Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1880-11-19

shores OF the Lake OF Fire. The pestilence
walked in darkness, and the destruction
wasted ~ midday. Men died, In that little
town Of few thousand souls, at the rate OF
a score a day-black and white, poor and
rich, clean and foul, saint and sinner.
Zeryiah Hope, volunteer nurse, became
quickly enough q marked man in Calhoun.
He more than verified Doctor Dare's prog
nosis. Where the deadliest work wasfp be
done, this man, IL was observed, askedtD be
sent. Where no one else would go, he went.
What no one else would do, he did. He
sought the neglected, and the negroes. He
braved the unclean, and the unburied. With
the readiness Of all incisive character acting
on emergencies, he stamped himself upon
the place and time. He went to his task as
the soldier goes 20 the front under raking
fire, with cleaning eyes and iron muscles.
IL was the custom in Calhoun to pay the
nurses at short, stated intervals-I think
once a week, sn Saturday nights. The first
time that Hope was summoned to receive
his wages, he eyineed marked emotion, too
genuine not to be one OF surprise and repug-
nance.
"I had not thought---o he began, and
stood, coloring violently.
"YOu earn your five dollars ds-, IL any
body in Calhoun does" urged the official,
with kindly brusqueness.
at Is not right; do not wish TO take the
money" said the nurse with agitation.
~ do not wish to be paid for-saying-
human life. | did not come to the fever dis
trict TO make money; | came to save life
10 Sdre Itep' he added, in quick whisper.
He had not slept for four night, and
seemed, they noticed, more than usually
nervous in his manner.
"Tbe money is yours" insisted the Treas
urer.
Every WELL" said Hope, after long ST.
lencc; and no more was siad about It. lie
took his wages and walked away up the
str ohanrhnd int ttnttuhA
One morning, he went to his lodgings 10
seek q little rest. IL was about six o'clock
and people were already moving in the hot
thirsty streets. The apothecaries' doors
were open, and their clerks were astir. The
physicians drove or walked hastily, with the
haggard look Of men whose days and nights
are too short for their work, and whose hope,
and heart rs well, have grown almost too
small. At the telegraph office, knots Of men
and women gathered, duly inspiring the he
rOiC young OPERATOR slight girl-whO had
not left her post for now many days and
nights. Her chief had the fever last week
was taken at the wires-liyed to get home.
She was the only person alive in the town
who knew how to communicate with the
outer world. She had begun to teach little
brother of hers the Morse lphabet-"That
somebody may know, Bobby, IL I-can't
come some day" She, too, knew Zerviah
Hope, and looked up; but her pretty face
was clouded with the awful shadow OF her
own responsibility.
ave all have about as much as we can
bear" thought Zerviah, as he went by. His
own burden was lightened little that morn
ing, and be was going home to get real
rest. He had just saved his last patient
the doctor gave him up. 1t was young
man, the father of five very little children,
and their mother had died the week before.
The nurse mad looked at the orphans, and
said: Hes got TO live" This man had
blessed him this morning, and called the love
of heaven on his head and its tender mercy
on his whole long life.
On this morning that speak Of, standing
with his almost happy face and lifted head,
with his foot upon the stairs, he turned, for
no reason that he could have given, and
looked over his shoulder. A man behind
him, stepping softly, stopped, changed color,
and crossed the street.
81 am followed, - said the nurse.
He spoke aloud, but there was no one TO
hear him. A visible change came over his
face. He stood uncertain for a moment; then
shut the door and crawled upstairs. At in
tervals he stopped on the stairs to rest, and
sat with his head in his hands, thinking. By
and by he reached his room, and threw him
self heavily upon his bed. All the radiance
had departed from his tired face, as il fog
had crept over it. He bid it in his long, thin,
humane hands, and lay there for a little
while. He was perplexed-not surprised,
I1t WAS Hpl sHOGhtu-OLlN uiStNDbluttll.
Duly he wished that he could get tiye min
utes' nap; but he could not sleep. Not
knowing what else to do, he got upon his
knees presently, in that place by the window
he liked to pray in, and said aloud:
Lord, didn't expect it; wasn't ready.
l should like to sleep long enough to decide
what to do"
After this, he went back to bed and lay
still again. and in a little while ne truly
slept. Not long; but to those who perish for
rest, 4 moment Of Inconsistencies may do
the work of n cup of water to one periShing
of thirst. He started. strengthened, with
lines of decision forming about his mouth
and chin; and, having bathed and cleaniy
dressed, went out.
He went out beyond the town to the hut
where Scip the bOatman lived. Seip was at
home. He lived quite alone. His father,
his mother and four brothers had died Of the
plague since June. He started when he saw
Hope, and his habitual look of fear deep
ened to a craven terror; he would rather
have had the yellow fever than to have seen
the Northern nurse Just then. But Zeryiah
sat down by him on the hot sand. beside a
rather ghastly palmetto that grew there, and
spoke to him very gently. He said:
" The Mercy came in last night, Scip-I
know. AndyOu rOwed down for the supplies.
You heard something about me on board the
Mercy. Tell me, Scip.''
Hes a durn fool" said Scip, with a
dull .hOw Of passion.
''WhO'S a durn fOOl:"
'That dem Mate.''
$50 it was the Mate: Yes. What did he
say. Sclp:"
Il never done believe it, urged Scip.
with an air of suddenly recOllected virtue.
" But YOU told of it. Scip."
al never told nobody but Jupiter, the
durn fool ~ persisted Seip.
"WhO Is Jupiter:'
ssTInafnr TtrNffar sh.s
holds the hOSs, that he brung up from the
fever. He said he wouldn't tell. never
done believe it, nerer,
"It seems to me, Scip," said Zeryiah, in a
low, kind voice, ''that wOuldn I have told
il I'd been you. But never mind
" never done mean to hurt yOu," cried
Seip, following him into the road. "Jupitel
the duTn, he said he d never tell. / neVeI
told nobody else"
"You have told the whole town" !" said
Zerviah Hope, patiently. "l'm sOrry, bu
never mind
He stood for moment looking across tbs
stark palmetto, over the dusty stretch o.
road, across the glare, to the town. His eve,
blinded and filed.
1t wouldn't have been great while" I" hi
said. II wish you hadn't, Seip, but neyeI
mind~
He shook the negro gently on, as if he has
been a child. There was nothing more to saw
= &
along, he suddenly said to himself;
"She did not smile this morning. Nor tn
lady AZ the telegraph office, either. Nor.
good many other folks l remember now
. Lord" he added aloud, though
breaking into one OF his half-une0nsciOu
prayers, which had the more pathOs becaus
Il began with the rude abruptneSS Of an ap
parent Oath-''LOrdi what in the name o
heaven am | going 10 do about it.7
Now, as he was coming into the little city
with bowed head and broken face, he me
Doctor Dare. She was riding on her round
upon 4 patient, Southern tacAe-, and sh
was riding fast But she reiRed up and con
/ frOnted hIm.
"Mr. Hope, There Is a hateful rumO
I brought from New York about you. I an
/ going to tell you Immediately. 1t Is sal
"Wait q minute - he pleaded, holding Ou
/ both hands. "NOw. Go on"
alt IS said that you are an escaped con
/ vies," continued the lady, distinctly.
at is-fAlse :" cried the nurse, in \ ringin
voice.
The Doctor regarded him for 4 moment
al may be wTOnS. Perhaps il was not :
bad. was in a cruel hurry, aud % wa
| Doctor Frank. Perhaps they said dis
charged convict"
"WhAt elsel" asked ZeTYiAh, lining hi
I to kar