282 THE HIVE OF THE BEE-HUNTER. 
sulphur, and besmeared his nose and lips with tar, to 
protect him in inhaling the tainted atmosphere; and 
whilst he exposed his poultry for sale, kept continually 
burning about his stall aromatic herbs, such as penny- 
royal, sage and tansy, to appease or appal the dread in- 
tent of Azrael. 
It was with a bounding heart, that late in September 
I learned that I was well enough to be removed beyond 
the sound of the church bell, whose daily tolling an- 
nounced to me, as I lay prostrate, the death of some 
schoolmate, whose merry laugh would never more be 
heard upon the bowling-green; or the demise of some 
ancient crone or new comer, whose gossip or whose en- 
terprise was the pastime of the youth, or the theme of 
speculation amongst the fathers of the city. The luxu- 
riant forests had just assumed the russet garb of autumn, 
as I once more found myself without the city, and right 
speedily did the bracing country air and association with 
people whose hearth-stone had not been visited by pesti- 
lence, exert their influence in restoring me both to cheer- 
fulness and strength. 
My destination was Shelby county, in the neighbor- 
hood of the village of that name, where I remained un- 
til November. It was during the latter part of Octo- 
ber that the events transpired that will form the subject 
of this brief history, and the character of the incident 
will probably excuse the digression with which it is be- 
gun; for, as will be presently seen, the epidemic had a 
