Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1878-09-25

sights Justice; no tongue exaggerat,
them. Lisping childhood, hoary an,
venerable old age, the vagrant and tn,
merchant, the man of God and the un
believer, are all taken, are all claimed
alike by the awful pestilence. 1t thin,
all ranks, and brings sorrow TO the
mansion, the cottage and the cabin
The cry of the fatherless is heard
every hour, claiming the pity, the sym
patby and the tears Of the most hard
ened veteran.
In this office, as we write, there are
but two left of all who month age
were employed in the editorial count
ing and composing rooms, AMI ouI
pressman is down with the fever
Strangers to the office, as to the bust
ness, are attending to our affairs, while
the only editor left on duty alternates
through si1teen hours ddH between
his desk and cass. This is our per.
sonal measure OF the dreadful epidemic,
and surely il is sad one, 1t has NOV.
ed US to tears many time the past
ten days, although we are not used Ia
the melting mood.
Our experience is one we will never
forget and it is n common one. The
fifth epidemic we have passed through,
this surpasses them all in the horrors
IT has uncovered. Parents have de-
serted children, and children parents,
husbands their wives, but not one wife
husband. Men have dropped dead
on the streets, while others have died
neglected, only to be discovered by the
death-spreading gases from their bodies.
Little children clamoring for the food
she could no longer give, have appeal
ed to the dead mother, who gave up
her spirit as she gave birth to her last,
in the agony of the fever.
Ministers of the Gospel carrying mes
sages of peace, burrying from house
to house, have had their weary steps
arrested and their work stayed by the
pcstilence, that walks in the MONDAY
as at night. The priest, administering
the extreme Unction, and the bride Of
Christ, wiping the death damp from
the forehead Of those whose friends
and kinsfolk are far away, are almost
paralyzed in the sacred net, and die
even before we know they are sick.
The business Of the hour is the suceor
of the sick, the burial OF the dead and
the care OF the needy living.
The last words of those who are
well are at night farewells to the dead,
and the first in the morning who lives
and who has dicdr All day, and
every hour Of the day, this question is
repeated, and the heart sickens at the
reports, and the soul grows weary
over the repetition. And yet there is
no relief nor release. Worse and worse
and worse the epidemic has grown.
until today 1t has capped the climax,
and the hearts of the brave men who
have stood in the breach are blanched
with icar with . dread that annihIa-
ton awaits us, and that we are des.
tined to be blotted from earth.
Fear sits on every face and dread on
every heart. We work, not in the
shadow, but in the very face OF death,
We meet him on every hand aud at
every moment in the names of his vic
Tins and in the desolation he has
spread about us, Hope We have none.
We despair of any relief, but we are
nerved for the end. We pray bless
ngs upon the generous who have help
cd us IN all the States We pray for
the safety of those who have come
among us to nurse the sick and minis
ter to the dying and we ask that the
names of the women and the men who
have laid down their lives for us shall
be handed down forever among the
and best of earth"