The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1876-11-01
mo, IL.
Yellow Fever Stsry.

There was a curious incident in The
yellow fever panic at Savannah which
has not attracted as much attention
as it deserves. The hero Of the
mournful episode was a young drug
clerk, and we venture to say that he
was not the sort Of young fellow that
puts up prussic acid for paregoric
apd sends fretting babies to an eter.
nal sleep with q dose Of laudanum
instead of soothing syrup. When
the fever broke out at Savannah the
whole force in the drug store where
he was at work deserted the post Of
danger and left the city. His friends
who lived in Augusta sent word to
him 70 come home, but he refused,
and remained on duty until the pro.
prietor of the store ordered him to
close it. He then went to another
drug store in Savannah, and worked
laboriously as prescription clerk
He was kept so busily engaged that
he had little time for his meals, no
chance to change his clothes and NO
opportunity for rest or amusement.
His employer took the fever and
died, although the boy nursed him
faithfully. The cook took it, and he
attended to her also and she recover
ed. A young comrade was then Ia
ken i'll and the steadfast druggist
nursed him and performed his du-
ties in the store night and day. His
friend regained his health slowly,
and then the clerk was himself seiz-
ed with the fever, but as he was
strong and cheerful he sent word to
his relatives that he had no fears
It was then his companions turn to-
show the kind Of stuff Of which he
was made; and the material turned
out to be pure gold. He nursed his
friend from day to day, keeping up
constant communication with his
home by telegraph as long as the tel
egraph mes ,engers could be persua-
ded to venture into the infested part
Of the town. His last dispatches
were; :" I will stick to him to the
last" and II shall not sleep to-
night" Both Of the young men died
that evening.
We are not much addicted to what
lis known in the newspaper profess
sion as gush, and have no desire to
turn commonplace matter into he
roism by few gorgeous phrases
glittering in the light Of an overhead
ed Imagination; but we are inclined
to think that some honor is due to
the memory of these two young fell
lows, and should be frankly paid.
They found themselves in the heart
of a city afflicted with the plague, a
place in which even brave men often
quail and from which selfish ones al
ways shrink. They were in no sense
before the public eye, and whatever
they did was done through loyalty
their own impulses, not in the hope
Of reputation or reward. They had
that kind of duty to perform which
is the hardest that can be put upon
man. 1t was ugly, wearing, disagree
able and dangerous. The self-sacri.
fee required was not sudden and
startling enough to win glory, but it
was of that moderate, continuous and
exhausting kind which only rare pa
thence can stand. IF these young
Georgians had fallen side by side in
a battle field in the endeavor to sus-
tain their flag or rescue each other,
no one would have wondered at their
death; but to find them wearing out
their health in nursing the sick, and
:. faithful to each other through weary
vigils, is sweet surprise. Alta time
when the national character has sufa
fered great deal abroad through
whom we are mainly known to other
peoples, and the American is pic
tured as hard, angular, superficial,
INSCRIPTIONS parsonage, occurrences
like this at Savannah should bring
us re-assurances and comfort. It is
only one incident out of many from
day to day suggesting rare powers
and propensities for good. Every
skirmish on the plains, the overturn.
ing of a pleasure yacht, or the rescue
, of a shipwrecked crew, is sure tc
bring some hint of a capability fol
heroism which seems to be an Amer
lean heritage. Few readers will fai
to respond to the words of the cor