Virginia free press & farmers' repository. [volume] (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1827-1832, 1830-05-26

Lord. We assembled in the evening;
II was the Sabbath, and on that .day
there had been no worship. for the stern
angciwiti, his phials stood at the church
door, and the worshippcrs dreaded to
enter.
The air was fearfully warm, and our
windows were open. The setting sun
shone IN upon Us. and We all Thought,
as we prepared for the prayers. that
there was yellow drowsiness i'm hi.
eye, as if the glory If the world was
smittcn with mortal disease-wc con.
templated the prodigy in silence. and
when he disappeared. we all fell by
one Thought upon our knees. 1T was
my intent to have spoken, but utter
ancc was denied 10 me +; we folded our
hands and offered ourselves to the MGR
CIV Of Providence with the voices of
our hearts. After n season we arose
and embraced one another. and cried
aloud. let the will Of God be done
My brother then went home to his mas
ter, aud sickeped next day, bot Re
becca's mother remained with US fur
the night-sucha night!-sucha night,
Next morning nv employer remov
ed his wife, and having in a stock of
iron and Goals. desired me. as he babe
me farewell, tn make and sell the nails;
and INV employment was making a nd
selling nails for collins. Some DAYS
alter, three young men Of our acquain-
lance. who assisted in sitting up and
attending on my brother, sickcned.
The families where they resided had
fled to the country. so that none were
IN the houses TO give them a drink.
thought they had caught the fever from
NV brother, and felt myself bound to
attend them; which did. going from
house TO house by day and by night !:
but il was NOT with them only that
fearlessly (trusting in the Lord) ha-
zarded myself, | had many patients.
In one house lay three brothers-one
after the other died. but I had time to
attend the remains of the last onlv TO
Pottcrs6eld. and II was then I felt
grief for the first time. They had been
my school-fel'ows, we came from Scot.
land IN the same ship, and we had all
sat with our parents in the same. pew
IN the same church.
The hcarse had brought five other
bodies to the scpulchre. but they were
oil unknown. aud | was the ONLY mour.
ner at that funeral. I assisted the
hearseiDen and the sexton TO lower
them one by one into the same grave
but when the coffin of my friend, which
was the last, was drawn out, my limbs
so shook. that I could not take the
cord. Lord. in thy mercy spare me
from the sorrow of such another trial.
As was returning home with hea-
w heart, | happened TO observe the
door Of The third house from nv own
open. All the family had some DAYS
before gone into the country. leaving
the house TO a physician, who boarded
with them. and to young man his as
sistant. | know not what prompted
me. but softly Knocked a, the door
10 inquire how il was with them. No
one obeyeI the summons; ! listened
/ ] became alarmed; | knocked n little
louder, but still no one answcreh-i
listened again; thought heard the
groans and heavy breathing of one jy-
ing; walked up stairs aud my ewes
we're withered with sight that no pen
can describe.
On cot in the middle Of the room
lay the physician; his eyes. already
glazed with the varnish of death. were
fixed and without speculation, and his
bosom was heaving with the last strug-
giles of reluctant nature. spoke-he
took mo notice. | called aloud for help,
but there was no help. On a side
board stood bottle with some wine.
and beside IL lay table spoon.
poured out few drops, and applied
the spoon to his lips: when il entered
his mouth, he seized IL so suddenly,
and with such force between his teeth,
that il rUng through the solemn room-
, Il was the knell Of death, for in the
same moment he expired.
For the space of several minutes I
stood immOvesblc. overwhelmed with
horror; but the Gies settling in clus-
tiers on the dead mans face. recalled
nis to myself. and ! took bunch of
weeping willows, which was lying on
I the floor. and brushed them away. |
then drew the sheet Ortr the corpse,
and kneeling down. prayed that the sc.
eepfOn of his soul might be happy.
The woes. however, Of that terrible
pestlenCc were not confined to the
guilty race &c man; the sullerings Of
lover animals were manifest and az.
feeling. IL the numerous deserted
houses the poor cats were left unpro
vided, AMI they be- anne Mid With hon.
ger. Their cries wefe grief 10 hear.
rs they went about IN bands wlillng
Tor food. gave them what ! coald
spare, but e. relieve them al Was be