Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1858-03-26

self unasked into the yawning gulf whicl
an earthquake had opened in the market
place Of Rome, and which, according t.
the oracle, could only again be closed by
the free will Offering of human life
VIII no one resolve to follow in his Sa
vior's footsteps, who yielded up his pre-
cious life upon the cross for US sinfu
men,"
In vain did the burgher- master wait fol
an affirmative reply. Low murmurs
feigued coughings, aud embarrassed looks
alone ensued upon his speech.
awe believe" the burgher-mast once
more began, "that we have in GU. eye the
right man, whom his calling has alread I,
brought into contact with danger, disease,
and death who is capable of aiding the
sick with head and hand, better than any
other amongst US ; and consequently per.
fectly qualified to undertake this difficult
office. We mean you, burgher Schele, -
continued Herr Adler, approaching the
bath-master, and laying his hand on his
shoulder. "You are brave man; YOU
understand the care and management Of
the sick; and you fear no danger
Schcle turned pale, and bis generally
! ready tongue was for the moment sienccd.
At length he stammered out: "Forgivc
me, worshipful Herr Burghor master. If
an ordinary death is formidable, how much
more the black death /! There all hope of
cure is vain. If might presume to offer
my advice, it would be that the house in
to which the plague has entered should,
with all its inmates, be burnt to ashes.
This is, | acknowledge, desperate reme-
dy, but it is the surest under the sun"
The burgher-master though. that his
ears deceived him, but universal mur-
mur of Indignation from the assembled
crowd convinced him to the contrary
lie was on the point of giving the bath.
master stern reproof for his unchrstian
proposal, When one of the councillors
touched him on the shoulder and whisper
cd in his ear. The burgher-master turn
ed to Sche!le, and said in grave voice:
"schelle, Herr Kunath has jus. brought
me the dreadful intelligence that the black
death is in your house, and has attacked
your wife and youngest child. The dam
ger, it seems, advances with gian: steps
au1ps 'ueuespeiato fhvans PIupvsru BY JUu,
and make beginning by burning down
your house with all who are in it."
If ever q man was caught in his own
trap, it was Schelle, the terror-stricken
bath.master. His knees shook under him,
aud he all but fell senseless to the ground
CiaspiDg his hands, and in a depiorable
voice. he cried: "Oh, worshipful Herr
Burgher-master, have Pry. sr--- ~
wife and family! The advice / gave was
foolish, nay, impious. l was not in ear
nest when spoke of burning down; and
besides, as the pestIleuce is spreading so
rapidly, you might lay half Naumburg in
ashes. Have pity, sir, have pity Take /
back your word, and spare the innocent
do bat you would not have done to you,
sternly. "Y6dIr.,,' replied Herr Adler,
schelle, the command" JFely forgotten
who said, Whatsoever ye would that Me-.
should do to you, do yc even so to them
This time you have escaped with the fright
alone, for only said what did, to show
you your inhumanity. AS yet the pesti-
lence has spared your house. Vii! you
now, however, undertake the Christian
office which we have offered to you, in the
name aud with the sanction of our coun-
Gil ?"
"Forgive me, your Worship answered
the bath master, quickly recovering from
his panic: 81 have wife and three chill
dren, to whom | might carry theinfection,
if we're to take the charge proposed to
me and besides, my services to the town
can not be dispensed with. Who shall
cup, bleed, bind up wounds, and attend to
the bathing establishment, whilst peril
Gus occupation separates me from all H.
tercourse with others? Consider this
well, sir, and choose man who stands
alone, and whose loss would not be so IT.
reparable as mine. | would far rather
face the dreaded enemy than have to do
with the pcstilcnce.
"Well, we can hot force you, against
your will, to undertake this dangerous
but highly honorable ofics," said Herr
Adler. "NOthing, then, remains for US,
but tha. l, the chief and father of my
burghers, take the care of the sick upon
myself. l would at first have proposed to
do so, had | not believed it of more i'm
portance for me to attend to my present
duties than to these. Friend Schiefer" -
Herr Adler turned to the senior council
lor-"to you make over my authority
as burgher master, for the time in which
nv duties will withdraw me from amongst
rou. and I must demand Of you, my