The Life and Adventures of Maj. Roger Sherman PotterAdams, F. Colburn (Francis Colburn)
General
The Life and Adventures of Maj. Roger Sherman Potter
Adams, F. Colburn (Francis Colburn)
Political fiction
Major Roger Potter, who I forgot to mention had been dubbed a
General on the preceding evening, lay in a state of stupor, though
with evident signs of life, for some hours. Being the guest of the
city, no little anxiety was evinced by the physician, who, after
exercising great skill in feeling for broken bones and cracks in his
skull, declared that he could find neither bruises nor broken bones;
but, if appearances were to be taken, he had received such internal
injury as must soon put an end to his usefulness in this world, and
send him to a better. He therefore got out his lancet, and, after
nearly draining his veins of blood, was about to apply a monster
plaster to his head, when the patient suddenly opened his eyes and
began to give out such extraordinary signs of life that the doctor
as suddenly changed his mind, and, laying aside the plaster, at once
declared he had the most sanguine hopes of his recovery. Meanwhile a
report got over the city that Major Roger Potter was thrown from his
horse, and lay a corpse at the New York Hotel. And the newspapers
added to this report by inserting the mournful event as a fact.
Indeed, the city fathers, who evinced a strange passion for
mournings, were well nigh voting a respectable sum to pay proper
respect to his remains, for they held it no disgrace to vote sums
for melancholy purposes; which, however, they invariably spend in
night suppers, over which they give one another bloody noses and
black eyes-a distinguishing motto with divers hard headed
councilmen. But the major was resolved not to be sent to his long
account in so mean a style, and remained with his eyes wide open,
and so clearly in possession of his rational senses, that the
bystanders, who were all gentlemen of quality, (there not being an
opera singer among them,) declared that his power of endurance was
without bounds. In truth, it was proven that no amount of battering
and bruising could kill so famous a warrior. But, if he opened his
eyes, he spoke not a word until the physician was gone, when his
lips slowly resumed their power of motion, and he said, in a voice
scarcely intelligible, "Quantibus, moribus, canibus, omnibus, ma
dormibus."
"Pray, what does he say?" inquired the bystanders of one another.
"Lambabus, Jehovabus, cananius," resumed the major, following the
effort with a deep sigh.
"He speaks Latin," replied one of the bystanders; "and as I have a
little of that language at my fingers' ends, I recognize that he
says, 'Blessed is he who dies in a noble mission.' Yes, there! he
repeats it again, and I have it exactly."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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