New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-07-04
An Incident Of the Epidemic of 1S4l.

closing days Of November. after siege of
nearly two months of unremitting slaughter,
during which many thousand souls had
| kissed the skies in unexpected salutation.
In those early years, every autumn brought
out crowds of young men from Northern
| cities seeking their fortunes. Many fra.
ternal clasp. by such, of the hand that traces
these lines. has death looseneG anon. the
epidemics of long years ago.
Among many others, young and hopeful,
raised in luxury and accomplished, by be.
eager to yeplenish the horn of plenty,
emptied through the sudden taking off of
an enterprising father-a merchant of Bos.
ton-cams two boy brothers. Bronson. In
the old times yellow fever neve. appeared
in the summer months, after, Or amid, long
soggy rains. and with the weathe1-cocks
''rusted east II awaited the clear. brac.
ing northwest wind OF autumn. Such a
thing as yellow fever in June and. July was
unknown till the unprecedented scourge OF
1853. fierce. impatient :or :ts pray, swept
upon our doomed city in the beginning of
the summer solst;ce; and, since that year.
in 1850, 1853. 1867, in which years have been
its only serious campaigns, it chose the
early call. Nothing could exceed the in
MIGRATING and inspiring splendor Of the old
fashioned '.yellow fever weather to Creoles
and those who were acclima,ed. The at
rnosphere. pure as ether and cool, the sun
more golden and intense py day; the stars,
by night, more vivid and glowing overhead.
maxim. ons vast, gorgeous spread Of jew.
eled spiendor; such was the scene alnids:
which. in old times, the master pervaded
our streets and invaded our dwellings with
his fearful terrors; and he continued the
work OF devastation till the First frost
CONCEALED his chalices. when It ;ncon;iuently
ceased.
Strangers usually awaited the first frost.
and only then Came. But many impatient
to be in advance Of business, braved the
hazard, and often fell martyrs to such ad-
venture. In the luxuriousiy furnished bed
room Of dwelling in fashionable Boston,
On night Of October, in 1871, were grouped,
in affectionate and earnest conversation,
matron and her two sons. BY recent
bereavement they had become all the fam.
lily, excluding relatives. The boys were
twenty and eighteen. George. the elder,
was mature locking, manly, thoughtful
boy in face. and a person tail, tending to
fullness. Clarence had the exceeding grace
and delicacy of d grl-a loving look of
feminine sweetness; the image too Of the
mother. who, at forty, still kept apparent
traces of the resemblance. She was melan
choly with her widows grief, and wore the
mourning habit which still prevails in un-
regard OF spiritual progress and the better
sense OF men. They talked of the boys
intended departure for the city of the
scourge, and held newspaper containing
New Orleans mortuary table. George and
Clarence were to take their places in large
commercial house. and both were impatient
TO be there. But the heart strings of the
mother were cracking already, and her
abiding solace was to have her boys by her.
/. was this, more than present dread OF
danger. that caused her to withhold her
consent to thei. immediate departure
against entreaties, almost impassioned, of
the sons. To shorten the story, they pre-.
vailed, as sons will over widowed mothers;
load. and she, that night, settled into a con-
tent which was resignation, rather hope,
with its shooting stars ;llumining her sky,
murky with its clouds OF doubt and fear. |
In day or two the boys departed.
When they came to New Orleans i. was
just November. The beautiful services and |
observances Of All Saints Day delighted. |
both, and Clarence elaborated into an !
lngo!dsby poem IL its celebration. I: was
printed. and copies sent, to bright ten the at
mosphsre Of home.
The middle Of November had como and |
the brothers were settled in their places;
they had made friends, and acquired
of the customs and ways of /
those they were among. But they had not
had thought OF sickness where sickness
was the ruling. universal thought. Life
was too new. too strong. It's impetus too
great, its attractions too real to admit of
any dread as to its tenure. 1t burgeoned |
onward in its new groove Luoyantly, but
only Tor u few days, alas: Then George
told Clarence, without thought of alarm,
that no feared he had symptoms Of yellow
fever: and Clarence turned very pale. and
George. who had had 10 tear before, be-
cane afraid; no: for himself no: thought
arose OF personal ianger-bu. Clarence
shook with sudden emotion. and before
he elder had taken up the gaun tlet Of the
yrant scourge. the tender, nervous form of
Clarence was PROSTATE. an impetuous
ever, with delirium. sat in, while George
watched by his bed. He was copiously
,upped, which was the undertaking treat.
nent Of that period. and when he awakened |
nto consciousness, tindin: George by his
,ed, he seemed to rally, and his physician |
loting change Of pulse, promised his
brother the victory. Clarence, even in the
rip of the raging tiend, had TO thought of
PERSONAL fear. 1t was anxiety for George
mind. filled him with its destroying poisons
nd loOsened all the viyets and screws Of ,
is delicate frame. And so when that
nxiety ceased the danger abated. George
new this: and with his head and
ack breaking, and his blood. coursing !,
nth wild frenzy through him. he sat still ,
y Clarence. When. at last, he was forced |
way and put to bed for treatment. with :
alloping speed the destroyer swep: through :
ne halls of his being, making speedy havoc, i
nd leaving. in little time. only vestiges
the normal properties and powers. 1t :