On the following day, we pursued our journey towards Terre Haute, most of the brethren being very sick. Owing to the bad roads, I walked most of the way. At might I slept in a wagon and caught cold. The next morning I had to go till twelve o'clock before I had anything to eat, and then it was transparent pork and corn dodger. My health again began to fail. The wagon broke down twice and the chills came on me about two in the afternoon and held me till night, then the fever held me all night. I had the chills and fever three days, and lost my appetite. The third chill was so severe that it seemed as though I could not live till night.
We arrived at Terre Haute about dusk on the 17th. Brother Young and I put up at Dr. Modisett's, and the other brethren and Father Murray, my father-in-law, who had accompanied us on a visit to his friends in the east, stayed at Milton Stowe's, who lived in one of the doctor's houses. In the evening the doctor went to see them, as they were quite ill, and Brother Stowe was very poor. The doctor expressed great sympathy for them when he returned to his house, * * seeing them in ill health and lying on a straw bed on the floor. He shed many tears at thoughts of the brethren going under such suffering circumstances upon such a long mission; but he did not have quite sympathy enough to buy them a chicken to make them some broth, or even give them a shilling, although he was worth four or five hundred thousand dollars. He said his taxes amounted to over four hundred dollars a year.
In the evening I became very ill. The doctor said he could give me something that would do me good and relieve me of my distress, and I would probably get a nap; but the old man was so drunk that he did not know what he did, and he gave me a table-spoonfull of morphine. His wife saw him pour it out; but dared not say a word, although she believed it would kill me.
In a few minutes after I took it, I straightened up in my chair, complaining of feeling very strangely, and as though I wanted to lie down. On my attempting to go to the bed, I reeled and fell to the floor. There was hardly a breath of life in my body. Brother Brigham rolled me over on my back, put a pillow under my head and inquired of the doctor what he had given me, and then learned that he had given me morphine. I lay there for a long time; when I came to, Brother Brigham was attending to me with a fatherly care, and manifesting much anxiety in my behalf. I remarked, "Don't be scared; for I shan't die."
In a short time after, he got me on the bed, and nursed me through the night. I commenced vomiting and continued doing so most of the night. He changed my under-clothes five times, and washed me each time previous to changing, as I was covered with a cold sweat. It was through the closest attention of Brother Young and the family that my life was preserved through the night. I was scarcely able to speak so as to be understood.
In the morning, Brothers Smith, Turley, Hedlock and Father Murray came to see us, and the brethren laid their hands upon me and prayed for me. When they left they wept like children. Father Murray felt very sorrowful. Said he, "We shall never see Heber again; he will die." I looked up at them and said, "Never mind, brethren; go ahead, for Brother Brigham and I will reach Kirtland before you will." Brother Brigham gave them all the money we had except five dollars, and told them to take good care of the team and make all possible speed to Kirtland. They started the same day. In about an hour after their departure I arose from my bed.
CHAPTER XVI.
FURTHER INCIDENTS OF THE JOURNEY—MONEY INCREASED BY THE POWER OF GOD—ARRIVE AT KIRTLAND AHEAD OF BRETHREN, IN FULFILLMENT OF MY PREDICTION—SERVICES IN THE TEMPLE—VISIT MY OLD HOME AND MY RELATIVES—KIND TREATMENT—ARRIVE IN NEW YORK—JOYFUL MEETING WITH BRETHREN.
On the 22nd of October, Elder Almon W. Babbitt and Dr. Knight, an eminent physician, came from Pleasant Garden to see me, and the next day Brother James Modisett took us in his father's carriage twenty miles, to the house of Brother Addison Pratt. From there we were conveyed by Dr. Knight to Pleasant Garden, and put up with Brother Jonathan Crosby. We found a few brethren there, who were well and in good spirits. We remained three days, preaching to the few brethren and those who wished to hear. * * *