was nearly approximated to, and fell with horrible clearness
upon, the blue and swollen features of the drunkard. I did not think it
possible that a human countenance could look so terrific. The lips were
black and drawn apart; the teeth were firmly set; the eyes a little
unclosed, and nothing but the whites appearing. Every feature was fixed
and livid, and the whole face wore a ghastly and rigid expression of
despairing terror such as I never saw equalled. His hands were crossed
upon his breast, and firmly clenched; while, as if to add to the
corpse-like effect of the whole, some white cloths, dipped in water,
were wound about the forehead and temples.

As soon as I could remove my eyes from this horrible spectacle, I
observed my friend Dr. D----, one of the most humane of a humane
profession, standing by the bedside. He had been attempting, but
unsuccessfully, to bleed the patient, and had now applied his finger to
the pulse.

'Is there any hope?' I inquired in a whisper.

A shake of the head was the reply. There was a pause while he continued
to hold the wrist; but he waited in vain for the throb of life--it was
not there: and when he let go the hand, it fell stiffly back into its
former position upon the other.

'The man is dead,' said the physician, as he turned from the bed where
the terrible figure lay.

Dead! thought I, scarcely venturing to look upon the tremendous and
revolting spectacle. Dead! without an hour for repentance, even a moment
for reflection; dead I without the rites which even the best should
have. Is there a hope for him? The glaring eyeball, the grinning mouth,
the distorted brow--that unutterable look in which a painter would have
sought to embody the fixed despair of the nethermost hell. These were my
answer.

The poor wife sat at a little distance, crying as if her heart would
break--the younger children clustered round the bed, looking with
wondering curiosity upon the form of death never seen before.

When the first tumult of uncontrollable sorrow had passed away, availing
myself of the solemnity and impressiveness of the scene, I desired the
heart-stricken family to accompany me in prayer, and all knelt down
while I solemnly and fervently repeated some of those prayers which
appeared most applicable to the occasion. I employed myself thus in a
manner which, I trusted, was not unprofitable, at least to the living,
for about ten minutes; and having accomplished my task, I was the fi