Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Wayne County, Ind.) 1831-1837, 1836-04-09

though we'll content with life, ant
bound 10 it by the strongest ties,
think could calmly close my eye
beneath its oblivious touch; but human
nature shrinks at the thought Of be
ing buried alive! Perhaps the vivid
ness of this impression, is owing te
the remark frequently heard from
an aged relative, while I was yet a
very small child; that hundreds and
hundreds were buried before they
were dead, when the yellow fever
ragged 50 terribly in Boston, Tha,
period is we'll remembered by our IA
thers, when pestiIence walked abroad
|as MONDAY, and the hearth stone
was silent and dreary as the tomb.
The deathcarts went tn cir continued
round through every hour of the day,
and night, and unshrouded and uncof-
fined, the newly dead were hurried to
theirlast home. ! knew a man, who,
during the time of peril, was snatch
ed from the grave merely by the per-
serving affection of his wife. OF the
story there is no doubt; for have Of
ten heard it repeated by both the
parties concerned. This awful Wis.,
itation of God came upon them when
they were newly married, when ex-
:stence was happiness and separation
worse than death. The young hus-
band became a victim to that disease,
which was breathing destruction o.
yer the city. The friends of his wife
urged her to seek refuge in the coun-
try, and not risk her own life in a
useless attempt to save his. But no
could induce her to leave
him; night and day she was by his
bedside; and IN the anguish of her
heart she prayed that the pestilence
might likewise rest upon her. But
her prayer was not answered; surely
and rapidly it did its work upon all
her heart held dear; but to her, death
would not come, though she prayed
for it, and sought it with tears. She
had inhaled the breath of her dying
husband, but to her it was harmless;
and in the madness Of despair she re-
pinned at the merciful DEGREES of Heav-
en-.
No one was with her in the House
she was alone with the dead. Sud-
denly the silence of the deserted
streets was interrupted by the rum
bling Of death-carts; and she knew
they had come to take him away
from her sight forever; and with the
it suddenly flashed into hcr|
mind that life might still be in him.
Her entreaties excited compassion,
md she was permitted to keep the |
corpse one half hour longer. The i'm
preston made upon her mind had the |
strength Of inspiration; and though
every restorative which ingenuity I
could devise, had failed to produce eff
ect she would not relinquish hope
Again the carts came round, and the
'olemn sound. Bring out the Dead
the fearful stiffness. Again
he wife entreated, wept and scream
.d-the hearts Of the men whose
lreadful employment accustomed
hem to such scenes,were touched ;but
hey would not yield. They said the i
'afety of the city required them to be
irm in the discharge Of their duty;
hat they had already disobeyed strict
orders, and they dared not do it a.
,ain: that the hope Of restoring him
vas mere insanity; it was evident he
lad long been dead
When she found they would not be
moved by he- prayers, she threw her
runs around the body, and chung to
! with the strength Of madness; de-
laring If they buried one, they should
Jury both. The men, after a few
emile attempts to remove her, dash
d the tears from their eyes and say-l
ng, We cannot separate them,' left /.
er another half hour Of hope. The ,
,oments Of that interval had = value,
{ which mortals under ordinary cur Il
can form no conception
after restorative was re- Is
pplied; but all in vain. With sick d
ming anxiety, she fastened her eyesi :
pom the watch, and then on the stiff \
Did form beside her. The half hourl I
n naarIY eppes = I'm uinpfne 1hoxs