The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1911-04-27
BY ELINOR STEWART CATION

News came that cholera had over
stepped the boundary between Asia
and Europe and had gained foothold
in Italy. Orders were issued to the
medical officers along the American
coast to quarantine every ship arriv-
ing from Mediterranean ports and to
permit no sick person to enter the
country without submitting the patient
to thorough test for the dreaded dis
ease
One autumn day, when a storm was
sweeping the coast Of New Hampshire,
Jeremiah Whipple, newly appointed
collector Of little port Of New Hamp-
shire, opened the window of his bed
room to more clearly examine vessel
that had just cast anchor in the har-
Dor. She was small steamer, and at
her peak was the United States flag,
upside down, which Whipple knew to
be signal Of distress. Taking up
spyglass, he brought it to bear on the
vessel and saw group of persons
SCdAOIAS uuCOFSroU.
Then suddenly the group scattered,
several of them going to a boat that
hung on its davits, lowering it and
manning it. The next move was the
lowering Of an oblong box into the
boat, where it was reverently received
by the crew. Lastly, a man, evidently
an officer, took his place in the stern
Of the boat, grasped the tller ropes,
and the boat moved away from the
ship.
"Patience," said the collector to his
wife, II guess they's got the cholera
on board that vessel. They's put up
a distress signal, and there, too, goes
up yellow sick flag"
you're not going to let any of 'em
land, be you?" asked the wife, blanch-
ing.
mot till a medical officer comes.
They were to send one today"
The boat pointed straight for the
shore, at one moment it's bow shooting
up toward the sky, the next diving
down toward the bottom Of the bay.
When it came within half a mile of
the shore, Whipple, armed with his
badge of authority, went down to the
dock to warn them to keep off, He
had never before been in a position Of
trust, and he felt that the keeping out
Of an epidemic which might sweep
away thousands Of his countryman
rested upon his shoulders. AS soon as
the party came within hearing he
shouted:
"You can't land here!'
A tall. thin man rose in the bow of
the boat, took out bandanna hand
kerchief, wiped his eyes and said:
1--WE do not desire to remain ashore
longer than to bury the body con-
tanned in this box. Ny wife was taken
down with cholera six days out of
Naples. Fearing that she would die,
she exacted from me a promise that I
would not permit her to be buried at
sea. Both the officers and crew Of the
ship have respected her wish, and I
now beg that you will permit me to
inter the remains here on the shore"
Even if the collector had been more
familiar with the duties of his office
it is questionable if he would have
felt any certainty with regard to the
disposition Of this case. He felt
dread of cholera and was anxious to
get rid Of the party as soon as pos
sible. There could be no violation, so
far as he could see, in either the reve-
nue. or quarantine laws. The party
no orf.hn ~
them asked to be permitted to remain
ashore. 1t was possible that if allowed
to land they might make a break for
the interior, but this in the case of a
burial party was not to be considered.
II guess you can bury it up on that
little knoll there" said Jeremiah, If
you'll be quick about it,
The thin man wept tears of thank
fulness at the permission, the party
brought the box ashore and, bearing it
to the designated spot, dug grave.
Then, all standing uncovered it was
lowered to its last resting place. after
which the party filed back to the dock,
where the mourner again tearfullv
thanked the collector for his kindness
and, waving last farewell to the
grave on the knoll, was pulled away
to the ship.
During the scene Patience Whipple
was looking out Of the window watch
ing the landing, the burial and the de-
parture Of the party. When Jeremiah
returned to the house he sat down be-
fore the fire, feeling sad comfort in
having permitted a fellow being to
carry out a promise to his dying wife.
Patience was doing her morning du-
ties and made no comment on what
had passed Then jeremiah went to
his little custom house on the dock,
where he sat reading a newspaper, for
since few, if any, goods ever came into
the port he had no great weight on his
shoulders. When he returned to his
home for the noon meal his wife said
to him:
Jerry, if these men had been snug
glers and had run away from the
coast with diamonds in their pockets
and the government found it out, what
n