The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1898-07-08
occasion of my presence in the setslo-


steps, which ended at the commence
ment of the main street. In the bril-
liant sunlight the township looked
pretty enough little place, with its wei
laid out and nicely planted thorough
fares, neatly built European houses AM
picturesque native huts 1t was har,
TO believe that, clean and healthy as i
all looked, it had lost more than quar-
ter of its population by the ravages o.
one of the most awful pestilences hu
man flesh is heir TO. Indeed, so much
impressed was / with its beauty thai
for a moment or two | stood watching
il, unable TO say word Then l looked
at my companion. She, like myself, had
been very silent for the last hundred
yards, and now as she looked down al
her kingdom l saw her beautiful eyes
fill with tears.
"Dr. De Normanville she said, as
we arrived at the bottom of the steps,
eff you will allow me some day, when
we are little better acquainted, / will
tell you the story of this place and the
influence it has had upon my life Then
you will be able TO understand how it
is that / am so much affected by my
peoples sufferings."
l murmured an appropriate reply. and
we entered the village. Our arrival had
been anxiously expected. and at the gate
of the first house we were met by an
old man, who was evidently person of
| considerable Importance in the place.
He had white skin and slightly
| Scandinavian cast of countenance, and,
| though he spoke Chinese and the native
tongue with unusual fluency, was evil
| IDENTIFY more than half an Englishman.
| On seeing my companion he raised his
hat politely and waited for her to speak.
"Mr Christianson, she said, hold
ing out her hand "this is DIR. De Nor
manville, who has been kind enough to
come to our assistance from Hongkong.
l don { think it is necessary for me to
assure him that you will give him your
entire assistance in this terrible crisis
in the same manner as you have hither-
to given it to me- -
The old man bowed to me and then
addressed my companion.
1--WE have done our best in your alb
sence," he said sorrowfully, "but it
seems as If fate were against us. There
are ut the present moment 1870 cases all
told, of which 81 are men, 23 women
and the remainder children Yesterday
there were Is deaths, among them your
old cockswain, Kusae, who died at in
the morning, and Elai, the wife of At
tack, who followed him within an
hour The Englishman, Brandon, died
at midday, his wife during the after
noon, and their only child this morning,
scarcely an hour ago. Doctor, is there
any hope at all of our being able to
stop this awful plague?''
i assured him we would do our best,
and he agreed that no man could ask
or expect us to do more. BY the time
our conversation was finished l had
taken decided fancy to the old fellow,
and with Allies permission enrolled him
there and then as my second in COM
mand.
Now" l said, turning to her. "be-
fore we commence our work let me ex-
actly understand my position. With
what powers am invested?''
with full and complete authority"
she answered promptly. Whatever you
may deem best for my unfortunate peo-
pie, please do without consulting any
one. Believe me- no one will attempt to
dispute your right"
THAT is as it should be, and thank
you," said. "Now, will you tell me
where my own abode is to be? 1t should
be as far removed from the center of the
infected district as possible, yet at the
same time central enough to be con-
venient for all the inhabitants.
II thought that house on the mound
at the foot of the hill, she answered,
pointing with her beautiful hand to
neat weatherboard structure about
couple of hundred yards from the place
where we were then standing. Sin fact,
/ have even gone so far as to give orders
that it should be prepared for you.
Shall we go and examine it?''
Accordingly, accompanied by the old
man, we set out for it, eagerly watched
by crowd of natives, who, from the
expressions on their faces, had come
quite to look upon me as their deliverer.
The house proved to be a most COM
modious little place of four rooms, and,
from the luxury with which the two
living apartments were furnished, it
was evident that considerable trouble
and care had been bestowed upon them.
When we entered, an intelligent native
lad was called from an inner room and
informed in English that was his new
master and that he was to see that |
wanted for nothing. 1t is only fair to
add that during my stay in the island no
man could have desired better and
more trustworthy servant
From the bedroom and sitting room
we passed on to the room at the end Of
the veranda, which l found had been set
apart for and equipped as surgery.
Neatly arranged round the walls on
shelves were enough drugs of all sorts
and descriptions to stock half a dozen
chemists shops, while my instruments,
cases and other paraphernalia were
spread out upon the table in the center.