Middletown transcript., 1870-05-28

tackled, while sitting at the dinner table,
with violent cramps and spasms, in her
terror rushed to the door and hailed pas
sing litter, borne by two men, who placed
the sufferer upon it, but the poor man ex-
pired upon the litter before reaching the
hospital. Measures of precaution were
adopted by the city authorities. Disinfec-
tants were employed in all the infected
districts, and by the citizens generally,
about their houses and premises. The
cutters and pavements were washed off
each morning before 0 o'clock, by order
of the board of health. Cleanliness, pru-
dence in diet, and serenity of mind, were
thought to ward off the disease, and all
exposure was avoided as much as possible
The number of its victims, and the sud-
den fatality of its attack, inspired great
dread of it in all minds, and in some in
stances, though for the honor of humanity
they were rare, victims left to their fate, Ell
er to struggle successfully with the fell mon
ster and survive, or miserably to perish un-
attended and alone, with no friendly hand
to compose their rigid limbs, relax their
knotted muscles, or wipe the deathdamp
from their pallld DroWs.
After the disease had spent its fury in
Philadelphia, it next visited Baltimore,
and extended itself through all the towns
and counties of Maryland, seeming most
fatal along the water courses and tributa-
ries of the Chesapeake. The town Of st.
Michaels, in Talbot county, situated upon
the St. Michaels river, containing, at that
time, some five hundred inhabitants, chief
ly engaged in fishing and oystering, was
severely scourged by it, and in the course
of two or three weeks lost over twentieth
part of its population, among them many
of its best citizens. The CONSERVATION was
great, among all classes, but especially
among the blacks, who seemed particular
ly liable to its ravages, and it was often
with difficulty that they could be induced
to perform the last sad offices of humanity
towards the victims, of their own race and
blood.
In Ferry Neck, widow lady resided
with several sons who cultivated two farms
one of which was upon Poplar Island, in
Chesapeake Bay; and the family, when
absent on the island, left colorcd woman
in the kitchen for the purpose of attending
to the stock on the farm in their absence.
This woman, with an infant child, too
young to walk or talk, were the only in
mates of the house, the white family at
the time, being absent on the island,
The mother was attacked with the chol-
era on Wednesday, and suddenly expired.
This fact became known to a neighboring
colorcd family, who communicated it to
some colored laborers on the farm of a
wealthy and highly respectable farmer,
who resided three or four miles distant,
near the Royal Oak. This gentleman, in
the liberality and kindness of his heart,
procured coffin and sent two negro men
with it, in cart, to the house of the de-
ceased negro woman, with instructions to
have her inferred in a proper manner.
Paralyzed with fear, however, and recre-
ant to the duty assigned them, they tilted
the coffin into the yard and FASTENED away
without daring to enter the house where
, her lifeless body lay, or seeking to know
how Jared her helpless infant. The child
was heard crying on Wednesday, by some
; colorcd people who approached the vicini.
ty of the house on that day. On Thurs.
day, also, its wailing was heard, though
its voice was evidently growing fainter and
fainter. On Friday, some colored persons
: approached near enough to hear, but al
was silent. The wailings of that lone in.
r FAINT, by the side of its dead mother, were
, hushed, but whether in DEATH none coult
f tell, as no one had had the hardihood tc
cross the threshold of that dread charnel
. | nj
: sons drew near the house and listened
but all was silent as the tomb NOT
sound proceeded from within, and wheth
, er the infant was dead, or silent from ex
5 haustion, and unable to utter tho faintcs
G cry, none could tell, for all had feared II
h make the investigation. The subject be
e gan to be much talked of in the neighbor
e hood, and the facts of the case becam
: known to several white families. Th
h circumstance, that two colored men ha
o been sent to inter the corpse, and ha
: failed to do it, began to be talked of. Sun
= day morning came, and the subject wa
/ the topic of conversation at the breakfas
!, table of neighboring family, where tn
C writer was guest, having arrived ther
r only the evening before. 1t was at one
6 proposed to repair to the house, bury tn
C corpse, and rescue the child, if it shoul
y be found still living. Accordingly, q
h soon as breakfast was over, party {
II three gentlemen and lad of fourteen sc
!, out for the house where lay the unbui
d led corpse of the woman. Their course la
n through a woods where lived colore
man and his wife. These persons, afte
n much persuasion, were induced to accom-
d pany the party to the house.
l. As they approached the house of th
! dead, on that calm September Sabbat
a morning, scene was presented to the
d view which the writer will long remember
l; There lay the coffin, in the yard, just ,
al the two negro men had left it. Besid
lie the door, which was ajar, and open abor
$; six or eight inches, lay half famishc
ID dog and cat, which did not stir as the pa,
J. fv annroonhed pnshin0 the door onn,