Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 182?-183?, 1832-06-29
THE CHOLERA IN PARIS.

From late number of the New York
Mirror, we take the following interesting
account, written by MIR. Willis.
You see by the papers, presume, the
official accounts OF the Cholera in Paris. Ii
seems very terrible 10 you, no doubt, at
your distance from the scene, and truly ii is
terrible enough, if one could realize it.,
any where but many here do not trouble
themselves about il, and you might be in this
metropolis month, and you observed the
people only, and frequented only the places
of amusement and the public promenades,
you might never suspect its existence. The
weather is June-like, deliciously warm and
bright; the trees are Just in the tender green
of the new buds, and The public gardens are
ihronged all day with thousands ofthe gay
and idle, sitting under the trees in groups,
laughing and amusing themselves, as ifthere
was no plague in the air, though hundreds
die every day. The churches are all hung
IN black there is a constant succession of
funerals and you cross the biers and hand
barrows of the sick ,hurryibg TO the hospitals,
at every turn, In every quarter OF the city
1t is very hard to realize such things, and =,
1t would seem, very hard even to treat them
seriously. was at masque ball at the
Theatre des Varieties night or two since,
al the celebration of the III Carene, or half
lent. There were some two thousand peo-
pie, | should think, in fancy dresses, most of
them grotcsgue and satrcal, and the ball
wac kept up till seven in the morning, with
all the eXtravagant gaety, noise and fun,
with which the French people manage such
matters. There was a cholera tCaHz, and
a chotera- gGtopade, and one man, immensely
tall dressed as personiiication ofthe Cholera
ltseii, with skeleton armor, bloOdshot eyes,
O. other horrible appurienanceS of walking
pestlience. 1t was the burden of all the
Jokes, and all the cries of the hawkers. and
all the conversation; and yet, probably
nineteen out OF twenty OF those present lived
10 the quarters most rayaged by the disease,
and Diany of them had seen il face to face and
knew perfectly its deadly character!
AS yet, with few exceptions, the higher
classes have escaped. Ii seems TO depend
very much on the manner in which people
1--we, and the poor have been struck in every
quarter, and often at the very next door TO
luxury. A friend told me this morning
that The porter OF large and fashionable no.
tel, IN which he lives, had been taken to the
hospital; and there have been one or two cas-
90 in the airy quarter of ST. German, in the
same street with Mr.. Cooper, and nearly
opposite. Several physicians and medical
students have died too, but the majority OF
these live with the narrowest economy. and
in the parts ofthe city the most liable to inn
pure effiuyia. The balls go on still in the
gay world and | presume they would go
on Ut there were only musicians enough left
TO make an orchestra, or fashonists to COM
pose quadrille. Twas walking home very
late rom party the night before last, with
captain IN the English army The grey
OF the morning was just stealing into the
SKY ana alter stopping a moment in Place
Isndon'e, to look at the column, stretching
up apparently into the very stars, we babe
good morning, and parted. He had hardly
left me, he said, when he heard frightfil
scream from one Of the houses in Riie 81.
HonoTe, and thinking there might he some
violence going on, he rang al The cate and
entered, mounting the first staircase that
presented. a woman had Just opened door
and fallen on the broad stair at the ton and
was writing in great agony. The people
Of the house collected Immediately but The
rnomentmy friend pronounced the word cbol-
era, there was general dispersion, and he
was left alone with the patient lie took
her IN his arms, and carried her to a coach
stand without assistance, and driving TO the
fotsl Dteu, left herwiththe SGurs de Char
rte She has since died.
ASH one plague was not enough, the CITY
10 SIM alive IN the distant fauxbourgs with
rsVoits. Last night, the TappeI was beat
all over the town, the national euard called n
arms, and marched to The Porte 81. Denis.