The Winslow mail., 1898-03-19

that of frightened cattle possessed the
people A stampede more desperate than
that of some thirteen years before when
the citizens fed madly away to the for
ests and cities Of the East to escape the
rush of the conquering Yankees. From
down the coast had come the dread It'd
ings of the invasion of yellow Jack"
Here was an enemy which they knew
from horrid experience spared not. Meth
er man, woman nor child could hope to
escape from his iron grasp if once he Sc
cured a firm hold on the town.
For several days there had been sub
dued terror pervading the community.
Away at Mobile, Scranton, Pensacola and
other coast towns they knew the flag Of
pestilence was hanging against the flag
staff They knew that it was but ques-
tion of q few short hours when the yell
low death would be among them. Pa-
tiently, with the fatalism of the natives
of that cline, the Creoles had awaited its
coming They had suffered before and
would suffer again, if it pleased the Di-
vine Master to visit them with his wrath.
But they were but a small portion Of the
populace. Even before the coming of the
plague the people had been hastily prepar-
ing for that fearful exodus from home
and kindred even, if by leaving relatives
behind personal safety could be won.
It had come at last. The day before a
schooner put into the little harbor A
sick seaman was taken ashore. He was
infected as the doctors believed. All that
day and until late at night men walked
about the streets furtively watching each
other, fearful of being stricken with the
scourge by mere contact. The next morn
ing men abandoned their usual occupa-
tions and marched in broken and irreso-
lutte columns toward the city hall. Would
the fateful bulletin announce their doom?
They gaZed at each other in the same fur
tive, uneasy way which had marked the
intercourse of neighbors and friends for
more than a week. They feared to look
and were yet drawn by the irresistible
fascination of him who must learn the
worst if death itself be the result. AT
last one man lifted hollow and fear-worn
eyes to the bulletin board. With wild
shrek he turned and fled toward his
home. 1t had come. Over on the little
blackboard was a signal all knew. 1t
was in the terse and significant language
familiar to all who had faced the yellow
death. 1t said:
low fever at midnight. Two more deaths
from the same cause have occurred since.
Quarantine will be established at mid
night. All who wish to leave will take
notice. GOODRICH, NJ. D.
WRIGHT, NJ. D."
That was all. But what pregnant all
to that people, Eighteen hours remained
to leave or remain. Who should get away
int win
to fear Stampede, panic more terrible
than that Of animals walled in by fire
succeeded to the silence and inaction of
mere foreboding. Vehicles Of all kinds
rushed from the most unexpected places
Household goods hastily caught up borne
along in the arms Of family and servant
added to the crowding Of the already con-
gested streets. Men fought and snarled
like angry dogs to win a few feet farther
from the infected city. Women dragging
toddling babies unwillingly by the arms
rushed frantically along in the vain en-
deavor to keep pace with the rapid strides
of husband and father
In the group of men who first stood
about that bulletin board was George
Kendrick, lumberman. Kendrick had
faced death on many stricken field and
was stranger to fear. He was Yankee
who had followed in the wake of the men
who settled in the South after the war.
Still a young man, he had brought his
push and energy into the stronghold of
the rebel and won fame, fortune and re-
spect, if not genuine love. Tall, athletic
and accomplished, he made his way with
the tact of his shrewd, canny Scottish an
cestry. He had been in Magnolia for sew
eral years, and, while he had never faced
an epidemic, he had heard strange stories
of the doings of the people when the yel-
low flag was hoisted on the city hall.
AS he stood there in wonder and amaze
ment at that fearful rush he was accost-
ed by old Jim Butler, one of the leaders
of the native element. Butler was
gaunt, sinewy Johnnie" who had seen
hot times in the war. He led his pretty
daughter Mamie as he struggled with that
crowd-in the effort to reach the city hall
for temporary refuge. George loved
Mamie with all the force Of his strong,
taciturn nature. He was loved in return,
but the fateful words had not been spok-
en-. The old man saw the mutual love
and, while he did not relish "Yank"
for son-in-law, was too good father
to bring sorrow to his only child.
What are you doing there?' he called
to the younger man. yellow Jack has
come. Get away, man. OFF to the woods
or the North you came from. You won't
last day in this plague-ridden spot"
rs it so bad as that?' was the care
less reply. Where do you go and why?
l shall not leave until l know | must"
"BadE snorted Butler, in vast disgust.
You never fought battle with Yellow
Jack, can readily see that. You see that
sun up there? Well, it will blaze that
way until November. No hope can come.
The dreadful scourge will rule this town
until all are dead or Jack Frost seizes
him IN his frozen grip and strangles hlm
to innocence. This is what you stay to
meet. Come away, for Gods sake, and
don't trife with death. You are not ac-
climated yet and will fall as certainly as
the sun will rise to blister and wither the
fever-strcken people"
"Oh, do come with u.s." pleaded the girl,
whose frightened eyes grew blacker with
the greater fear aroused by her fathers
stern words. Come to the pineries out of
the city and away from this fearful heat
implore you to come
"Mebbe | might be of use here" was
the Yankees reply. IF it is as bad as
you say, then help will be needed: DO
you go, sir? Well, if you stay, | Will
also. ! may be needed. Who can tellF
Il have nothing to fear. You all, was