Mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado Co., Cal.) 1854-1860, 1858-10-30
Prom the New Orleans Bulletin.
Moral Heroism-Incident of the Epidemic

IJHlS tHc atmosphere, prevent STeuLeT CaIaInl'
ties, and perhaps causc the incoming harvcsts
to yield abundance even to plethora. And
those personal aillictions that overtake US,
darkcnng all the streams Of light that were
flowing in upon our existence, may he the
"whOleSomc soil Of virtue, where patience,
honor, sweet humanity aud calm fortitudc take
root and flourish" In commercial cOInlnu-
nifty like our own, perhaps there is danger Of
the rle'lnInillauGe Of the more selfish traits Of
character, that the nobcr feelings will become
T Stuntetf. AMI thc heart incascG in cUatimgs
which will prevent its generous throbbings;
and hence that the plaques must come to tear
them away and keep it open :" to melting
charity" At any rate this seems to be their
tendency, and at no period has this been more
strongly illustrated than at the present. In
decd, practical charity has assumed among US
during this epidemic broader, warmer, diviner,
features than it has hitherto been wont to pre-
sent, bcnignant and sacred as it has appeared
on former OccaSionS
If the destroying angel comes with darkcncd
wing and stern aspect, causing many heart
to wiring with anguish, many an eye to drop
the scaldinS tear, the angel Of pity follows
hard in his track to whisper consolation, 10
wipe away the falling drops, and to minister,
as far as any inStrumcntaitics may, to the
necessities and the bruised hearts Of the un-
fortunate. These ideas readily enough sug.
gcst themselves when we reflect upon the
measures taken by our societies to alleviate
the suficrings Of the poor among us. A new
organization this year, for the first time, has
entered the field Of charity, and, in noble
rivalry with other and older ones, is covering
itself with unfading laurcls, is calling down
upon itself the blessings of the poor and Of
him that was ready to perish"
The Young Mems Christian Association has
divided the city, We learn into twenty-five dis
trictS, and appointed n committee for each;
with physicians and apothccarics, and has cs-
tablislIcd, at a number of points, inirmarics
to which the sick, when necessary, are sent.
Not only this, measures have been taken 10
furnish the destitute with such dclicacics as
their necessities require with groceries and
other provisions. We call this Christian
work, true philanthropy, genuine cxcmplf-
cation of that charity which, If VIC may slight.
y alter TcnnysOn-
-" takes up the harp Of Life, and snlics on all
., the chords with might;
Smtcs on the chord Of Self that trembling passes
i'll music Out Of Sight"
Tn this divine work, woman, MS usual, is the
chief agent. Woman! wherever there is pain
to he relieved, the broken hearted to be raised
up; where Gatint poverty and raging fever
hold terrible carnival where dclirium and
the death rattle drive men from the abode Of
misery, there is found woman. And no where
else does the peculiar and innate beauty Of
her true nature shine out with so serene and
steady and divine light; no where else docs
the bravery Of her moral heroiSm appear 40
rcsplcndcnt, so cnviablc. We know not how
many there arc who arc at this moment en-
gagged in conflict with suffering and the plague
i'll New Orleans; but it is certain that the
number is by no means insignificant, and tits
equally true that they are devOting themselves
to it with courage, II zeal and fa;thfulncss
that would aStonish those who know nothing
Of their labor Of love.
1t must not be supposed That these women,
young and middle aged, many Of them deli
cate and educated, the ornaments Of society,
only 90 where and when they are called upon
for assistance. Notwithstanding the heat of
the weather, with the slight protection oftheir
honncts and parasols, they take to the streets,
they explore the alleys, they seek out those
who would otherwise never receive the blcs-
sings OF their presence. They push into
abodcs Of the lowly the crowded and filthy
apartments where the epidemic RACES with the
greatest power. Nor must it DC supposed that
thSJ NOHtI'lC tllCIuSCibCS ~ tLlS yoUOW uCVCE
alone They relieve suffering wherever they
find it, and take care Of the destitute sick what
ever bc the nature Of their diseases. Very
touching, aS well as terrible. are some of these
scenes which some of these light-rObed mes
scngcrs Of mercy have witnessed. In one
place on Girod street, they found Ger
man family Of eight persons in the second
story Of house, seven Of whom had the vel
low fever and the eighth. an infant, lay
corpse by the si,le of its sick mother, who, in
her dclirium, was all unconscious that her
little one had been released from its sufierings
| The little corpse was let down outside lest its
| mother should become conscious and the
shock be too great for her to bear. In anOth-
or ease. II well educated woman, q nntive of
Philadelphia, whose father, we understand is
living and wealthy, was found almost entirely
destitute, and upon whom the progress of the
fever had gone too far to DC arrested. She soon
passed from her sorrows, and unwilling that
her father should know anything of her fate
We might mention the particulars of other
cases almost ms touching us these, but our
space forbids it.
Surely these Christian ladies' are doing a
work that is truly Godlikc.
One word more and We have done; they
will accept nothing for their own self-lenying
tolls, nut every hour they must spend money
for medicines, for dclicacies, for nurses, etc,
and hence they must have large sum to
meet the necessities which they find existing
This hint in New Orleans will be sufficient
Surely there is not q m0m in The city who
being able, will not put his hand into his pock-
cts to aid them in their mission of love and
picty.
"Swcci as refreshing dews or summer showers
To the long parching thirst Of droOping flowers"
is the presence of these ministers of mercy in
many dark and sorrowfnl fevcr-stricken
abode. Let their hands be stayed up, let
their purses DO filled and kept full to reple-
tion.
Every dollar will be rigidly accounted for
and thankfully received. Persons disposed
to aid them can send their contributions to
the treasurer, or hand them to any Of the L.
dies whom they may chance to know.
! A BEAuTIFUL CoNPARTsON.-T sun does
not shine for few trees and flowers, but for
the wide worlds joy. The lonely pine on the
mountain top waves its sOmbre bOughs and
cries, "thou art my sum-"
And the little violet lifts up its cup of blue
and whispers with its perfumed breath, "thou
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