Washington telegraph., 1853-02-16
An Incident.


Boston at the time when the yellow fever
prevailed to such frightful extent, became
a victim to the pestilence When the first
symptoms appeared bis wife sent the children
to the country, and herself remained To at-
tend upon him. Her friends warned lar
against snch rashness. They told h-r III
would be death to her, aud 10 benefit to him,
for he would soon be too i'll to know who At
tended upon him. These arguments made
no impression on her aftectionate heart. She
felt that it would b. a long life of satisfac-
ton to her u know who attended Lin, If LIE
did Eot. Size accordingly stayed and watch
ed him with unremitting care. This, how
ever did not avail to save him. He grew
worse and worse, and finally died. Those
who went round with tile dead carts had
visited the chamber, and seen that the end
was near. They came now - take lie body.
His wife refused to let il 20. She told me
that she never knew how to account for it,
but, though lie was perfectly cold anu rigid,
and to every appearance quite dead, there
was powerful impression OH her mind that
life was not extinct. The men were over
borne by the strength of her conviction,
though their own reason was opposed to ii.
The half hour again came round and
again the solemn words, Bring out your
dead."-The wife again resisted their in
portunities, but this time the men were reso-
lutte. They said the duty assigned to them
was painful one, but Ii. health Of the town
required punc;ual obedience to the orders
they received; and if they ever expected the
pestilencc to aba;e, il must be by prompt
removal of the dead and Immediate funiga-
ton Of tie infected apartments
She pleaded and pleaded, and knelt to
them in al agony of tears, continually say
ing, Il am sure he is not dead" The men
represented the utter absurdity Of such AL
idea; but finally overcome by her tears, again
departed. With trembling haste, she re-
newcd her efforts to restore him She raised
his head, rolled his limbs in no: flannel and
placed hot onions to his feet. The dreadful
half hour again came round. and found him
as cold and az rigid rs before. She renewed
her cnlrcatics ID desperately, that tic mes
sengcr3 began 10 think a lijtle gentie force
would be necessary. They accordingly at
tempted to remove the body against her Will,
but she threw herself upon it, aud chung to
il with such frantic strength, that they could
net easily loosen her grasp. Impressed by
the remarkable energy os har viii, they re-
laxcd the.r efforts TO All their rcn.or.-
stsances she answered: If you bury him,
you shall bury me with him" AT last by
dint ofreasoning on the necessity Of the case,
they obtained from her a promise that, if
lie showed 10 signs Of Iiic before they again
came round, she would make nc further op-
position to the removal
Having gained .l;s respite, slre hung the
watch upon the bcd-po.t, and renewed her
efforts with redoublcd zeal. She kept KEGS
Of hot water about him, forced hot brandy
between his teeth, and bEcathed into his
nostrils, and held hartshorn u His nose; but
still the body lly moiiCuiess and cold. She
looked anXiousiy at tla watch, and in five
minutes the promised haIt hour would expire.
and those dreadful voices would he heard
passing through the street Hopelessness
came over her, she dropped the head she
had been sustaining hui hand trembled VIC
lently, the hartshorn She had been holding
was spilled on the paid face Accidentally,
the position of the head HAD become slightly
tipped backward, and the powerful liquid
flowed into his nostrils Instantly there
was short, quick gasp-a struggle--his
eyes opened, aud when the dead men came
again. they found him sitting up ii bed
lie is still alive and las enjoyed unusually
good health. Z. W. Child.