The miners' express. (Dubuque, Iowa) 1849-1854, 1850-09-04
THE COMBAT OF DEATH!

1.-THE Yello,o Fepcr9 Young man how will
you brave the yellow fever?"
~'I would brave the fire of purgatory itself at
the call of duty of gratitude 4
ssBnt then the cholera-should the cholera
come too, oh! then every street will TEEN with
harvest of black hearses?'
At the mention of the all-dreaded word the
young man gasped for breath, and bowed his
white forehead on his hands, but he soon raised
his eyes and said firmly:
''ln such case, there is the greater reason
why | should hasten to execute my mission
She has given a life--lct her memory take
one!'
"Be it So" ans vered the old man mildly "In
the morning must leave for Mobile, and shall
be absent for some weeks. Here is my card
Should | live to return and you be here then,
will gladly render you any assistance in my pow
er. But the boat will land in a few minutes; |
must descend to the cabin and prepare to 90 a.
shore. Farewell. Keep the cross, and it may
keep thee
The young man was once more alone. The
vessel rocked gently to the wind Of midnight in
that magnificent harbor, around which the gleam-
ing lamps clrcled, enveloping it in the form of a
romantic name of"Crescent City
Many residents Of New Orleans still remem-
Der very remarkable stranger, who, towards the
close of October, 1882, went wandering about the
streets. Most persons deemed him partially era
zed, and some believed him wholly so, and per-
haps they were right-for his condnct was very
different from that of other people He asked
after girl of mean clothing, who, as he said, had
once lived in a cellar and saved his life, and for
whom he wished to do something out Of pure
gratitude. Such an idea was in itself palpable
proof of insanity. What man in his sober SEN
ses ever thought of being grateful to girl of
mean clothing, housed in a cellar, even al
though the hair ofa sweet pale face, and serenely
dark eyes.
But notwithstanding the general opinion, the
stranger persevered in his search. The high
white forehead lightened along numberless lanes,
dark with the steam ofleprosy and pollution. 1t
shone like an aurora in those hells Of crime,
where sun never enters. By the hearths with
out fire, tables without bread, the homes without
love-among all the sinks of wretchedness and
wrong, the sad blue eyes went rayng forth their
chastened splendor
He watched the doors of the lowest theatres
he outwatched the winking street lamps in pes
tilential shrubs. Threaded the human mazes of
"Congo Green" on Sundays, when ten thousand
outcasts Of all varieties Of character and color,
assembled to keep their great Sabbath revel.-
He sought the floors of brilliant masquerades,
itself in rustling silks, and he looked pryingly
into many false tace-but the pale sweet one
was not there And thus week passed by.
On the seventh night, as the stranger was talk
ing his customary rounds, while the air seemed
softer than ever-soft us the touch of velvet,
while the ethered arch appeared brighter, ine-
ffably bright, and the stars stopped lower, as if
about to descend and kiss the earth, he sudden
ly observed an extraordinary commotion in the
streets. Men, women and children, were run
ming to and fro strangely There were pale IA
caS Sfr mir b.ir Tbo
of "fre' occurred at first; but no tongue of metal
mourned its warning, and the iron wheels of the
engine remained silent upon the pavement
Puzzled at so singular problem, he approached
an aged citizen for explanation.
ssThe yetloao teocr!''
That terrible sentence revealed it all. The
pestilence of the south had come without sig
nal, and with a power and pomp Of destruction
unprecedented in the history Of its ravages.
Another week rolled away-a week of death
to many, and gloomy dispair to all-when ano-
ther and wilder word sweiled on the wind, strik-
ing dismay into the stoutest hearts. That word
was the cholera! The two black wings of the
angel of death had descended at once on the
doomed city, the flashing swords of two dire
contagious had crossed in combat, to decide the
horrible issue who should reign queen of the
great emporium. .s E@ 0sa =. a.s FL 81
Then, indeed, there was business for the dead
carts, rolling from every door. Immense be-
came the demands for coffins, and the stores had
all long been shut up. FL saa
Then also new danger threatened the horror
stricken town. That old Protucs, human nature
manifested one Of its revolving phases. During
the first days of the double pestlence, the police
courts were nearly empty; the key Of fear had
locked the gates Of the hell of vice. The chur-
ches were all open, but could not contain the
throngs that crowded around the altars with
white lips, muttering hasty prayers. But slow
ly, terror took different shape, as all hopes
seemed departing forever. The children of some,
plunged again into sea Of riot far madder than
before. Those who knew they must die to. NOR
row, resolved to make the most Of to-day =
Scenes followed such as no pen should trace on