The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1843-12-08
kaasty ESIsrialp.


town. Funeral rites were generally omit
ted.-rhe "dca,h CARTS" sent into every
part OF the town, were so arranged as to
pass each street every half hour. At each
house known to contain victim Of fever,
they rang bell, and called, Bring cut
your dead" When the lieless forms
were brought out, they were wrapped in
tarred sheets; put into the cart, and car
ried to the burial place, unaccompanied by
relatives. In most instances, in fact, rel
atives had fled before the first approach of
the fatal disease.
One Of my fathers brothers, residing in
Boston at that time, became a victim to
the pestilence. When the first symptoms
appeared, his wife sent the children into
the country, and herself remained 10 at
tend upon him. Her friends warned her
against such rashness. They told her it
would be death to her and no benefit to
him, for he soon would be too i'll to know
who attended him. These arguments
made no impression on her ailectlonate
heart. She felt that it would be lifelong
satisfaction to her to know who attended
upon him, if he did not. She according
y stayed and watched him with unremit,
ting care. This, however, did not avail
to save him. He grew worse and worse,
and finally died.-Ihose who went round
with the death CARTS had visited the
chamber, and seen that his end was near.
They now came to take the bOdy.-Iis
wife refused to let it go. She told me
that she never knew how to account for
it, but, though he was perfectly cold and
rigid, and to every appearance quite dead,
there was powerful impression on her
mind that life was not extinct. The men
were overbOrne by the strength of her
conviction, though their own reason was
opposed to it. The half hour again re-
turned, and again was heard the solemn
words, Bring forth your dead"
The wife again resisted their importu-
mites (; but this time the men were reso-
Lutte. They said the duty assigned them
was painful one; but the health Of the
town required punctual obedience to the
order they had received if they ever ex-
pected the pestllence to abatc, il must be
by prompt removal of the dead, and i'm
mediate iumigation of the apartment.
She pleaded and pleaded, and even knelt
to them in an agony Of tears, continually
saying, III am sure he is not dead" The
men represented the utter absurdiiy of
such an idea, but finally, overcome by her
tears again departed. With trembling
haste she renewed her efforts to restore
life. She raised his head, rolled his limbs
in hot flannel, and placed hot onions on
his feet. The dreaded half hour again
came round, and found him cold and rigid
as ever. She renewed her enreaties so
desperately, that the messengers began to
think Il little more gentle force would be
necessary. They accordingly attempted
to remove the body against her will but
she threw herself upon it, and chung to il
with such frantic strength, that they could
no! easily loosen her grasp. Impressed
by the remarkable strength of her WILL
they relaxed their efforts. TO all their
circumstances, she answered, "lr you bu-
ry him, you must bury me with him."
At last, by dint of reasoning on the neces-
sity of the case, they obtained from her n
promise that if he showed no signs of life
before they again came round. she would
make no farther opposition to the reno
val
Having gained this respite, she hung
the watch upon the bedpost and renewed
her efforts with redoubled zeal. She pla-
ced the kegs Of hot water abou, him for
ccd brandy between his teeth breathod
into his nostriIs; held hartshorn to his
nose but still the body lay motonless and
cold. She looked anXousIy at the watch !;
in five minutes the promised half hour
would expire. and those dreadful voices
would be heard passing through the street,
liopelessncss came over hers she drop
ped the head she had been sustaining
her hand trembled violently, and the haits-
horn she had been holding was spilled on
the pallid face. Accidentally the position
of the head had become slightly tipped
backward, and the powerful liquid flow.
ed into his nostrils. Instantly there was
a short, quick giSp--a strugglc--his eyes
opened-and whslllhe death men came,
they found him sfN8g up in,bel. He is
t 81. alive and has sy gs,sd spusyalIy good
issspfE 81. s%s,Sa
Sat sAaptl be sorFYf9.Syy;.ken any fears,
orsxrit yunptrqs ant Impressions, by the
recISSIs % llds Jssotf s6pl.l. have ever
thoug e,lHcs< Nc Y idp,much hur.
ried in SJjSAeo,ss,fy tlShIsry in The
nsy!y-sesasa rse n \ n lsssws to me