Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1873-10-30
SCENES IN MEMPHIS.
Progress Of the PIsgue-DreadfuI Incl
dents.

SCENES IN MEMPHIS.
Progress Of the PIsgue-Dreadful Incl
dents.
1t is in vain that one attempt TO
portray the lamentahle condition of
the city, where all business save
that Of the undertaken is perfectly
stagnant; where the poor are thrown
out of employment and have moth
ing to think about but their present
misery and the vast probability Of
their dying in want and deserted by
their friends. They come together
and talk only of the scourge, which
even more than others they have
reason to dread. Notwithstanding
all the endeavors which are put
forth to alleviate suffering, physic
al and moral, it is impossible to do
SO with anything like thoroughness.
Men and women make heroes and
martyrs of themselves, but cannot
do more than slightly oppose the
rushing current of disease and death
which sweeps them and those they
would help together iuto the gulf Of
death.
The friends of the dead are some
times obliged to dig graves for them
in the cemetery, so great is the de-
mand tor graves now. Sad as these
scenes are e-as when q father. in
mute anguish prepares the tomb for
a beloved daughter or son, or the
husband places in the cold earth the
body of her who was dearer than his
own life-they some times are accom-
panied with ludicrous circumstances
if death ever can be thus accompan-
led. A few days ago young man
died who numbered among his
friends many of the "boon compan
ions" and roysterers of the city.
Several of these determined to take
the body to the cemetery, and see
that it was properly cared for. They
were at the time somewhat under
the influence of liquor. The coffin
of their friend was taken from the
hearse and laid besides several 9th
ers, so that the hearse might imme
diately return to the city for more
dead bodies. When the grave was
dug, the young men, who had used
whiskey freely, could not tell which
was the coffin they wished to lay in
it. To settle the question they
drew lots, and the corpse upon which
the lot fell was inearthed, though
not one of the mourners could posi-
lively say whether or not they had
inferred their friend.
The most horrible and disgusting
levity is sometimes to be witnessed.
Night before last / entered little
house not far from Happy Hollow,
where, while corpse was lying stark
and stiff on q wretched settee, men
and women were sitting round keen
ing and drinking, and one young
man sat hopelessly drunk, with his
head resting on the leg of the dead
body. Others we're reeling about,
and looked at me with vacant and
stupid ferocity as / entered to see
that the body should be removed.
But these are sights which are sim
ply sad and disgusting. A friend
of mine was to-day on the rounds in
search of persons down with the dis
ease, and, knocking at the door of
the house No. 63 Jefferson street,
was answered by boy who told him
that there was a shoemaker named
Armstrong upstairs sick, and per-
haps dead. The visitor shook the
door of the mans room, but receiv-
ing no response he burst it open,
and there, lying on its face on the
floor, to which it had tumbled from
the bed, was the hideous, ghastly,
and bloated form of Armstrong, who
had doubtless been dead several
days. Ae had contracted the fever
while nursing his partner, who was
carried to the cemetary the week be-
fore.
The fever has received new names
being called not ouly by its old title
of "Yellow jack" but also "Bronze
Jack" Saffron" and even "Jonny
Vomito;" SO you may see how much
bravado and carelessness, or the af
fectation of it, there is in Memphis.
The feeling which prompts to such
levity is partly hysterical, but part
ly alsothe result of growing familiar
ity with the pestilence, for in this
case, as in many others, strange as
it may seem, familiarity breeds con-
tempt. In such times also it is
real relief from the misery by which
people are surrounded to make
joke, although any personal applica
ton of it is sure instantly to awak
en- fear and arouse a paroxysm of
indignation. Two friends met the
other day in Exchange street, and
were talking at first. seriously and
then in a trifling vein about the
fever, when one--a well known prac-
tical joker-suddenly said: "Why,
what's the matter, Bill? Your face
is turning yellow as an orange"
Hardly were the words out of his
mouth when he found him self lying
on the ground. knocked down by a
blow by his friepd. whose face was
not yellow but only a little pale
jnst then. Peoples faces are not
apt to get white now when any such
remarks are made.