Southern Argus. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1834-1842, 1842-01-04
From the Rloiter
= PICKLE. 1R. AcCoUNTANT.

OF p. PICKLE, JR., ACCOUNTANT.
Il was about the first of September in
New Orleans. The epidemic had been
raging for more than month, sweeping
hundreds every week to an early grave.
The weather was of that dry and hot char.
acter peculiar to the epidemic season-pe- |
culiar, because at that time the atmosphere
appears 10 be overwhelmed with the ele- |
ments of destruction. The breath of the
north wind, in those days, is not less terri. |
BILE than the sirocco. The sky seems as
hard and repulsive as glass-while the
pavement almost literally scorches the
the sole ofthe traveller. And when the
breeze fans the cheek, instead of bringing
the balm for which the breeze of the
Southern Cline is celebrated, it seems TO
wtheE the blood in the blue veins, land burn
the moisture from the skin, TIL it apparent~
ly transforms the cuticle into mere parch-
ment.
About the middle ofone ofthose days,
a couple of men were walking up Girod
street. They were the only persons 10 be
seen, with the exception of a pair of ne
groes, at the distance of two or three
squares, bearing ALTER Thel,tter beings
held highly responsible situation in the
chln-gang, as the iron rings upon their
necks, and rather cumbersome chains
which jingled upon their legs, abundantly
testified. The two persons first spoken
of, after hastily surveying rude hovel,en.
tered the door, without pausing for he
customary ceremony of knock. The
interior of the howell presented one Of the
most painful ofthose scenes of destitution,
affection and heart-rending misery so
common in every large city, bot especial.
y frequent in New Orleans during the Wis.
its of the yellow fever. There was but
single room The back door opened into
small yard, where the water stood stag.
mated in pools, sending forth most un.
welcome and disagreeable odor. The hut
contained four persons. In one corner a
piece of canvass had been fastened to the
wall and the ceiling, so as to form a rude
cot. A bundle of clothes served the pur.
pose of pillow. Upon this bed was
stretched, in half.stupor, the frame Of a
woman: She was in the last stage of the
fever. There might have been beauty
there once, but there was none now. The
eyes were blood shot, and the face was as
completely yellow as though it had been
changed from the hre of health by the
brush of the painter. Upon a stool in the
middle of the room, was a child about a
year old, nearly naked. In consequence
of disease or deprivation, the flesh had
nearly deserted its compani ons, skin and
bone, presenting spectacle disgusting in
| its ghastliness. Near the only window ia
the room was placed a shoemakers bench
occupied by the man who seemed to be the
husband and the father. The lap-stone
was upon his knee, but the hammer lay
by his side. Hunger, and yet more
stern necessity, the hunger Of his children,
and the wants ola partner of his bosom,
urged him on to the completion ofhis task;
but stronger power controlled him, and
the sound of the hammer had not that NOR.
ming stunned the ears ofhis sick wife
There he sat. brooding upon his misery,
in all the calmness of fixed despair. "A
girl, some ten years old, with fair hair and
bright blue eyes, beautiful even through
rags, completed the group, On the hearth
was tub containing some clothes. The
poor woman had p.obably been seized
while engaged in washing, and there stood
the tub as she hadleft 1.-THE screen man.
tie" had already gathered upon the surface
of the water. Some triAing articles of,
coarse furniture were scattered about the
room 10 complete the picture.
And yet the woman slept, If state OF
exhaustedsensibility could be called sleep.
The mnsquetoes had gathered in myriads
around her, and their Triumphant hum at
midday seemed unusually harsh and dis.
sonant. But their song disturbed her not.
In her broken dreams she was wandering
amid the green hills of her falher-Iand. -
After question or two, the persons who
had entered the room motioned the barers
of the litter to advance.
slave you any means of support?"wa
asked ofthe husband.
"None but my trade, but | have no
worked for several days."
~ "You had better allow us to take your
wife to the Charity Hospital. She will be
well treated there, and have every auen.
dance necessary, with thousand comforts
she cannot have here. We will give her
an order of admission from the Samaritan
Society"
After some parley the husband consen.
ted. AS the poor woman was lifted from
her cot, she looked around her for &
moment with vacant smile, said family
"Thank God! | am once more at home
in New England"
She was borne to the litter, and the ne
groes moved forward with their burden
The desolate husband stood in the dool
and gazed upon them, while the bic teai
rolled slowly down his face. The Sauna
rItans advised him to remain at his house
as his presence at the hospital would avai
nothing, and he mechanically seated him
self at bis bench. Half an hour after hi.
visitors had left him, he was seen hastil,
vending hisway towards the hospital
A few rods behind him followed the blue
eyed girl, sobbing as though her heart wa:
breaking. The feshless child was left tc
the protection Of its Creator! They die
not return until nightfall.
The following morning, when the fatheI
and child presented themselves at the hos
pital, they were informed that the obiec
of their inquiries, with many lothers, hac
been buried at the break Of day in Potter