The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1852-12-01
A Thrilling Sketch.

One Of my fathers brothers, residing in
Boston at the time when the yellow fever
prevailed to such frightful extent, be-
came victim to the pcstilence. When
the first symptoms appeared, his wife sen:
the children into the country, and herself
remained to attend 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 would soon be too
i'll to know who attended upon him.
These arguments made no impression on
her affectionate heart. She lelt that it
would be long life of satisfaction to her
to know who attended him, if he did not.
She accordingly stayed, and watched
with unremitting care. This, however,
did not avail to save him. He grew worse
and worse, and finally died. Those who
went round with the death-carts had vis-
tied the chamber, and seen that the end
was near. They now came to take the
body. His wife refused to let it go. She
told me that she never knew how to ac-
count for it, but, though he was perfectly
cold and rigid, and to every appearance
quite dead, there was a powerful impress
sion on her mind that life was not extinct.
The men were overborne by the streagth
of her conviction, though their own reason
was opposed to it.
The half hour again came round, and
again, was heard the solemn words,
"Bring out your dead" The wife again
resisted their opportunities; but this time
ha Int
the duty assigned to them was a painful
one, but the health of the town required
punctual obedience to the orders they re-
ceived: if they ever expected the pestilen,e
to abate, it must be by prompt removal
Of the dead, and immediate fumigation of
the infected apartments.
She pleaded and plead, and even knelt
to them in an agony of tears, continually
saying, ~ am sure he is not dead" The
men represented the utter absurdity Of
such an idea; but finally, overcome by her
tears, again departed. With trembling
haste, she renewed her efforts to restore
him. She raised his head, rolled his limbs
in hot flannel, and placed hot onions on
his feet. The dreaded halfhour again
came round, and found him as cold and
rigid as ever. She renewed her entreat-
les so desperately, that the messengers be-
gan to think little gentle force would be
necessary. They accordingly attempted
to remove the body against her will, but
she threw herself upon it, and clung to it
with such frantic strength, that they could
not easily loosen her grasp. Impressed
by the remarkable energy Of her will, they
relaxed sheiz efforts, TO a.. :lieiis ses.,s7.s..-
strances she answered, "If you bury him,
you shall bury me with him." AT last,
by dint Of reasoning on the necessity Of
the case, they obtained from her promise
that, If he showed no signs of life before
they again came round, she would make
no further opposition to the removal.
Having gained this respite, she hung
the watch upon the bed-post, and renew
ed her efforts with redoubled zeal. She
kept kegs of hot water about him, forced
hot brandy between his teeth, and breath
ell into his nostrils, and held hartshorn to
his nose; but still the body lay motionless
and cold. She looked anxiously at the
watch, and in FIVE minutes the promised
halfhour would expire, and those dread
ful voices would be heard passing through
the street. Hopelessness came oyer her
--she dropped the head she had been sus-
taining~-Ler hand trembled violently
and the hartshom she had been holding
was spilled on the pallid face Accident
ally, the position Of the head had become
slightly tipped backward, and the power
ful liquid flowed into his nostrils. In
stantly there was a short, quick gasp--a
struggle--his eyes openedl and when the
death-men came again, they found him sit
ting up in the bedl He Is still alive, and
has enjoyed unusually good heal b. ~
Mrs. L. ~. Child.