One evening, when he had been about two weeks ill, I went as
I had often done to sit by him for a portion of the night; after the
family had all retired, I administered a quieting cordial left by the
doctor, and shading the lamp that the light might not disturb him, I
opened a book, thinking he would sleep. He lay very quiet, and I
supposed him to be asleep, and was becoming interested in the volume
before me when he softly called my name. I stepped quickly to his
bedside, he took my hand saying, "sit down close to me Walter, I have
something to say to you." I took a seat near him, and after a few
moments' silence he said: "You may perhaps think I am nervous and
fanciful, when I tell you I feel certain I shall never recover from this
illness; the physician tells me I will soon be up again, but such will
not be the case." Observing that I was much startled, he said, "Do not
be alarmed Walter, but compose yourself and listen to me. My parents and
one sister live at a distance of four hundred miles from here.
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