The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1878-09-18

years, and it would be supreme folly
to relent towards them, even indirectly
now.-[N. 0. Picayuue.
A Brace of Heroes.
Bill Redding died yesterday morn
ing. o. E. Shearer had gone two or
three days previously though the news
did not reach us until last night by the
mail. They were brace of heroes,
though living hundreds of miles apart
and partly strangers to each other-a
brace of heroes without any of the
brass ornaments or frippery ofthe bat
tie field to distinguish them from other
men, but still with the heroic nature of
the highest school implanted in them.
Bill Redding was the telegraph opera
tor at Grenada, and at the same time
correspondent of the Enquirer a
bright young fellow of only twenty
three, with the vigor Of youth and the
hope of a long life before him. When
the yellow fever broke ont at Grenada
he telegraphed the Enquirer a private
message saying that the Yellow Jack
threatened to give them fierce tussle,
but he would stay and might be relied
upon for the news. His dispatches
were graphic and cheerful, coming
from a brave man at first, but day by
day, as the situation became more
alarming, they changed in their tone.
They were graphic still, but the horri-
BILE scenes through which he was pass
ing gave the eloquence of woe to what
he wrote. One day he commenced bis
dispatch:
"To describe the scene is beyond the
power of mortal man. Although deaths
are decreasing, it is not from an abate.
ment of the disease, but from the want OF
material Our little band of well ones are
quickly counted, and we miss them hourly
requiring the strongest nerve and courage
for US to battle against the plague demon.
We imagine We can almost see it in the
air, and We feel like it was lurking around
us, waiting Tor an unguarded moment to
strike."
That gives an idea of what brave
Bill Reading and his associates were
doing for humanity. A week ago last
night he sent another private message
saying that he didn't Know how long
he would live, and he wanted the
amount of bis compensation fixed, that
he was Drawing the dangers for his
mother and those dependent on him.
A liberal SUM was named for his SER
vices to that date, and still more for
his future pay. Two or three days
later his dispatches came witIl-an ap0l.
ogy at the foot saying that he feared
that he could not write coherently, as
the room in which he wrote contained
four persons down with the disease
and corpse. The four persons down
were Bill Redding's wife, his mother
and his two sisters. The corpse was
that of his child. Was it any wonder
that he could uot write coberently =
Two days more elapsed and his dis
palches came along as usual, only the
woetul picture drawn in them increased
in its dark colors. There was no hope
at Grenada, but Bill Redding remained
battling in the face of despair. Then
two more days passed, and there was
nothing from Grenada. The office
could not be reached by the wires.--
This was last Thursday and Friday.
The town seemed to have dropped out
of existence. Saturday the wire was
opened again, and with it's opening
came the message: "Bill Reddiug is
down with the fever. This for the
Enquirer" Yesterday came still an.
other: "Redding died this morning at
half past eight" The hero had fought
his last fight, and was conquered by
Him who conquers all.
Our other hero, Shearer, was the En-
qnirer's correspondent at New Orleans,
brave, soldierly man, who had faced
death on a score of le-felds, to find
I it in another form, though with him
still at the post of duty. He had
served the Enquirer faithfully, though
bat brief length of time, and his dis
patches from the Crescent City were
among the very best that came to any
Northern paper. His pictures of the
panic-stricken city, and the gaunt spec
ter of Death as it came up from the
bayous, were more vivid and startling
but there was not the realism of woe
and desolation in them that pervaded
those from Grenada. It was not to be
expected in large city. One day,
however, Shearer dropped out from the
list of those sending our dispatches and
another name appeared for New Or
leans. Last evening letter came in
from that city, returning draft we
had sent him, with the words, "Accept
many thanks, but it came too late to
do him any good. He died Wednes-
day morning at six o'clock. Will you
have the kindDsss to mention his deatl,
in your paper and send a copy to bis
mother, Mrs. E. Shearer, Okolona,
Miss, for am sure it would be some
satisfaction to her to know that her
sons death was thought of SO far
awayq"
Brave heroes both, Redding and She
rar! Not in the din of battle, where
courage is a matter of emulation, did
they fall; not on the field of glory, in
cited by the example of those round
them; but in meeting the pestilence
that walketh by day, in the fulfillment
of their duties to their fellow-men,
were their lives offered up-a sacrifice
noble, heroic and pure.
THE noblest death that man can die,
Is when he dies for man,
Enquirer.
"A new embalming process is an
nounced, which giues fresh and beau
tlfnl annaaranca to tho nonnfonanna nE