Cheyenne record., 1916-03-09
CHAPTER iii-continued.

the telephones we're still working, ]
talked with my brother. | told him
this flight from the cities was insan-
sty. that there we're 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 supply of provisions. and
by force of arms to prevent any other
persons from forcing heir presence
upon us after we had retired to our
refuge
'Asi this being arranged, my broth
er begged me to stay in my own
house Sor at least twenty-four hours
more. on the chance Of the plague de-
Yeloping in me. To this agreed. and
he promised to come for me next day.
visioning and the defending of the
Chemistry building until the telephone
died 1t died in the midst of our
conversation. That evening there we're
no electric lights. and | was alone in
my house In the darkness. No more
newspapers were being printed. so l
had no knowledge of what was taking
place outside. heard sounds of riot
ing and of pistol shots, and from my
windows I could see the glare on the
sky of some confagration in the d.
rection of Oakland 1t was a night Of
terror. l did not sleep wink. A
man-why and how l 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. Arming myself
with two automatics, | went to him.
fy the light of a match | ascertained
thut while he was dying of the bullet
wounds. at the same time the plague
was on him. fled indoors, whence !
heard him moan and cry out for half
an hour longer.
In the morning my brother came
to me had gathered into a hand
bag what things of value I 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
~ before him
Look at yourself in the mirror,
] commanded
My God!' he said. I've got it.
Don't come near me- I'm dead man.
Then the convulsions seized him
lie was two hours in dying. and was
conscious to the last. complaining
about the coldness and loss of sensa-
ton in his feet, his calves, his thighs.
until at last 1t was his heart and he
was deed
That was the way the Scarlet Death
slew. ] caught up my handbag and
fed. The sights In the streets were
terrible. One stumbled on bodies
everywhere. Some were not yet dead
And even as you looked you saw men
sink down with the Geath fastened
upon them. There were numerous
tires burning in Berkeley. while Oak
land and San Francisco were appar-
ently being swept by vast conflagra.
tions The smoke from the burning
tiiled the heavens. 30 that the midday
was a gloomy twilight, and In the
shifts of wind. sometimes the sun
shone through dlmly, a dull red orb
Truly, my grandsons. it was like the
last days of the end OF the world
There we're numerous stalled motor
cars, showing that the gasoline and
the engine supplies of the garages had
given out. l remember one such car.
A man and a woman lay back dead in
the leafs. and on the pavement near
It were two more women and a child
Strange and terrible sights there were
on every hand. People slipped by ST.
lentiy. furtively, like ghosts-white.
faced women carrying infants in their
arms: fathers leading children by the
hand: singly. and in couples. and in
familics-all fleeing out OF the city
Of DEATH Some carried supplies of
food. others blankets and valuables.
and there we're many who carried
nothing.
There was grocery store-a place
where food was sold. The man to
whom 1t Belonged knew him we'll
a quiet, sober, but stupid and obstinate
fellow. was defending 1t. The win
dows and doors had been broken in.
but he. inside. hiding behind a coun-
ter. was discharging his pistol at a
number of men on the sidewalk who
were breaking in. In the entrance
were several bodies-of men. I decid
81. whom he had killed earlier in the
cav Even ~ looked on from q dis