Idaho news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1887-1891, 1891-05-16
THE DEVOTED WIFE.

A great many years ago, during the |
prevalence oil that terrible Southern
pestilence, the yellow fever IN tbs city |
81 Boston United States when
thousands, becoming frantic withfear,
we're deserving their homes, and leaving
heir stricken friends in the hands OF
strangers the heavy rumble Of
the death-carts, with the solemn and
appallingcry Of Bring out your dead"
we're almost the only sounds that
/ broke the dismal stiffness OF the streets
lat that time we say a man IN the
prime OF life, surrounded BY his wife
and H,tle ones, was smitten BY the
DEVASTATING scourge.
Upon the first appearance Of the
fe u'ful symptoms, the wife immediate
liz gave her children into the care ot
her friends, with a request that they
should be forthwith taken from the
eity TO the country,
And you must 90 with them said
they,
No" she replied THE place OF the
wife is by the side Of her husbands,
pecially in his darkest hour Of need. "
.'But he will die, and you become q
victim also
"As God will,' she piously reio,ned.
"But why remain, and thus expose
yourself and make your children Or.
phans?"
Would you have me leave my hus
band in the hands Of strangers"
but he will soon become delirious,
and not know who attends upon
, him
"But shall know" returned the de-
voted wife; and should survive, It
will ever be consolation TO me to r..
member did my duty
No remonstrance. no persuasion,
could induce that heroic woman TO de-
. part. Taking leave Of her beloved lit.
tie ones with maternal tenderness
! perhaps for the last time-sheresigued
, them to heavens care and her friend \
! and went back to the gloomy dwelling
J which till late had been a bright and
. happy home Already the dreadful
sign was upon 1.-THE sign which told
the passers-by there was another We
!. tim OF the pestilence within, and would
Z | probably soon be another burden fol
those whose duty it was to bear Tin,
, remains OF the departed to the com
: mon sepulchere; but with the heroisu
! Of q matyr, that angel wife crossed til,
!. threshold to perish or to save
!. We will not dwell with q physician
= minuteness upon the alarming symp
! toms and progress Of the disease
!. Suffice il to say that the sick muI
4 soon became delirious, raved like I
!. maniac, and in spite Of the hest mrdi
: cal attendance which could be pro
: cured, and the most careful and de
!. voted nursing OF that devoted wife
!. gradually sunk, grew weaker anJ
! more weak. and at last lay still, nnt
4 became rigid and cold in death.
a In that solemn moment. when tn
q fond wife, kneeling beside the corps
: of him she loved, his cold hnnd claspe,
1 in hers, was pouring out her loving an,
!. agonized soul in n prayer TO heave
r for strength and resignation to bea
the earthly separation; in that drenr
h moment when not living thing stirre
!, in all the house except herself-an
Il the night-lamp burned di1p--and tn
: clock, with its steady tick, as it meas
a ured the time to her but not to him
I. made the only sounds besides I've
! sobs that broke the dreary stiffness
in that awful moment we say, ther
:, came low distant rumble the nois
i gradually increasing; and then the 81
!, yalling words, Bring out your dead.
!. resounded along the almost dcserte
y street, striking fearful chill TO man
= an anguished heart, and causing man
4 tear-fevered eye TO rest mournfull
a upon the beloved form that mui
y soon by the living be beheld no MOI
Il for ever.
i There we're two or three ominot
pauses OF this dread semi-hourly Wis
tor two or three repetions Of Il
- dismal cry-and thenit seemed to pau
under the very windows ofthat deaf
chamber, and the awfni words Bril-
u out yonr dead" seemed to pierce 81
eI very heart Of that poor, horror-stric
g en- wife and mother
''No dead herel" she cried, with
strange unacount starti
y toher feet, clasping her temples wi
n her hands, and gazing wildly up'
=. the CHASTITY, withered form OF him 8
10 loved. "No dead herel My husbai
IL is not dead! He still livesl He OF
ne sleeps Great heaven give me pow
ne to wake him, ere he betorn from me
lt- And as these sentences were inter
=, rapidly and wildly, heavy steps w
10 heard advancing along the hall, n
ascending the stairs with slow meas
ri ed tfead. The next moment the do
,nie OF the death-chamber was slowly OPP
nc ed, two rough visages and figures W
ne presented to the view OF the agonii
pr wife and deep gruh voice said,
ng it over, good womanY"
VI "No, not is not overl My husba
still lives; he will soon recoyer!"