Delaware State journal and statesman. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1855-1870, 1863-03-24
A THRILLING SCENE.

One OF my fathers brothers, says Mrs
Child, residing in Boston at the time
when the yellow fever prevailed to sucl
irghtiul extent, became a victim TO th,
pestilence. When the first symptoms ap
peared, the wife sent the children into the
country, and she remained to tend upon
him. Her friends warned her continually
against such rashness They told her it
would he death to her, and no benefit 10
him. These arguments made no impress
sion upon her aifectionate heart She ac-
cordingly stayed and watched with umc
mitting care. This however, did not
avail to save him: he grew worse and
worse, and finally died.
Those who went round with the dead
carts had visited 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 she never knew how
to account for it, but though he was per-
fectly cold and rigid, and to every ap-
pearence quite dead, there was a power
ful impression on her mind that life was
not extinct The men were oyerborne by
the strength 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 the men
were more resolute. They said that the
duty assigned to them was a painful one,
but the health of the town required pune
tual obedience to the orders they re.
eeiycd if they expected the pestilence to
abate it must be by prompt removal of
the dead, and an immediate fumigation of
the infected apartments,
She pleaded and pleaded, and even
knelt to them in an agony of tears, con
tinually saying, al ana sure he is not
dead y The men represented the utter
absurdity of such an idea but finally
overcome by her tears, again departed.
With trembling haste she renewed her eff.
forts to restore him. She raised his head,
rolled his limbs in hot flannel, and placed
hot onions on his feet The dreadful half
hour again came round, and found him as
cold as ever. She renewed her entrea-
ties so desperately, that the messengers
began to think that 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 en-
ergy of her will, they relaxed their efforts
10 all their remonstrances she answered,
IF you bury him, you shall bury me
with himw
At last, by dint of reasoning on the
case, they obtained from her promise
that if he showed no signs of life before
they again came round, she would make
n0opposition to the removal.
Having gained this respite she hung
the watch upon the bed post, and renewed
her efforts with redoubled zeal. She kept
kegs of warm water about him, forced hot
brandy between his teeth, breathed 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 ninutes the promised
half hour would expire, and those dread |
full voices would be heard passing through |
the street. Hoplessness came over her
she dropped the head she had been sus-
taining-her hand trembled violently
and the hartshorn she had been holding |
was spilled on the pallid face Accident
ally the position of the head had been
slightly tipped backwards, and the pow
erful liquid flowed into his nostrils.
Instantly there was a short quick gasp
"a struggle his eyes opened-and |
when the death-men came again they
found him sitting up in bed He is still
alive, and enjoying, unusually good
health.