Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1849-12-19

ALI day long was that su,len bell tong-from
morning Till night it scarcely ceased moment for
as it had rung the kneli OF another departed
spirit, there fresh funeral at the churchyard-
gate, and again that 'dng dong" peaicd uournfully
through the sad and suliry atmosphere. Those who
Were left behind, too i'll to join the funeral process
sion heard not always the returning footsteps of tie
muff1ed mourners; sometimes Death again entered
the house while they were absent and when they
reached home they found another victim ready TO
be borne 10 the grave; then they sat down and
wept in very despair. Death came no longer as of
old. Knocking plainly ii the door Of life but strobe
noselessly in, and before one was well aware smo,e
his vlctm--DO could tell how, for the strong
man, who appeared hale and well one hour, was
weak and helpless the next, and fell without know
ing whence the blow came.
Little children We're clothed suddenly in black
almost before they could reconcile themselves to the
belieftha they had lost their parents Before they
could well understand why their father slept so long
or was placed in dark box, and carried out at the
door such haste the mother had also ceased TO live
| and then they began 20 comprehend their loss and
wept bitterly TO find themselves fatherless mother
| less and destitute. Some Of these were so little,
that they could but just repea, their prayers New
er more would they knee at the feet of that dear
fond mother, as they had done but night or two
before never more would those eyes beam on them
again. or that sweet voice patiently instruct them
and, with a smile. repeat the words over and over
until InPy knew tneln all by TUte Alas theV
were he other night borne TO strange bed; strange
| face bent over them-and, when they rose TO kiss
it, 1t turned away. Then the little orphans press
ed each other more closely, and wept louder for the
loss of their mother. Al last their sobbng sub
sided, though not until long after they had fall
| len asleep, peTchance on the hard workhouse bed
| even those who were before nursed SO delica,ely
that the cold wind had never visited their tender
cheeks Many such sudden changes as these have
we met with homes Gin which day happiness
and comfort regned) changed on the morrow TO
the abodes of sorrow, anguish and naked restitution;
or by the end ofthe week, empty and closed
| Life and thought have gone away side by side,
| Leaving door and windows wide
Careless tenants they
All within is dark nightn the window is light,
And no murmur al the door, so frequent on its hinge
before
Close the door-thc shutters close,
Or through the windows shall sec
! The max cdncss and vacancy
Or the deserted house, TENSisoN.
! In some houses all died and after the dilapida-
ted building had been closed few days, other Ten
ants took possession, and, in two or three of these
changes, the new tenants also perlshed--the mer-
cenary landlords never breathing word about what
had belallen the others. The putrd ss-poul and
stagnan sewer still yawned and bubbled and steam
ed IN the sunshine, and poisoned all who inhaled
the deadly gases and when but few human beings
were left, an investigation took place, and the evil
was removed In several death engeudern9 courts
the whole Of the inhabitants were driven out, and
fresh shelter found for them, uni, their wreched
dwellings were purified.
So few at first escaped after they were attacked
by the malignant and mysterious disease, that yor
looked upon them as persons who had irodden the
confines Of another world-as beings rescued from
the jaws of death, and destined to accomplish some
great mission. You gazed on them in awe and
wonder. Those in the prime of life, and rudy will
apparent health, fell around you like summer flow
ers beneath the scythe Of the mower. Then medi
cal men of long standing began TO drop of yot
missed one here, another there, and with them hop
at last fled. ''They cannot save themselves" ex
claimed the terrorsircken populace; ''then how
can hope 10 escape if the disease overakes us
Old nurses, who had grown grey in the service .
Death, shrank back and shuddered ds they hear
themselves summoned to attend the sick. Thou
sands who had the means fled into the country ant
FASTENED to the sea side, where they thought Them
selves secure; but the wings Of the Angel Of Deaf
threw melancholy shadow over the whole land.
Stout hearted men who had families started sud
denly from their sleep in the dead Of night, if the
only heard Of their children moaning in lis slum
Der words nuttered in dream were like shar
lcc|e thrust into the heart, for they feared that t
/ Destroyer had cOmc-and they knew that he Sc