South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1882-07-21
The Heroine OF the Plague.

l
throbbed with sympathy when the
news with daily increasing force,
went through the land, that the ycl,
low fever was ravaging the Unrest
portions OF Tue Sunny South! How
the people bent to catch the moaning
of the heart.broken mothers whose
little ones had been torn from their
breasts by the reIuorseless Horod of
the plague!
Help Us. brothers and sisters, or we
perish |! was the panied cry that came
up from the stricken land.
Who were their brothors aud ais.
tors? Rather who wero not T?
From the lakes of chilly Maine 10
the golden shores of the far off Paci-
fic--from the lakes of the North to the
warm shores OF the Guif-the men
and women Of every race and creed
responded to the call, and reaching out
their full hands they shouted, through
their tears:
| keep heart brothers aud sisters in
the yellow haryest-feld of death
Our fortunes and our prayers are
yours!
! And all gave that noble readiness
that made the gifts soothing to the
afflicted people; and prayed AS though
the death angel hovored over their
own homes.
| 1t was noble in the po)r man to give
OF his pittauce; generous iii the rich
man to give OF his abundance; admit
rable for the busy man to lay aside his
work and give his best efforts to gath
ering aid; but it was God like in those
who left securc and happy home and,
taking their precious lives in their
own hands, went down 20 nurse the
sick and bury the dead--went down
never to return.
who will lead the charge on yon.
der gins
| il this request were made by gen.
eral III the excitement of battle, a
Thousand swords would flash from
their scabbards. aud thousand heroic
voices would shout: Ir
! Who will oommaudthe supply ship
ana take relief to the people dying in
the South?'
| Ten thousand men heard the re.
qnest, and the silence that followed it
WAS broken by one man 8 clarion voice:
! /! And who are you p
Ihe answer was name unheard be-
tore. but fame caught it up, and death
gave it immortality.
The river down which he sailed will
be dry,and the land il. which he sleeps
washcdinto the deep, hsfore the name
OF Liutenant Benner passes away, or
the lesson of his grand heroism ceases
to affect mankind.
But others showed q self-sacriRcing
spirit as sublime. if not so conspicuous
priests ana ministers sisters of mer-
cy and sisters of humanity; doctors
aud students; and the roce that 30
grandly proved, in the gloomy nights
OF deserted, dying Memphis, how white
soul black body could contain.
Thank God, the trial is over! Thank
God, for the broader, deeper love that
survives it
And Mary Bent in her happy home
that looked down from the Walnut
Hills on the spires and domes of busy
Cincinnati, read the news from the
fever districts with the sympathetic
earnestness that always precedes ao.
ton.
The only daughter of rich widow
cd mothcr-the daughter of a mar
who, in gloomier days, had gone down
to the South land and fallen. there
was everything earthly to keep her
back. But all earthly considerations
were weak before the heaven given
impulse that drew her down TO striell-
ell Memphis.
TO go, my darling is to die. You
are all that is left me p sobbed Mira
Bent when her daughter had announ-
ced her purpose.
Tho God of the widow and father.
less will protect you and me. To neg.
lect what feel is my duty now would
shadow aud make wretched n century
OF life said Mary, pushing back her
mothers gray hair, and kissing the
} dear smooth brow.
} And so Mary Beut's sense of duty
. prevailed over maternal love, and she
went to Memphis.
She went alone, but the rudest men,
hearing OF her mission, raised their
hats and cheered her; and lips TO
which prayer was a stranger. invoked
on the beautiful, heroic girl the bless.
ing of Heaven.
> You are unaccustomed to fatigue,
Miss Bent, and could not bear tho hor-
rors with which we have grown so ia.
miliar, said the doctor to whom she
reported. Return, my child, or it
may be too late
Il came to work aud cannot turn
back. / come under no blind impulse.
Show me the suffering; tell me what
to do, and lot me go to work, repIi-
|, ed Mary.