Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1812-01-06

lighted with the remainder of the exhibition.
ratai indulgence Destructive security
then walked about in the lobby, where met
Mr. J., that generous, warm hearted
acquaintance of your brother-in-hw. The
pantomime tired us BOTH and n propasai 70
so ana relieve our cnsui by my firc-sire was
immediately agreed to. My wife and boy
j lett with my brother in law, and ether re-
| iatives. Not the most distant idea of danger
alarmed my breast. Strange and incompre-
| hensible destiny of man Scarcely had Mr..
H. and myself proceeded thirty poles from
| the theatre, when a loud, but confused noise
burst on our ears. first thought it was the
roar OF mirth and applause. The cry of fire &!
/Fe distinctly made itself heard / .lrned
oacA-Oh Cod! II was not solitacy curl
Oh ascending fiame, and und,ating smoke, as
| IS usuai IN the first stage of IA connagration-
N"---it was q wide spreading sheet of ere.
| involving the whole root of the devoted bull
u'ns ana threatening general destruction.--
Let US run ana save my poor wife and child''
-oec" was instantly my cry--I rushed ON
my irieho could not keep pace with me from
iameness-ht the entrance door, lay a large.
but short man to all appearance dead-Ano,s
ther lay near him bowling and writhing in a.,
sohy-i Jumped over them--ran in-found
'he mrs. passage almost en,pty--I recoilect
no persons there cXceptone or two wretches.
who proba bly, like myself, bad friends with,
III, and flew to their assistance-I entered the
second passage-proceeded in quest of the
whe and child OF my bosom, when a tremen-
dous crash was heard above-I recollect no.
Sl''hg very distinctly, except seeing angular
fragments falling either in the stair case. or
about the door which used to lead to the nit
on the right hand-I was bewiidered-dis-
tracted-Cp pom the fall of these fragments,
volumes OF thick smoke rolled onwards, and
through these darted tongues Of luriI flames
ike the iorked lightning through the dark
summer clouds. was then pushed back by
some persons-retreated with some difficult
ty-and, in my retreat, half PROSTATE fe-
male chung To me-who she was, do not vet
precisely know-they speak of Miss ID. H
one grasped mel raised, supported and
iea her out. few back to the door where
homas used to Standardized in-ahl hor-
Tor OF horrors The inner passage had al
ready become suffocating, fiery gulph OF
destruction Remove from me those mad
dening images !H-Annihilate my powers of
recollection, merciful heaven !..To rush
out was my only resource-I did so--wentto
the east side, perceived steps under a win
dow, and At that window female. apDarent-
~ supported by some one behind her--Thc
smoke issued from the cracks absve her head
--heratttude and looks evnced deadly faint
hess-perhaps she was breathing her last
perhaPs.~"..Ah why did not they comply
wnen having rushed up the steps, l exclaim-
cd several times, I" Let her down by the arms
along the WALL will receive her.''-The
elevation was great, but might at leasthave
broken her tall-the steps were slcnder-5u-
what are considerations like those in snch a
case! stretched my arms-roared IKE a
maniac, " Let her Clown"--no one aaswered
from above, no one moved-thS Ssor.r iady
seemed insensible; her white drapcry but
TOO well CONVINCED me that ST., was not nv
wlie.----lmpatient at the fatal DELAY, dis
tracted with alarm, narrowed up with des-
peratlon, l rushed from the steps-,yent
round the house-saw people still descend
ing from the south and north west windows
put alas no wife, no child of mine Per-
maps they might have gone to my house Thu
ther ran; oh, no! nothing of them had been
seen, nothing heard. Then burst on nv
heaIt, IN all Its horrors, the dreadful, the an
paliins, the irrevocable certainty Of nv de
plorable fate. To the dismal spot return
ed to make further search-what miserable
OBJECTS then afflicted my view l-whatmourn-
iui sounds lacerated my ears III ladies' of
my acquaintance rushed into my arms-my
aunt my sister my mother IL could on
~ answer, my wife my child and we
all wept, looking on each other with con-
sternation and despair. A woman was in n
cart thought recognized, in her plaintive
accents, the voice OF Mrs. Cs--'s. nv
Poor%iie' S aunt. approached-Godo of mer-
Cy.-lt was poor Miss H, in a condition
Which wculdhave melted barbariap's heart.
her gentle soul has since taken its FIGHT r.,
heaven".... Unfortunate and lamented vic
TINS, you are happier than We wretched sur-
vlvors The features of horror and misery
wn'cn tle whole vicinity exhibited, shall
not demeate.-My frien6, l have seen
many more people sacrificed by the rage Of
var OF popular fury, in one day, or even in
one ho'irm"On one occasion, | bcheid M
wards OF ten thousand corpses lifcless. man
6led and lacerated-but, you may believe me-
even then did not experience half the hor-
TOT winch tortured me on the fatal night oS
the confiagration.--ln civil or foreign broils.
eAaSpeIatlng sentiments, such as party spirit.
national luminosity, &c. rouse and supDort the
physical and moral energies-but here. mo-
thlhg simulated, nothing invigorated, and g.
very thing palsied unnerved both BODY and
mlnd.--l repeat it, thcrc are occurrences
calculated 10 shake reason to It's centre, TO
neutrahze every manly faculty i'm short ~
bend even giant to the earth For NV o,vn
part, 1 am discoBsolate, broken-hearted-
even the soothing sympathy Of friends cannnt
scar my wounds.-My path Of life shallhence-
tortii DC rugged and thorny--No longer shalt
the hand OF conjusal affection smooth its as
peHtIeS---And my sweet boy, whose dawn
promised such bright day alas the Bros-
peGt elated my fond heart with proud antici-
patrons! But nov, all is oEcr.--I met
liye--liye for my daughters-but where sball
l ma even smile TO reciprocase their inno-
cent manure caresscSs----Donot,l Xix SONG.
oIef 70 me the Common TOPICS Of unayailing
IonSo'duon-N,ah tne distrCssCs Of others al
lcviate mine Mo. no--t,ev ..q.,.1.'...