The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-09-23

finally his wife sickened and died. BE was
dazed by the suddenness and severity of his
atfiiction, and as he looked around his little
home he wondered why he did not lose his
reason. He had been worn out by loss Of
sleep ministerlng to his family. The neigh
bors did all they could - console him, but
did not dare go too near. lest they, too,
might be stricken. One day 1t was dscov-
cred that Mr.. Green himself had fellen a
prey to the smallpox. He was raving
wildly, aud IL was expected that he could
live only a few hours at best. A hurried
consultation of the authorities was held and
it was thought best 20 send him to the pest
house, where so many had gone never to re-
turn.
Green was sent there TO die 1t was in
the evening. aud by the time he reached
the pest house he was unconscious. Ac-
cordingly, those who took him there
| thought 1t entirely unnecessary to remain
and watch him, since death could not fail to
claim him In few hours. So he was left
In the lonely pesthouse, where il was
| thought he would be found dead IN the
morning. No one went next day to see
whether he was dead or alive, and In time
his powerful constitution asserted it
self and conquered the sickness. His
reason gradually returned, and
as 1t did he was Mortified TO realize his sur
roundtngs. 1t was night when he awoke to
bis condition. The pesthouse, the desoate
| island, the low sob of the river among the
reeds, his own bereavement, all filed Nun
with unspeakable awe. SummoninR up his
resolution he determined on making all p1s-
sible efforts to quit the island. This deter
mination gave him strength, aud COUPLED
with it was the desire to get back TO his
home again.
At that time be felt that, after ell the
Joss Of his wife and children might not
have been a reality, but some terrible
dream, and that he might see them again il
ne could only look in at the door, as he had
often done. Filled with this thought he
went to the river and, without hesitation,
plunged into the water aud found that by
seeking the shallow places be made cOnsid-
cradle Roadway. At last he enc uni ere !
the deep channel. In his younger Gays be
had been an expert swimmer aud he now
| resolved on putting his old-ttme dexterity
TO test. Drowning was more welcome
than a return TO the pest house and so he
| flung himself into the current and struck
out for the shore. 1t was farther Off tina
he had reckoned, but desperation gave him
! strength and he succeeded in reaching land.
| de was much exhausted, out his eaZernes3
to reach home made him forget his CON
| dition.
| Morning was breaking when be reached
| his dwelling, but the place was so altered,
SO wretched, that he could scarcely recOg-
nize it. There was no voice to greet him
there was not a bit of carpet on the floor, q
chair to sit upon, or even picture on the
walls The kind aud thoughtful neighbors,
thinking Mr.. G cen was dead in the pes,
house, had helped themselves to his belong
ings, and in their greed did not stop to
consider the risk they took of mourning the
smallpox. Green did Lot stop to ask who
had plundered his home. Nothing It con-
tanned could comfort him now, since his
wife and little ones were gone, and he made
up his mind to leave Pittston In short order
| He survived his terrible experience, but he
bears upon his strong, kind face the traces
Of the fearful disease that wrecked his
| home. He is as cheerful as any man
haunted by such memories could possibly
/ be, but he never refers to his bitter ex-
| perleuce.