The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1891-03-12
THE YOUNG CoMPosiroR-AN IN
CIDENT or JACKSONVILLE.


II xs hot blazing September after
. noon. The sun shome With that iuiens
lurid best peculiar TO lands lying npol
tropic seas There wss little siep Of lii
10 the pissns'stricten city. OILY her
and there feeble pulse ses~sd 10 qaive
like ibs, o. . dying msn The rrd snc
blue globes still Rlo~ed 10 the apo,hs
cary Window. while Ut tbs corner shop
brad and meat were dealt out TO the nee
essi,ous with reckless,bss,e Oae half o
the city bad fed ;ihe other half we're dowI
With the fever which bad swept across
seas to tester upon the doomed town o
Jacksonville. Florida.
The trains could not carry of the iuei
tives fast enough; the hospitals could mol
take 10 al OF the victims; the earth could
not cover it's dead. Yet, 10 the midst o
terror and bewildermeni, here aud there I
man. 9 womae. or . child, stood st his posi-
and waited Tor help to come 10.
The whole country wruug i,s hands and
prayed; aid was scot volunteers came
pouring in. Nurses, doctors. ministers.
philanibropis,s, responded TO the cry for
belp;ind after months Of struggle, of igbt.
ing nur.ing aud watching. the Death An.
gel folded his wings and passed on. All
1t was . fearful lime TO try meu's hearts
Aud deeds wore done which shamed the sun
Aud deeds werewrouyht which should be known
On the day when my story opens. a
young printer stood at his desk in the
com mpositors' room at The Times Union,
busily engaged in setting up type. He was
barely sixteen, and bis cap was pushed
back from resolute young brow; shaded
By Thoughtful gray eyes aud Arm, boy y,sh
mouth and chin. There was only elm
force at work this warm afternoon. aud all
had double duty TO perform. for the pesti
lence was at it's height and the outside
world was waiting for the latest news from
the fever stricken city, and for the usmes
OF the latest victims Of the pest.
A long list was spread out on the form
before him, and the boys fingers we're
busy setting them up. bnt his thoughts
we're svif,er than his hands this afternoon
He hsd epied the name ofa young friend
on IT, list. and it naturally saddened his
occupation. Poor Fred, hs thought, and
only three days siuce be was working by
my side. James Burnell, M. D he spelt
must be stranger / guess, Mrs Charles
Graham and child; Judge Newman. dis
ting guished man; Rev. DR.. Besls. q good
man trkep; Tom Rice, Jessie Brown, col
ored; high aud low. no one seems to es.
cape! He passed his hand over bis brow.
| wouder who will be next. II must lie
fearful TO see familiar name in the psperl
Suppose it was minel l wonder how it
would look2 And what . scare IL would
give mother aud Minnsbsb! What put
such notion into my hesd9 l am not
going to take the fever; l must not take il
Tor their sake, for they would be sure TO
come to me,
Aud there would be three nsead OF one.
The fiery gauntlet Of death 10 run.
Strive as lie would he could not shake
oiI the impression; the jingle ran on in bis
head, aud his name written IN leiters OF
fire seemed to mover III the air above hin
II da, ced befor. his eyes like moto in
the sunbeam. Mechanically he took up
his stick aud picked ont the letters Hawes
Mcleod.
There. will set it up, and perhaps the
bsnsbee viii ontl he eIclsimed aloud.
Hawes Mcleod. 1t stood on; boldly
before bis eyes. Whatever comes, he NUT
tered, / will not let them know TIL the
worst is over.
Copy, shouted the foreman. coming iD
while Hawes, for tueh we msy pow call
him, brushed of the type and swept them
into q drawer. His work for the day WAS
done, and be turned TO leave the Office and
seek bis boarding bouse--there was no
temptation TO go elsev here in these dark
days. So Ha~es took of bis sprou aud
wss soon bur,yiuP sloDR the silent streets.
which echoed loudly TO his qnick foot
steps.
Presently he sIsck.be bis pace ] sm
walking too fsst. be thoul h.; my heart
beats strongly aui my limbs ache Nil over.
b, lieve | sili stop at the drug store aud
ak Tor something TO quiet u.
A trembling seiz d lin; the lever lay
masked IN bis veins He staggered on.
pust g l 10 81 the bali open door. .sndjIein
cd heavily against the coun,er.
Can yon give me suytLipg9 be ssil
hu.kily. bsiisve ! sm t.king the fever
The cl.rk mixed something 10 . glass
snd banded is to the boy. Dsipk this,
be said. .and SET Ia ne aud 10 bed rs quick.
ly - pos IDLE.
have 10 home here, rnarmurel the lad
unstesaily.
Then Jon ro,t go 10 bospi,sil
will cali au smbnlsbce. Give mr your
name pl.sscf
Have -nn. Herry Mcclure. said tie
Young plia,sr. slcsIy. Whit q drsdi,
sickoess cane over him
He wss shutting himself ous from home
snd- -frienis; be vas g,xins doxn into
perhaps desth. snd he knew II
Bat the thought Of his resolution lat hsli
.n tou. back sustained him. aud with =
quick brssitsd prayer TO God Tor hsip.
be sss carried out snd pisccd in 81 An
buls1ee. He could hesf the clerk ssyn &
Tell the ehiei bis name is Mcclure. Henry
Mcclure Then rsof stizsd him. srd
the protest shich stirred st bis hear, died
away on bis dashed lips. Mother, Nina