Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1878-11-16
A Yellow Fever Episode.

During the prevalence of the great
scourge the editorial fraternity gen
orally stood at the post Of duty i'm
periling life and losing money to sup
ply the means of general information,
and a medium of easy and safe com
munication between the unfortunate
sufferers in the afflicted districts and
their friends in the outside world.
Like other people, they sometimes
made mistakes, and one of the errors
into which they sometimes fell was OPP
position to the quarantine, A dis
tinguished editor of a neighboring city
inveighed against the inhumanity Of
Jackson, in establishing the quaran-
tine, and sorely ridiculed the village
and her citizens.
This same gentleman was earnest
and honest in what he said. He had
read Of yellow fever in the books and
newspapers and he took the side OF
that school of physicians who feared
nospreadin citiesli like jackson. Butthe
day speedily came which found theyel-
low feeer epidemic in his town and
himself a forlorn refugee from the
dreaded scourge. He was like Barney
Hughes when he left Memphis, the
further he went the worse the reports
got and the worse he got scared. Bar
ney returned to Memphis, and so did
our refugee editorial friend, but not
exactly for the same reasons. The
wandering refugee of the tripod went
into a neighbOring county. Alas, they
we're neighbors no more. Every door
was closed to him, and every mans
hand was against him. He was from
an infected locality, and thegreat law
Of elf-preseryation overode all laws of
Christian charity and gentle humanity.
He wandered from house to house
for two days and still there was no
hope Of his finding food and shelter.
Finally, one day he stopped at a gen
tleman's house and called him out to
parley. He wanted to come in, but
the prudent citizen sternly said mo
and when he insisted the old gentle
man took down his guu and called up
a fierce cur, to back him. The editor
said. Ny God, mister, | am starving
to death. | have been out for two
days and nights without rest or sleer
and without anything to eat"
Hold on" cried the determined
farmer, "if you come in my yard
will shoot yOu. Stay where YOU arc
and | will feed you" And the editor
stayed, with the faithful cur to keel
watch while his master prepared fooC
for the poor exile. Soon the farme,
returned with a pole twenty feet LOAF
or more and a bread-tray containing
some cold provisions tied on to tn
end with a bride rein. He stood at
safe distance on the inside and poket
the pole over the fence to the edito
who had seated himself on a stunt
while with the gun and the cur h
kept watch and ward against any ma
niacal desire that might possess tn
editor to invade his domicile. In thi
attitude, which formed a picture illus
trative of the times, worthy the pei
Of an artist, our editorial friend too
his first meal for two days.
Influenced by the stern philosoph
Of the situation, as he had experience
it, he finished his meal, and conclude
to return while he still had strength /
travel. Some one met him on the re
turn, and he ~stoically remarked tina
The would rather go back and die Xix
a gentleman than remain there an
! live like a dog lie did return an
stick it out, but he is a wiser man to
day, and we doubt not would form
quarantine against all future invasion
, of Yellow Jack or any ether dead
epidemic,