The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1888-02-17
PLAGUE E-SCARRED.

Yes, ] havC met her face 70 face. GAYS n
German ..riter. BY "hcr." I refer TO the
woman in black; she who of all women
kills the quickest and surcSt.
l saw hcr in 1873, and am one Of the
few who nave seen her, and lived 10 tell
the tale. Ny poor mother saw her and
WAS soon numbered with the dead.
My mother was dead and buried be
Cor" 1 heard Of her illness. I received
written message from my little brother,
julius. II was very short: - Mother -
dcad-dOn't come home"
OF course, returned homo rs soon as
possible. / was in despair / was not
afraid Of the cholera. What had l. in my
state OF mind. to dread: In fact, al
most prayed for death.
When l arrived in the vicinity Of our
village. l shu,ldcrcd to see on every hand
Signs OF the deSolation that had been
wrought by the scourgc. The church
bells in the villages, ct other times so
musical. morning, noon and night, We're
dumb and silent aS the grave itself. The
wheat in the fields had ripcued. The
Golden grain had fallen to the earth and
Sprouted again There was nobody to
gather the rich harvest. Wagons loaded
with empty collins were the only vehicles
10 bc seen on tho public highways.
/ lost no time in reaching my native
village. Tho nearer l approached my
destination the more was weighed down
hyU dreadful sense of deSOlaJion. White,
iicocg clouds were drifting acrass the az
ure sky. Ny Imagination transformed
the clouds into weird shapes. To me they
looked like troops OF spectres i'll white
winding sheets, carrying long scythes.
A. passed the country house OF a gen
lcman, Mr.. Nssay, with whom | was
well acquainted, / saw him leaning
ovcr the gate. He stared NJ Eie without
the slightest sign of recognition. There
was an express son of intense weariness
on his face. After l had passed the
.-.sT, h.. al d md coll 1..f
out:
When you get to Kisalva, stop
moment ut the Silky mansion and tell
Silky that my wife, who is his sister, is
dead"
1 nodded assent and drove on. It
was not long before L met the coach
man f the Silky family. He Was on
horseback.
Wherc are you going?" I asked.
" am going to inform Mrs. Nasay that
her sister has just died.
l delivered my message to the coach
man.
- In that case might a. we'll go back"
remarked the coachmun, in = matter-of-
TACT sort OF way, as il nothing unusual
had happened, adding:
As they both are dead they can tell
each other 20 in the next world. and
turning his horse he rode slowly back.
At length I reached my parents house,
and WAS surrounded by the scenes Of my
hOyhood. There was no hurrying o the
.,atc to meet me, no waving OF handker-
chiefs. no signs of welcome. The win
9oNs did not greet me with lh"ir friendly
"ycs. for they were covered by the
shutters.
No door opened rs my carriage drove
up There did not seem TO bC = living
human being on the premises. 4 face
appeared above the fence Of our next
door Heighbor. 1t was young J&nU~
kazi. He stared at me stupidity but said
nothing.
- Good morning, Janos."
- HIM" lac .srUntcl, a. he turned away.
I walked through tnc yard. The same
dcatulike stiffness prevailed. | tried TO
open tho doors, but in vain. They wcTc
all locked. I called aloud, but there was
no answer. A white eat came out Of the
stable looked at me curiously and passed
on as IL surprised 10 see me.
There was n peculiar smell OF cooking
in the air, and going through the stable
into the yard, / saw my young brother
julius. He was sitting or the ground in
front of q small fire trying TO broil
chicken on a stick BY his side was our
house dog Hector.
julius" :"
The boy looked up, recognized nc,
shook hands, but he did not smil' or
show any Indication of being glad To see
nae. L looked ut him more attentiycly,
and perceived that u wonderful change
had taken place. There was = peculiar
look OF age n. out him. Between his eyes
were three deep perpendicular lines, or
What are you doing. my boy"
asked
- am getting dinner" he replied, in
difercatly.
. Why DO you attend to that? Is there
nobody in the place to cook FOR your"
" Nobody, hc replied, dryly.
a. Whcre arc they ally"
"WLo."
Tho rest OF tho people belonging to
tho house"
d" They are dead"
" Aii tie servants dead2"
Most ol them are dead, but some ran
| AWAY
why did you stay here? Why didn't
| you go to our relatives?"
They refused to sec me. They were
| afraid OF the cholera"
| Then there is nobody on the promises
| except you:'
=. Nobody except Hector must feed
/ him"
- Why don't you stay in tho house in
stead or camping out here?"
a. 1 don't like to go into the house.
| Somebody die 4 in every room"
| / sat down on the box near the fire. and
| little Julius turned his attention 10 roast
| ing tho chicken on the stick. The dog
began TO paw the ground with his fore
| feet.
Down Hector" exclaimed the boy,
| angrily, Eve don't want any more graves.
VIC have had enough of them"
/" Do You lhink-?"
| Yes, Hector knows beforehand when
! ANYBODY is going to die
There was painful silence for a few
| minutes and then | remarked:
e. He VIII not have to dig many moro
graves"
Ny brother, whom I had left thrco
wceSs betorr happy, romping, talkative
child, did not reply, but kept on staring
1t the fire. l placed my hand on his curly,
blond locks and said:
Ny pocr little brother. tell raa--whon
| did our mother dic?"
II don't know" he replied, in tho same
Indifferent tone of voice. - l can't keep
the run OF the days. 1t seems to mo that
j: was a long time ago"
~ Why didn't you lot mo know in time
TO como to the funeral?"
| - Funerals who talks OF funerals?
The coacamun took tho coffin on his
shoulder and carried it to tho family
vault"
Tears rolled down my checks, and fcll
upon the hot Goals and ashes
" Don't cry" said tho child in q cruf
voice. Lc- Us act like mon come wha
may
And this boy was only twelve years o
2go.
" What has become Of our coachman
| Kl2pka? l know that h" did not ru
away"
- He is in n corner of the stable OF
some stTuw. dying"
vent INTO the static, ard there In,
tho faithtul old family SERVANT II,
color q his - @ was = blush lack az.
LC "aS sAivcr.I., as II from cold
The old man, -shO had formerly -ar,-c,
- a hUssar. lid fought r.-Efr,!!,- ....si.,s
the sco"rSc. Two weeks Tr y.o,,.j,.
! tie cord t'g..ilY arouud his L.. - ~