The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1880-11-27

Owed, exchanging now and then subdued
word. The negro dragged himself YEARLY
over the scorching sand, and thus the little
procession Of pity entered the town OF Cal.
hOun.
NV story does not deal with love and Ia.
dies. Ihaye to relate no tender passages be.
tween the fever physicians, volunteers from
New York, for the afflicted region Of CAL
hOun. DIR. Marian Dare came South to do
a brave work, and have no doubt she did it
bravely, As Il woman should. She came in
pursuit Of science, and have no doubt she
found it, as woman will. Our chief inter-
est in her at this time lies in the fact that
certain missing fragments in the history OF
the person known a. Zerviah Hope we owe
tn her. She hOyers over the tale with u dis
tant and beautiful influence. per,adn- as
womanly compassion and alert as Il woman's
eye.
I have nothing further to say about the
story before tell it, except that il is true.
The weather. soon after the arrival OF the
Mercy, took a terrible mood. and a prolonged
drought settled upon Calhoun. The days
dawned lurid and long. The nights icli
devices and deadly. Fatal and beautiful
cOlors lurked in the swamps, and in the silt
ing dust, fine aud hard, blown by siroc:os
across the glare of noon, like sands on the
shores OF the Lake OF Fire. The pe.iiIence
walked in darkness, and the destruction
wasted ut midday. Men died, in that little
town OF a few thousand souls, ut the rate Of
q score day-back and white, poor anu
rich, clean and foul. saint and sinner.
Zcryiah Hope, volunteer nurse, became
quickly enough Il marked man in Cainoun.
lie more than verified Doctor Dare prog
nosis. Where the ieadiiest work was to be
done. this man, it was observed, asked TO be
sent, Where no one else would 90, ne went.
What no one else would do, he dld. tie
sought the neglected, and the negroes. ne
brayed the unclean, and the unburied. WIN
the readiness Of all inciSivc character act''ls
on emergencies, he stamped himself upon
the place and time. lie went to his task u
the soldier goes to the front under raklis
fire, with cleaning eyes and iron muscles
The fever OF the fight was on him. lie seemed
to wrestle with disease for his patients, aht
To trample death beneath his feet. lie g!oWc'
over his cures with positive physical ana
ton, and writhed over his dead As IL he hat
killed them. He seemed built Of endurance
more than mortal. 1t was not known whe'
he slept, scarcely if he ate. His wearlnc,
sat upon him like u halo. lie grew thin, re
fined, radiant. In short, he presented a
example OF that rare spectacle when neVe
fails to command spectatOrs-a common ma
possessed BY an uncommon enthusiasm.
have been told that, to this day, man
people personally unknown to him, who's
fate it was to be imprisoned In that he
lea-uered town at that time, and who WeI
familiar with the nervous figure and plan
intense cOrntenance Of the Northern nurse
ma he passed, terrible day after terrible day
. to his post, can not hear Of him, even nov
without that suff,lsion Of look by which v
hold back tears; and that, when his nan
took on. a. it did, more than local reput;
ton, they were unable to speak it because
choking voices. have often Wisheu th
he knew this. =,
It was the custom in Calhoun to pay Il
. nurses at short, stated Intervals tnil
once week. on Saturday nights. Inc 1T
time that Hope was summoned 10 recel
his wages, he eyinced marked emotion, U
genuine not to be one OF surprise andfepu
nance.
I stood, colOring violently.
"You earn YOUR five dollars da.'. II an
d body in Calhoun does" urged the omcl
Q with kindly brusqueness.
money" said the nurse with agitatio
e ct do not wish to be paid for-sayins
e human life. I did not come to the fever d
trict TO make money: came to save liit
,f 10 sare Hfe," he added, in q quick whlsp
lie had not slept for four. night,
il seemed, they noticed, more than usua
nervous in his manner.
q. "The money IL yours" insisted the Ire'
r. every WE'LL" said Hope, after long
~ lence: and no more was sad about II.
1t took his wages and walked away up
!. street, absorbed in thought.
One morning. he went to his lodgings
r. seek a little rest. 1t was about SIX o.cIO,
70 and ueople were already moving in the
ID thirsty streets. The apOthecaries' 10
q. were omen. and their clerks were astlr.
: nhvsicians drove or walked hastily, with
" ha4oarl look Of men whose days and nlg
III are too short for their work, and whose nc
an and heart AS we'll, have grown almost
or small. At the telegraph office, knots OF y
MI and women gathered, DULY inspiring the
ed .roic Young operatOr-a slight girl-whO
of not ieft her post for now many days
o. NIGHTS. Her chief had the fever last wee
q. was taken at the wires-lived to get no
To She was the only person alive In the z
N, OHIO knew how to communicate with
NO outer world. She had begun to teach !!
Dot brother OF hers the Morse Alphabet
w. somebody may know, Bobby, II !-c
MT come some day." She, too, knew Zer
pes Hone. and looked up; but her pretty
Ike was ciOuded with the awful shadow OF
wn own responsibility.
md MWe nil have about as much ~ We
a bear.n thought Zerviah, a. he Went by.
cd. own burden was lightened q little that IN
,n' inc. and he was going home to get
rest, lie had Just saved his last pate
the doctor gave him up. II was y
the man. the father Of five very, little chi'd
orc and their mother had died the week De-
nm The nurse had looked at the orphans,
nd. said; "Ee's got to live" This man
inc blessed him this morning. and called tne
rm. Of heaven on his head and Its tendcr "
,pIe on his whole long life. =. ...,
rift ON this morning that speak OF, stan
nan with his almost happy face ana !liteu
nee. with his foot upon the stars, he 'uincu
aid no reason that he could nave gwen
, in looked over his shoulder. a man 1e
the him, stepping softly, stOpped' c""''sc"'
and crossed the street.
ice, ~ am followed, ~ SAID the nurse. =.
No He spoke aloud, but there was no W
fate hear him. A visible change came ovt
NV. shut the door and crawled upstairs. =
and teryals he stopped Oh the stairs TO- rest,
sat with his head in his hands, thinking
bare. and by he reached his room, and threw
Iieht self heavily upon his bed. All the raI
Way. had departed from his tired face, as II
10 had crept over it. lie hid it In his long
own humane hands, and lay there for
) be. while. He was perplexed- mot surp
idly. He was not shOcked-Only disaPpO
and. DULY he wished that he could get hve
ence. utes5 nap; but he could not Sleep
the knowing what else to do. he ,got, upe
pas. knees presently, in that place by the W
kot. he liked to pray in, and said aloud:
;. be. "Lord, didn't expect 1t; wasn't
hu. 1 should like to sleep long enough 70
! DR.. After this, he went back to bed 81
hut still again, and In . little while he
firm. slept. Not long; but to those who per
rest, . moment Of inconsistencies q
when the work Of . cup Of water to one pc!
itself Of thirst. He started, strengthened