Elmore County Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1910-1915, 1915-01-16

, near MI SHASTA you nave heard o.
that mountain. It Is far to the north
The plague broke out among them
7 and this boy of eleven was the only
, survivor. For eight years he was
alone, wandering over deserted land
and looking vainly for his own kind
And at last, travelling south, he picked
up with US, the Santa Rosans,
But am ahead of my story. When
he great exodus from the cities around
San Francisco bay began, and while
the telephones were still working,
talked with my brother. told him
this flight from the cities was insan.
ity, that there were no symptoms of
the plague in me, and that the thing
for us to do was to isolate ourselves
and our relatives in some safe place
We decided on the Chemistry build
ing, at the university, and we planned
TO lay in a supply of provisions, anC
by force of arms to prevent any othel
persons from forcing their presence
upon us after we had retired to our
! refuge.
All this being arranged, my broth
er begged me to stay In my own
house for at least twenty-four hours
more, on the chance of the plague de-
veloping in me. To this agreed, and
he promised to come for me next day.
We talked over the details of the pro-
visioning and the defending of the
Chemistry building until the telephone
died 1t died in the midst of our
conversation. That evening there were
no electric lights, and was alone in
my house in the darkness. No more
newspapers were being printed, so /
had no knowledge of what was taking
place outside. heard sounds of riot
/ ing and of pistol shots, and from my
windows | could see the glare on the
sky Of some conflagration in the d.
rection of Oakland 1t was night of
terror. ! did not sleep a wink A
man-why and how | do not know
was killed on the sidewalk in front
OF the house l heard the rapid re.
ports of an automatic pistol, and few
minutes later the wounded wretch
crawled up to my door, moaning and
crying out for help. Aiming myself
with two automatics, | went to him.
BY the light of a match | ascertained
that while he was dying of the bullet
wounds, at the same time the plague
was on him. fed indoors, whence !
heard him moan and cry out for half
an hour longer.
I'm the morning my brother came
to me. had gathered into a hand.
bag what things of value | proposed
taking, but when / saw his face !
knew that he would never accompany
me to the Chemistry building. The
plague was on him. He intended shak-
ing my hand but went back hurried.
ly before him.
Look at yourself in the mirror
commanded.
my God" he said. I've got it,
Don't come near me. I'm a dead man.
Then the commissions seized him.
He was two hours in dying, and was
conscious to the last, complaining
about the GOODNESS and loss of sensa-
ton in his feet, his calves, his thighs,
until at last 1t was his heart and he
was dead.
That was the way the Scarlet Death
slew. | caught up my handbag and
fled. The sights in the streets were
'errible. One stumbled on bodies
verywhere, Some were not yet dead
nd even as you looked you saw men
ink down with the death fastened
upon them. There were numerous
Tres burning In Berkeley, while Oak
and and San Francisco were appar.
ntly being swept by vast conflagra-
IONS. The smoke from the burning |
lied the heavens, SO that the midday |
as a gloomy twilight, and, in the |
hifts Of wind, sometimes the sun |
hone through dimly. dull red orb
Truly, my grandsons, It was like the
asst days of the end Of the world.
There were numerous stalled motor
cars. showing that the gasoline and
he engine supplies of the garages had
iven out. | remember one such car
\ man and woman lay back dead In
he seats, and on the pavement near
t were two more women and child
TRANCE and terrible sights there were
on every hand. People slipped by 81
entity furtively, like ghosts-white.
aced women carrying infants in their
rms; fathers leading children by the
and; singly, and in couples, and in
7milies-all fleeing out of the city
t death. Some carried supplies of
GOD, others blankets and valuables,
and there were many who carried
0thing.
There was grocery store-a place
where food was sold The man to
whom 1t Belonged knew him we'll
Y quiet, sober, but stupid and obstinate
fellow, was defending it. The win
1ows and doors had been broken in,
but he, inside, hiding behind a coun-
ter, was discharging his pistol at
number of men on the sidewalk who
were breaking in In the entrance
were several bodies-of men, l decid