The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1868-01-23
RICHMOND. WAYNE CO., IND.

IL -
4 Poor Jonn Eveslals, riding slowly
past Darrell Hall il the winter moon
light saw the new doctors tall figure
bend gracefully in parting bow to Helen
in the doorway. and started with sud
den pang, for which he was angry with
himself q moment after. But the vague
sense of pain and loss was repeated so
often in the weeks and months that fol-
lowed, as to grow 1t last into = settled
sorrow, blotting out his hopes. and
threatening 10 darken all his life. By
the time that the last snow-drifts had
melted away in the spring sunshine,
1 Johns dream of love had vanished with
them. No engagement between DR..
| Lashley and Helen had been officially
announced, but rumor had settled the
fact of such engagement with quiet GER
tainty.
Night after night John Everdale lay
sleepless, facing his trouble. and waging
unequal contest with his own heart. He
believed in DR.. Lashly with all the force
Of his generous nature, and his whole
soul ratified Helen's choice. He felt
that he could not willingly cast the tenn
porary cloud Of hia own unhappiness
across her perfect sunshine. So he
found courage to meet her at DR.. Lash
ley's side, with his old. frank smile Of
greeting. though he was not strong
enough to go any more to Darrell Hall.
The summer heats came on with an
intensity almost unparalleled. The
very air seemed schorching, and man
and beast dropped with exhaustion.
Shelbyville proper was built mainly
upon two hills, separated from each 9th
err by low, marshy valley. now tenn
porarily occupied by . collection Of
some fifty or more wretched cabins,
which had received the name Of "New
Dublin"
An occasional breeze brought some
fresh vitality to the hillside air, but the
stagnant atmosphere of the valley was
foul with the fumes of a poorly drained
soil and over crowded living.
..Such weather must breed sickness,
Doctor p said Squire Darrell to DR..
Lashley, one day, as the two sat with
Helen in the porch.
"In the valley, undoubtedly was the
answer. t.The poor New Dublinites are
ripe food for fever. should greatly
dread the appearance Of any malignant
form Of disease among them. Their
ignorant and unreasonable fears sue.
cumb to the first attack, and there is no
lever by which to raise them"
''Can there be no means Of preven-
ton ?" asked Helen.
"Can bep Yes. Will be? No.
rode down there only yesterday, and
tried in vain to induce an effort at some
thing like care aud cleanliness. It's of
no use."
DR.. Lashley's fears soon began to be
realized in the breaking out of an obsti-
nate and contagious fever in the valley.
twenty four hours after the ap-
pearance of the first case, symptoms of |
the same disease manifested themselves
IN several others. The poor people !
we're thrown into CONSERVATION, and
showed the widest inefficiency in min
STEERING to the wants of those already |
stricken down.
DR.. Lashley found the work which
seemed necessary among them in the
asst degree repulsive to his fastidious
'ense. He was unwilling to acknowl-
.dge, even to himself, how much he
'hrank from uniting the office of nurse
% that Of physician in those miserable
'bodes. He was anxious TO leave moth
ng undone which duty and humanity
'ould suggest In the case still, as al
most every day added to his list of pa
tents, he found strength and courage
ailing.
Helen, going into her kitchen one
morning, found Bridget Mahoney, her
work, sobbing bitterly over
er wash-tub, and learned on inquiry,
hat the poor girls father and mother
1ere both lying sick of the fever. Hell
a made Bridget dry her hands and
yes. while she herself packed huge
asket with articles useful in illness.
hen, having sent the girl to her home,
he put her own white hands in the tub,
nd finished the weeks washing. |.
At noon DR.. Lashley made . hurried
all, looking sadly worn and harrassed. Z
lelen, even while she noticed the pallor
his face, felt an indefnable disap I
ointment that he spoke almost a. much l
{ his own sleeplessness and Watching Z
, Of the condition Of the poor suffer- d
70, some Of whom seemed vibrating