Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1837-11-17
tFrom Friendships Offering. for 1888
THE LISBONESE.
BY TIE AUTHOR OF THE PROVOST OF
RRCGES.

1t is many wears ago. vet tho rrcoler
ton is in my mind as fresh as lhc occur
rcnces Of Yesterday. | was standing on
the Terrace in front Of Greenwich Hnspi
tai. looking st the wrecks Of the gallant
fellows who had. for many years. borne
their country's flag through 1.-THE battle
and the breeze" now bobblng about with
such limbs as fate had left OF doctors had
supplied them; aud exercising all my
ingenuity to trace through their quaint
sober uniforms and venerable gray hairs.
the fierv heroes OF thousand cnmba S.
The Struggle in the Peninsula was then at
his height, and vessel with Portuguese
colours was passing up he river. ] made
some remark on the subject 10 an old
pensioner who was standing by mc. He
was a very Old man, with q"ie, express
ion Of b~rcvuicnco ia his face t,iat srcmed
to stamp him shade above the common
sailor.
sAh sir said he, Il have seen strange
things in the country she comes from!
was at Lisbon in the great earthquake II
fhy-fve.
.Indc cd! said |. That was an event
not to be forgotten
1T was sir: but from more causes thar
the earthquakes me, that is
How SOP enquired.
why. Won soc sir It's quite story; bI'
poor thing. like to talk about her ; SC, i,
you'll, sit down on this bench, you shall
have i, from first 70 last.
AS I told YOU. ! was in the city whcr
the earthquake began; and terrible thing
!, uss TO be sure. The houses sWNyed ul
and down. jus, for all the world like {
chi, Of anchor in heavy swell; and tho'
.,o,so ,,.A worse, til down they came
&C.. o,e ,ben ,.nther, then whole stree
and the poor crca,urrr rae '"' ny '"o"7
ands, and the walls fell ard p"''eu '"'''
and the earth opened and swallowed ,"' III
and the noise was like hat of the last diy "
crashes Of ruin and destruction -shrleHs
rroans. and prayers. all mixed up IN on
horrible din. ,ll you could not tell whlci
was loudes,. Many n voice was ,hc'
lifted to heaven tina, never prayed before
land the unfinished prayer was bure
w,,h hem N the openings OF the earth g
tho rams Of HE houses. Som" went ma
snd stood and laughed a he roofs noddP
above them, land tho 'augb Wss s'Oppe
as The prayer had boon, Some stood stl
with children IN their arms, huTglng thct
10 their bosoms with their heads bent Owe
them till they found common grave =
And then the fire began; for the tapers a
the alters, and the lights IN The houses sc
fire to whatever fell on them. Till thoue
aud flames completed the horror OF dread
Gul day.
For my own part, staggering along tn
heaving streets, and, at every other s'eI
thrown on the ground, with bricks an
stones rafting round me on allsides, scran
bled, I did not know where. II was NJ
exactly fear, for British sailor, you know
sir. is not used to lose his bearings fro
such q cause; but the darkness, and III
dust. and The smoke made such confusion
one born in he place could not have foun
his way, to say nothing OF stranger
However, as | was saying, scrambng
make my way somewhere, any where theI
was fresh air and no houses, ran again
a lady with a child in her arms She WI
Young and as beautiful creature as ev
/ set my eyes on. She hurried past m
and the next moment, the earth gave
shudder, and ! heard a scream louder tina
all the uproar. | thought it must be 81
and turned rouni; when found the ear
ned split in agrea, chasm between us eve
o" The vary spot where. moment beior
we ,ad both been standing; and there 81
was, D. ,alancing upon tho brink Of it. wi
the ch''a d held above her head. The grouI
was uiniAblng under her, but where 500
II was SUI. firm. held out my arms--s
fa,o sometn Ing 10 me in Portuguese viii
did not unde Srstand, but ! knew she W
as1in 3 me 10 Nske care Of The child; ant
told her ! won. Id swore il! NatuI
you know '"'" alike in all languages