Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1854-10-24
EVENING STAR.
AN INCIDENT OF THE IRISH rAM1sk

l l. - u Il II =
AN INCIDENT OF THE IRISH FAMINE
In populous town in the north of Ireland
tradesman and his wife lived together, hap
| Py aa9 oontented. They knew no care but L
promote tho welfare and comfort of each 9th
| or But the prevailing epidemic lin IS41
made its appearance in their neiphborbood
| and they became seriously alarm cd lest the
| eontagion should seize them. They had seen
the court in which they lived nearly denonn
| lated; the fever cars were plying in ali direc.
| tons their acquaintances who had recovered
were going about with shaven heads and nal.
| lid looks; AMI the CARTS with two or three cof
ms, were constantly going to the parish bury.
| Ing. ground, the bodies being unlamented, and
perhaps, unknown. The dreaded moment ar
| rived, The husband returned home from bis
employment one evening, and found his wife
| much indispOsed. The pain in the head and
In the back, with the hot skin, told truly tha,
| the peShlence had overtaken her and mar ked
her for its victim. She continued worse DARING
tne night The next morning she was yIs-
| tied by the district Medical Inspector, who
| at once fRonounced the disease fever, and &C.
cordingly sent her to the workhouse hospital
After she had been removed there, the sor
| rowing husband went to visit her; but by a
| wise dispensatiOn OF the board of health. no
| such purpose, and he was, consequently, re
pulsed He returned next day to make in
qulry, and try 10 gain admittance: the latter
| he could not effe It; the officer in attendance
at the gate merely looked in book, and read
he mornings report, that such a person wa
| = much worse, and in great danger" The
| husband then tried to force an entrance. but
| the door was closed in bis face, and he was
| lett standing alone He looked up at the win
he FOL
which of them was above his wife's bed. In
that place lay the only individual to whom
| his life was devoted; she was attended by the
| unfeeli 6 hands Of strangers no kind word
of sympathy c,nsoled her suffering; no friend
was there to admin ster to her wants ami il
her thought reverted TO her husband, she. ie-
norant Of the regulations of the establishment
! might be rejecting on his unkindness in no,
visiting her With sorrowihg heart he ben,
his steps homeward. The painful agony OF
! suspense for the partner of his life which har
rowed his peace, it is only possible to con-
ceive
After night OF sorrow the morning came,
but with it no joy. A loud hooking at bis
door aroused hun at an early hour In q short
time he was up; and, on opening the door,
he received message from the hospital, tbar
his wife had died the preceding night. and
that if he wished to have her inferred in his
buryins ground, he would be required to have
1t done Immediately, otherwise the CORPSE
Weuld DO removed to the cemetery of the poor
that evening
We can only imagine his anguish when he
presented himself again at the hospital. and
craved. as small bequest that he might bs
allo"ed to take one last farewell look upon
the remains Of her whom he nd loved and
cherished; and was refused
He Immediately informed his kindred Of his
loss, and made preparations for The funeral
that evening respectable coffin was pro-
| Viz d, having his wife's name aud age Ell
sro-sd on tho lid 3 "nd at IN appoin ed hour
| it vas conveyed TO the hospital in a hearse
attended by the afflicted husband and rel atives
in jaunting cars. On their arrival at the work
house the t.baRai fbnaRRlaicssion was renewed on behalf
Gut One Of the medical genIIefheh hlS S wife !:
| orders in that respect were SO strict that he
could not comply. The coffin was then taken
in by the servants Of the establishment, and
| in a few minutes returned, securely nailed
with the dead body. The mournful procession
again moved to the place of interment. bury
ing ground about six miles distan where the
corpse was committed to Its resting place til
| the laat day, amidst the tears Of the sOrrowin
husband
But the most poignant grief for the departed
| relatives is not felt at the time they arc
| snatched from our sight. Then the cons squen
confusion, and sympathy rendered by hi:
friends, keep the mind in ol Grafton. Bu
when, these have cea. ed, when friends have
gone. the heart experiences the breach tha
has been made, the soul looks in vain fol
so uethiDg to fill up the vacuum, and earthly
affection has no ground on which to rest-theI
do We know our loss.
The Borrowing husband felt this One even
ing, OIL returning to his house, he put his fin
ger on the latch, but the door opened not
| then he remembered her who had been won
to stand on the spot at that hour looking 70
his return, her eye beaming with gladnes
whom he drew near When he entered tn
house, there was no fire blazing on the hearth
no evening repast provided, no " Family Visi
ter to read lying on the table no loving Wit
to make him happy. He looked around-every
thing was in disorder; the clothes worn by tn
PAT tner of his bosom were still in the plac
che put them with her own hands. Everything
| tended 20 remind him of his loss and call hi
lamented spouse to his rememo rance. Lionel
. and desolate he sank into a seat covered hi
. face with his hands, and gave himself up
! his misery. While in this position his doc
j.. opened, and foot approached; he lifted hi
i eyes, and his wife stood before him. II
gazed intensely on what he believed An az
partition; but his strength iorsook him, and b
! fell off his seat In few minu es, however
, he recovered, and beheld his wife leaning owe
, him.
What ails you, dear?" said she; sur
you re not vexed to see me come heme to 20
restored to health %
"They told me you were dead" said he
g and did not bury you more than wee
ago."
'sNo, thank heaven" she replied, " q,
, still living. The woman who lay in the san
bed with mo died and a mistake was mao
, about the name, though was not then son,
BILE of it, owing to my weakness
Il The happy couple, now re- united, embrse'
. one another; and the glad husband said tn
q if he had not felt the pang Of his supposed
e reavement, he never could have known Il
= pleasure of his wife's safe return.
Description Of Kansas
The following description is from the pen