Daily American telegraph., 1851-12-31
"REMINISCENCES OF ROBERT HOE.
BY LAURIE TODD.

REMINISCENCE0 OF ROBERT HOE.
BY LAURIE TooD. s# ..H
In September, 1905, the yellow fever pre-
vailed to fearful extent in the city of New
York. AS never left town while it was ra-
ging, was sitting in my tent door in the cool
Of the day, and lifting up my eyes | beheld
stranger, q rare sight in fever times. He
was moving from Cedar street along Nassau,
having his face set toward Maiden Lane. He
walked in the middle of the street, and was
reading the sign boards on the right and left
He paused in front of my open door, and mine
was the only store open in the block As he
stepped in, he said, Mr. Thorburnn ..'
Where did you learn my name?0 in
quired.
/" | saw it over the door, said he. q have
come on shore from the ship Draper, from Liv-
erpool, | am a carpenter by trade; my name
is Robert Hoe; | am now in my eighteenth
year.
Says l. "Robert was your indenture fulfilled
before you left England?n
Says he, II never was bound | learned my
trade with my father cantt find work,
have no money; can you recommend me to a
house in a healthy part of the city, Where
may board till get employment when will
pay them honestly Z"
| knew the heart of stranger having been
a stranger myself, and there was so much Of
honest simplicity in his speech and department,
my heart warmed towards him. gave him a
chair, and ran up stairs; says i GUIDE wife,
a stranger standeth at our door shall we take
him in 7" off thee pleases" she replied,
If he takes the fever, will you help ing to
nurse him?o Twill, y she answered. "Thank
you, dear, for this God will bless you.n Now
says |, "come and look on his honest English
face" The impression was favorable Says |,
Robert, this neighborhood is accounted the
most healthful in the city you will lodge here;
if you take the fever, my wife and will nurse
you; you shan't 90 to the strangers hospital
His eyes spoke thanks more eloquent than
words As he had no business abroad, | ad-
vised him to stay at home.
The fever seized him, however, in less than
a week. | procured an eminent physician
my wife and ! nursed him. In seventeen sum-
mers that Pve nursed among the sick, do not
think that | ever saw case so violent but it
terminated in death, his only excepted On
the fourth day. generally the crisis the burn
ing fever was coursing through the veins, and
drinking up his English blood His skin burn
ing dry and yellow, heartick, all bound-sck
and his spirits sunk down to his heels | sat
by his bedside he fastened his restless eyes
on mine: 20, Mr. T., Mr.. T., | shall die,
shall die-I never can stand this y and he
threw his brawny arms across the bed, as if
going to grapple with death "Die," said |.
Robert to be sure we must all die, but you
are not going to die this week" In this |
spoke nadvisedly with my lips, but thought
of Pope Plus and his Bull, to wit, that the end
would sanctify the means He was under the
influence Of powerful medicine at the moment ).
knew there would be lull, as the sailor
says, soon and | meant to take advantage Of
the circumstance, to persuade him to live If
possible. Fancy kills and fancy cures. left
him for fifteen minutes On return, / felt his
pulse said |, Robert you are fifty per cent
better already; | hope to see you walk from
the bed and sit by the window tomorrow
| sat by his bed, conversing, to cheer his spirits
continued, death is nigh at hand at all
times and in all places; but my impression is
that you will not die with this attack hope
to see you master builder, married to one of
our bonny Yankee lassies, and to hold your
grandchild in my arms.n
From this hour the fever left him Shortly
after this, the fever disappeared from the city
He became master builder, and died in lS43,
aged 55. But his name will never die while
types are set and printers breathe Hoes
Printing Press is probably the most useful dis
covery that has blessed the world, since the
first sheet was struck from the press Former
ly we paid one hundred and fifty cents for a
Bible; now we buy one as good for twenty-five
cents. 1t may be said of his sons, Ia rare oc-
currence in this country that they are better
men than their father, inasmuch as they have
added many improvements to their fathers
plans Mr. Hoe dwelt in New york thirty
eight years. After his recovery from the fever
in 1905 we met times without number; his
never-failing salutation was Grant us the in
strument under God have to thank you
for my recovery from that fever" have re-
ceived many tokens of kindness from his wor-
thy family, sons and daughters. And nothing
in my past life affords such pleasing reflections
as this act of duty and humanity to o stran-
ger, When his aching head'lay on my breast,
as held the cool draught to his parched lips,
| little thought that in his head lay the germ
of machine destined to revolutonize the
world of literature, and shed light on the dark
places Of the earth, whose habitations are full
Of horrid cruelty.
About seven years ago stepped from the
cars in country town. Amongst those who
were looking on, stood man Of genteel APP
pearance; said ], Sir, | wishto stop here for q