth determined to follow severely in his Saviour's footsteps; and gave his life to poverty, chastity and obedience, in France where he was ordained and received into the Monastery. In personal appearance, he was large and stout, with a round face in which benevolence, good will and deep piety was shown in every feature. Although he was given to asceticism and self denial, every crumb of bread he ate seemed from the very essence of his simplicity and good assimilation to turn to adipose, and I verily believe if he lived upon water the result would have been the same, as he was known to go for days in the fastness of some forest without any other sustenance than water. He would come forth from such hardships and privation with scarcely a vestige of the effect of his long fast. His disposition was sunshine itself, his saintly face was aureoled in the light of divine reflection. As Abbè Thaddeus was soon to reach this portion of his circuit, it was left for him to inform Colonel Johnson of his fatal condition, and also; in the beneficence of his holiness, to pour that balm upon the wounded and troubled spirit of |