Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1876-02-11

nughby resumed his paper.
Rob turned to his mother.
| You onght to have seen the funny
tile babies, mother, lie said. !
-,uldn't help laughing at them.
Well, Rob, what of it +? said Mrs.
Yillonghby, listlessly. I'm sure
iou't want to hear about it.
The boy looked disappointed, and
urning away, wentlover to the cor
ner where Aunt Debby sat plying
the ever-busy knitting-needles. He
was sure of her sympathy at least.
Did you say there are little chill
dren among, them, Robert? ? asked
the old lady, beaming on him ihro'
her gold bowed spectacles.
Yes, Auntie, ever so many; and
the poor little things cried, and the
big folks looked so tired and sorry.
Don't you suppose they'll be lone
some tonight ?
No doubt they wall, dear; they
ale strangers in strange land, and
must be very hOmesick and weary.
Oh, they'll do we'll enough, dare
say, remarked Mrs. Wiioughby.
ONE Rob, it is time you were to
bed.
That night was dreary one to the
tenants of the New Row, aud the
days and nights that followed did
not improve. There were no other
Germans in the place, and none of
those newly-arrived could speak
word of English to make known
their wants. The roughly built
houses in which they had been placed
were damp and full of draughts,
and the food that the factory own
ers provided until the labores could
earn something was coarse aud
scanty, and quite unlike that to
which they had been accustomed.
Pent up in the crowded steerage
during their voyage, they had con
tracted the seeds of disease, and in
a week after their arrival the dread
full ship-fever hroke out among them.
They were quarantined at once, no
one except the doctor ever yenturing
among them. There were kind
hearts in Millbnrg, and all necessary
supplies were furnished on the good
doctors representation of the needs
of the sufferers, but the disease
ragged fearfully, and in the farthest
corner of the Millburg cemetery
fresh graves were added almost dai-
Iy.
Rob came home from school one
noon, with face full of sober ex-
citement.
Oh, Auntie, 1 believe those folks
are all go ng to die. DR.. Burke
SAYS there are only FIVE well ,nes
Ieft-and noi enough to take care Of
the sick-and he can't fud a single
person who will go and nurse them.
OF course not; that could not be
expected, said Mrs. WillOughby,
but am very sorry for the poor
creatures.
lDr. Burke says he could. save eE-
er so many more if they had good
nursing. Isn't it dreadful? -
1t is very sad, replied his father,
but do not see what con be done.
Aunt Debby had been sitting very
silent, and now turnedto Mr.. VIII
loughby, and spoke with an air of
decision:
shall go myself and nurse them,
Theodore, will you help me arrange
for it? o
You!
Mr.. Willougllby almost started
fro.l his chair, and Mrs. Willoughby
was quite stupefed with astonish-
ment.
Why, what are you thinking of,
Aunt Debby? she exclaimed, as soon
as she regained her breath. You
will take the disease and die.
hope to return quite safe, replied
Aunt Debby, calmly, but if not, /
may at least be able to save a num-
Der of lives. The same care that
watches, over US here, win be there.
But | cannot hear of such thing,
SAID Ar. Willoughby. 1t is prepos-
ferrous.
Not at all, argued Aunt Debby,
as calmly as before. do not know
of any person who could see the way
clear to 60, except myself. / am
strong and we'll notwithstanding my
sixty-fve years. have no one de
pending on me, and no kindred in
the world, but you three, who do not
need me. Then / can speak Ger
man, which will be a great advan-
tage. d
| need you, Auntie, exclaimed
Rob; you must not leave us.
For call of duty, my dear boy,
| think you will agree that / must
leave you.
1t was in vain to protest against
it. When Aunt Debby once made
up her mind that a course of action
was right, nothing could move her.
Accordingly, when the doctor drove
up to the infected quarter that after
noon, he took with him the best.rem-
edy that could be found, in Aunt
Debby's kind, sympathizing face
and helpful hands.
Gretchen Sneider stood at the
door of her house, holding in her
arms a child apparently dying. The
day before she had. buried an older
one, and this was her last. DIR.
Burke FASTENED toward the woman,
who never needing him, stood gaz-
ing down at the babe, with a look
of stony despair in her white face.
The child is not dying, said the
doctor after a hasty examination.
Tell her so.
Gretchen started at'the sound of
her ownlauguage from stranger lips,
and when Aunt Debby spoke tender
hopeful words, the poor mother
burst into a.food of tears, and yield
ing her baby to the arms held out
to receiyeit, sank sobbing on the
doorstep. Within, >Gretchen's hus-
baud tossed and moaned in the wild
delirium of fever. The doctor pre-
scribed for him, and gave his direc-
tions to Aunt Debby.
/ am come to help you take care
care of them, said the old lsdyin
German to the weeping Gretchen.
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