The Andrew County Republican. [volume] (Savannah, Mo.) 1871-1876, 1874-04-10

a crowd of superstitious per
sons, who eagerly questioned them
with regard to the duration of the
plague. Sign-boards, inscribed with
"Here lives a fortune-teller," or "Here
dwells an astrologer," were commonly
seen on house fronts, proving that many
were to be found willing to make profit
out of this calamitous visitation.
The general alarm was also increased
by others of a totally different class.
These were men who, being III a frantic
state of fear, were unable to settle at
home, but rushed abroad, inspiring
terror in others by their doleful lamen-
tations. Some went about in imitation
of Jonah, crying, "Yet forty days, and
London shall be destroyed" One half
naked man ran through the streets night
and day, uttering, in a loud and solemn
voice, 90, the great and the dreadful
Cod
The very robbers and murderers were
affected by the general panic, and went
about the streets confessing long con-
cealed crimes, and earnestly imploring
divine mercy; but few needed them,
and these criminals had nothing to fear
from any human tribunal in a state of
society so disorganizeda as thatof theyear
1865. Theconstable would have shrunk
from putting his hand on the arm of the
greatest thief, for he might possibly be
plague.stricken. Even had he been
arrested, there would have been none
to try him, for the law courts were
closed, and judge and counsel, trembling
for their lives, had left the metropolis
far behind them.
In accordance with the order of the
Lord Mayor, every house visited by the
pestilence was marked by a red cross,
about a foot long, together with the in
scribcd words, Lord have mercie upon
u.s." All in9ress and egress were strictly
prohibited, and to enforce this com
mand a Waterman was appointed to
each infected dwelling. 1t was he who
went upon all necessary errands for the
family, and kept the key of the house,
which was never unlocked except by
himself. In the morning he entered to
lift on the end of his staff the market
basket left in the passage for him, and
which contained, written on paper, the
orders for the day, and money to pur-
chase what was wanted. On returning,
he placed the. basket within the thres-
hold, and re-locked the door, and so he
continued to act till the day came when
he found the basket of provisions just
as he had left it, and then he knew that
all in the house were dead. Not un-
frequently the Waterman himself died,
and his place was at nee filled by an
other. There was no lack of men for
such employment, for a great number
of people were out of work, owing to
the utter ~stagnation of trade. The
manufactures were rejected by other
nations, and artisans, if they would not
s~tarve, were obliged to become sections.
To insist on shutting up each plague
stricken house proved to be a great
hardship, but the authorities were in
exorable. If one of the maid servants
of a city merchant sickened with the
fatal malady, her master was at once
prevented from going into business,
and became, with his family, and other
domestics, a prisoner in his own house.
Thus a dozen or more persons might
be placed in confinement on account of
one, and confinement with the diseased
person involved almost certain death.
In many instances the law was evad-
ed. Watchmen were bribed to wink at
the escape Of the family, or they were
deceived, and while they watched at the
front of the house, exit was made by
the inhabitants by a back door or win
dow. Many persons, however, pro-
vided themselves with duplicate keys to
their house doors, that, in the event of
the plague visiting their homes, they
might not fear being locked up. FIRE.
quently the master of a house marked
by the terrible red cross, would send
the Waterman On an GRAND. and then
open the door with his duplicate key,
and hurriedly lead his family out,
leaving the stricken one alone to die.
Many families sought refuge in the
ships on the river, where they were
mich more safe than thew would b.va