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The plague raged in the city of London The destroying angel had gone

forth, and kindled with its fiery breath the awful pestilence, until all

London becahty lazar-house Thousands were swept away daily;

grass grew in the streets, and the living were scarce able to bury

the dead Business of all kinds was at an end, except that of the

coffin-makers and drivers of the pest-carte Whole streets were shut up,

and almost every other house in the city bore the fatal red cross, and

the ominous inscription "Lord have mercy on us" Few people, save the

watchuard over the stricken houses,

appeared in the streets; and those who ventured there, shrank from each

other, and passed rapidly on with averted faces Many even fell dead on

the sidewalk, and lay with their ghastly, discolored faces, upturned to

the , and

the drivers hoisted the body with their pitchforks on the top of their

dreadful load

Few other vehicles besides those same dead-carts appeared

in the city now; and they plied their trade busily, day and night; and

the cry of the drivers echoed dis out your dead! bring out your dead!" All who could do so had long

ago fled fro heat