The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1877-02-22

Mai dTeG naQ llVeQ with Lnom SO long
that she seemed almost more like an
old and trusted friend than servant.
So the doctor came and found them
both there by the bedside-the mother
and daughter.
The old family physicians face look
ed grave with his first glance at Mar
garet's flushed countenance, and he
sent father and child into the next room
while he made an examination of his
patient. When it was ended his face
was graver still. He beckoned Mrs.
Camp also into the adjoining room.
Mr.. Camp was there alone.
"Where is Ada?" was the doctors
first question.
"Gone down to give the little ones
their supper, | believe,' was Mr..
Camps careless answer. "But how is
Mar
The doctor sprang forward to the
door before he could finish his sentence.
"Ada, Ada, come here at once!
Were you mad that you let that girl go
down to the children, carrying con-
tagion in the very atmosphere about
her?" .... ..
"ContagionP" gasped husband and
wife in one breath. "Surely, doc
tor
But the doctor was questioning Ada,
who had come running up stairs half
frightened at the physicians per-
emptory recall.
"How far down stairs had you got?"
he said.
"Only down the first flight, sir,'
was the quiet answer.
'Had seen none of the childrenp"
"No, sir.''
THAT is well, my dear. Now go
and sit by the window. want to talk
with your father and mother mo-
ment." ..
Somewhat puzzled, the child did as
she was hidden, and the doctor turned
to her parents.
"Of course you have been vaccinated
and your childrenp''
The face of his listeners turned pale.
"Doctor-you-don't mean to say
that Margaret"
Mrs. Camp broke down utterly.
"That Margaret has varioloid? Yes.
Nothing worse. You had better know
it at once, that you may take precau-
ton accordingly. For you two, and
poor little Ada, yonder, there is nothing
to be done beyond taking proper care
of yourselves, as you have already been
exposed to the infection. But the little
ones must be sent away. Twill attend to
that for you. Mind, now, that you are not
to be worried. | will take Miss Ada
home with me, and with the precau-
tions shall take l trust she may es-
cape it yet. But can not tell. | will
send nurse here for Margaret, and if
you both will follow my directions
closely, think can prevent very Sc
rious attack, if you should take it. Of
course it is possible you may not have
it at all. But if you should, there is
nothing so terrible. / should dread ty-
phoid or scarlet fever much more. But
you have not told me if you have been
vaccinated?"
ayes, we have all been vaccinated,
children and all,' said Mrs. Camp.
''But don't understand where Mar
garet could have been exposed to the
disease. She has been out very little
this winter, and l am sure nowhere
where she could have been exposed to
the smallpox
alt is puzzle to me also. I hadn't
heard of case in the town. But the
contagion can be carried in the air, in
second hand clothes, or in many other
ways"
In secondhand clothes! Somehow
l, "a dc l. ~ loo
ly. Surely those blankets-but no, what
nonsense was she thinking? If it was
nonsense, her husbands mind was full
of it, too, for as she looked up his eyes
met hers, and he spoke his thoughts.
"Those blankets we bought the 9TH
er day at Bruce's!"
awe" bought How grateful his wife
was for the tenderness of heart that
shrank from according to her, in such
q time as this, the blame she really de-
served. !, se..s| 2.
The DOCTORS quick ears caught the
words. Blankets-at Brc ce's? That's
the way the infection came. should
have thought any sane man would have
been wiser. Why, the fellow would
buy the shirt off a man who had
died of fever, if he thought
he could make any thing onit. Here,
III leave some medicine for Margaret,
then | must see to this. That rascal
will have an epidemic of smallpox in
town if he isn't stopped. As it is, no.
body knows how far the mischief has
gone" And the old physician hurried
away. .....f
None OF Mrs. Camps children took
the terrible disease. The precautions
taken for their safety was quite success.
full, and she and her husband escaped
with hut light attacks.
Neither did the disease spread