The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1895-01-19
s.FOREIGN DEVIL WOMAN"
A HoWling Mob Tried to Kill DR..
HalVersOn.
TERRIBLERESULTS OF THE BLACK
PLAGUE In CANTON.

Detailed Account Of DR.. Halverson's Mar
row Escape from Death by Mob-Ig-
norant Coolies Believed She and Other
missionaries Caused the Black Plague
Graphic Picture of the Horrors of the
Plague.
The following letter was received by the
wife of Rev. W. S. Ayres, pastor of the
First BAPTIST church. of this city. Prior
to her marriage she was a missionary in
China. The letter was written BY Miss E..
M. Butler, friend of hers. who is connect
ed with the Presbyterian Mission at Canton.
This exceedingly we'll written narrative
of a time of horror during che black plague
last summer needs no comment. 1t speaks
for itself. Following is the letter:
Canton, China. June, 10Th, 1894.
Dear Friends:-you have not heard from
me for some months. snail offer n o excuse.
but will give you the history of the past
seven OF eight months and let 1t speak for
itself.
During the months of Feb, March and
April, Miss Gertrude Thwing was here in
our house sick with typhoid fever. Many
times her life was despaired of, but finally
May 2. she was able to return to America.
1t WIS while she lay ill and during the
months of March that we first heard rumors
of there being some disease in Canton that
was causing great many deaths. On the
evening of the 80, of that month one of the
teachers il. the seminary came hurriedly to
us and said, Come quickly little A Sum
seems to be dying.'' Who Is little A Sum?
A child of young widow in the Training
School. The only child Of her mother and
the pet and darling of the whole school.
We found her very i'll indeed and the women
were standing about her weeping We car
ried her into our study. the mother and
teachers following and sent for the Doctor
How we all worked to save the little Great
ure's life but we could not. In a few hours
she was with Jesus. Near the end.
SPOTS CAME OUT ALL OVER HER BODY,
we could see new ones suddenly appearing
as we worked with her. The glands were
very much enlarged, her eyes had fixed
and CLASSY appearance, and her fever ran
high. The doctor said, This seems like ty-
phus fever, it Is very contagious. the child
must be put into the coffin to night and re-
moved from the house and the room and all
who have been around her must be disin-
fected.'' This was done and late at night,
sad and weary we sat down to rest. The
next Cay we went with the mother to the
cemetery and saw the dear child LAID to
rest. She had many winning ways and wise
little sayings. She came to us mere baby
and we loved her SO, and yet she did not
become spoiled. At morning prayers she
would stand up on the seat holding the
large singing book before her and her little
voice would ring out above the others often
causing the scholars 10 turn and smile.
How very hard for the poor mother and for
us all even though we knew she is singing
with the angels. safe from the turmoil and
strife that surrounds us now. II was not
,'ntil days alter that we learned what had
snatched her from US. 1t was nothing less
than
THE BUTONIC OR BLACK PLAGUE.
1t was raging in the city. Tbs little girl
had been staying with the Bible reader in
one of my day schools and there were many
case of the plague in that locality. More
than dozen dead rats had been swept out
of the school-house. This disease attacks
domestic animals first. The finding of dead
rats is sign the disease is in the place. II
we had known then what We have since
learned. the little creature would not have
been SO exposed it. But at that time we
did not know that the plague was
in the city and we knew nothing about
its nature. No one else took it from the
child and our school remained in session
Since that time the pestiienoe has swept
over the whole city. The death roll must
he anpalIing, but In a city like this it is i'm
noss,hle TO obtain accurate statistics. We
can only Judge from what We hear from re-
uable sources One of our dearest girls was
called home one MOI ming TO attend the
fnneral of her father. We felt that we
could not let her go. 1t seemed like send
ing her to certain death. But the eldest
brother, who is now in authority. insisted
so there vas no alternative but to allow her
to go.
FIVE OF THE FAMILY DIED
with IT.. the father. mother. two brothers
md sister. She also had it but recovered
aud is with us now sad and bereft. In
this family the father died first his I'M
cof1ned body remained in the house all
NIGHT while the relatives and friends sat on
the floor. which is the ground, during the
whole night. The corpse was kept seven
davs while the prescribed mourning was &C
complished Is it any wonder that nearly
the whole family followed him to the grave.
Ont on the river In front of us is boat
shut nm with the blue lanterns hung out
indicating that there is a dead body within.
I doubt not the corpse has lain there sever
al DAYS as heard the wailing some nights
since. The people are frantic in their mis-
ery and trouble and call upon all their gods
| to save them. They even haa a famous god
| brought down from place on the West
River and paraded through the streets
Little children were put into the procession
| and carried on raised platforms with the
| hope that they might be preserved form the
plague by securing the favor of the god
But one was lifted down dead, while two
others died before they could reach thei1
homes. The dragon has also been carried
thorugh he streets from door to door re-
peatedly. These professions only make
| matters worse and aid in spreading the
disease. II is not at all uncommon to see
DEAD BODIES LYING IN THE STREETS
Our day schools closed one after anothe,
| AS the pestiIence reached them. The semi
nary, however. continued in session until
the middle of June. We said if the parents
came and desired to take their children