Telegram-herald. ([Grand Rapids, Mich.) 18??-1892, 1891-03-22
THE YOUNG PRESSMAN.
An Incident During tho Yellow
Fever Epidemic

IL was hot blazing september AFTER
noon. The sun shone with that intense
lurid heat peculiar To lands lying upon
troplc seas. There was little sign OF
life In the plague-s.riclsen city. Only
here and there feeble pulse seemed TO
culver like that OF dying man The
red and blue globes still glowed in the
apothecary's windows, while at the
corner shops bread and rnea. were dealt
out 10 the necessitous with reckless
haste. One-haH of the city had fled;
the other half were down with the
fever which had swept across seas to
tester upon the doomed town OF jack
souville, Fla
The trains could not carry off tho
fugitives fast enough; the hospitals
could not take in all the victims; the
earth could not cover its dead Yet, In
the midst OF terror and bewilderment,
here and there n man, woman, or
child. stood AZ his post and waited for
help - come in.
The whole country wrung il hands
and prayed. aid was sent-volunteers
came pouring ia. Nurses. doctors. min
listers. philanthropistS responded 10
the cry FOR help. and after months of
struggle. of fighting, nursing and
watching. the Dcsth Angel folded his
wings AMI passed on. All. il was q
fearful time % try mems heartsl
'And deeds we're done Which shsmei the san.
And deeds wers -roushs vhics should 30
known-~
On the day when my story opens, a
young printer stood at his desk in the
compositors room az the Times-U Mon.
busily engaged in setting up type. IIe
was barely sixteen. and his cap was
pushed back from rcsolute young
brow, shade by thoughtful gray eyes.
and i.rn. boyish mouth aud chin
There was only a slim force az work
this warm afternoon, and all had
double duty 90 perform. for the Pesti-
Iencs was at its height. and the outside
world was waiting for the latest from
the fever-stricleu city, and for the
names II The la.es. victims OF the pest.
A long list was spread out on the
form before him. and tho boys fingers
were busy setting them up. but his
thoughts were swifter than his hands
this afternoon. lie Rad spiei the name
Of young friend on the list. and It
naturally sadiencd his occupation
,.p.,or Bred he thought and only
three davs since he was working BY my
ssae. James Burueu. NJ D." he
srelt. "yunSt be = stranger, ! guess.
Mrs. Charles Graham and child,
.Judre Newman. distinguished man
Rev Dr. Bealc. a good man saiSen.'
Tom Rice. Jessie Brown. eolored:
high and low, No one seems to escsper
he passed his hand over his brow ~
wonder who viii b. he next It must
b. fearfai 20 see familiar name IN the
paper Sstppose Il was nainei wonder
how Il would looisf And what a scare
A. v~ould give nsother zhd Minnahahi
what put sach a noti,/nto my hesd7
I am not going - take The fever. |
rruss uos take r for their sslxes. for
they would b sure T. CONT - ne.
sAns re-. wssill ~ thre- instead q cue
me s~rv Tanntl-t - aeath - RIA
SERVE a. ne would h. could not shake
CT The impression. she jingle ran on in
n. had. snd his name written in let-
A. ~ fsr~ seemed - hover IA the air
.h-wa him. Is danced before his EYES
H.. !. NOE. in tha sna beam. Mechan-
ko,il,r h.s took Nd \ stick and picked
g.,s sh, letters II a-w-e-s Nc l.-e-c-t
There. viii SET Il AZ, ard Perhap.
sAe hansi,es will ossT' Re exclaimed
sionA
Fa-~- wcress. r sts.,a va. hs'isily
Asf,~a his eves 'Nkasever cfass1es.
a.. --,n.s~r..sf. 4 VII MT let them know
su she wcrss 3 over.
.'Ceax shouted tne foreman eominS