True American. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1835-18??, 1837-04-24
A TALE OF NEW ORLEANS.
(Continucd.)

With divers liquors! O, ifths were seen.
t ne nappiest youth viewing his progress through
what perils past, what crosses to ensue
would shut the book, and set han dowa and die
Two, three o'clock struck and Charles did moi
return. Suddenly an upro,r in the street attract
cd their attention. Crowds were seen hurryinr n
thatlate, rather early hour Ill nnxious ana tcr
ritcds and nl!-evidenty hasteninp towards m,
point Convinced that something unusual mus,
Flaavcoccurred, Mr.. Bradford went out TO ascorior
the cause OF the tumull, when he was told that !
large portion OF the Planters Hotel in Canal stree,
had ial'en N. and that numbers, it supposed
were buried IN the ruins. florror-sircken at thi
intelligence, Mr.. Bradford informed Anne of the
fatal accident. My husband! exclaimed Anne.
where, oh! where is he D.
Do not alarm YOURSELF my Child you cannot
suppose that he
On father! fathcr!1 know not what to think.
lie lett home before eleven last night and now il
is morning, yet he does not return. Oh nv father,
what have we not TO dread!
Anne, YOU distress yourself without n cnuse
Your anxiety for your husbands rcturu. unIed
with the awfnlintciligcucc we have lust heard,
ms heated Your ina ginqtion, and your excited
fancy receives that for certainty. which is n,
most, "a vagaea and Improbable superstition Have
vousnot repeated to me your husta nd,s solemn
assurances ihas he would never again frequent
aay public resort, where he might be induced 10
forfeit his pledge to You! Calm yourself. nv
dearest Anne, will go 10 the OF misery, and
should my thing occur to Justify your apprehcn-
slons, which heaven forbid, l will inform YOU of
~. Charles may arrive during my absence.
True,s dear father, you are ever kind and con-
sidcrate. will do vow desire; will endeavor
tosbe calm. 1t is an idle fear, ridiculous suppo-
stton; riH he calm; and as she said so, She
smiled. But though that smile was intended to
assure her father that she was conscious Of the
foyo OF her terror, yet it could not convey to her
self that assurance. For her fathers sake. how
over, she endeavored TO command her feelinas
and she cdcd.
With kind and cheerful Suggestions of hope,
Mr Bradford left the house, after first obtninir ~
from Anne, mr. Harvey's address. a whose house
he anxIous!y expected to find Charles. Thithtr
he instantly went, but informed that neither
the one nor tic other had been seen since the
night previous. Prompted rather by an unnc-
countao,e dread, ihon by mere curiosity, Mr..
Bfadtord fastened othe scene Of confusion and
dismay. Awful indeed was the sight which he
there beheld. lie had been correctly informed
The Planters Hotel had been, for weeks past. ur-
dergoing repairs and alterations, one Of which
was that of clearing away all partitions or OBJ
structions, and forming Of the whole ffhe ground
floor, one spacious saloon or coffee room. unsnp-
ported by single pillar, In making this altera-
ton, the work men had unconsciously cut away
one OF the main props OF that portion Of the build
ing, ana the wholeoi the stories above it had
fallen in, crushing their inmates, as well as
tkose IN the saloons below. The air was literally
darkened with the dust and mortar which As1,
mall directions. The Inhabitants of the adioin-
ing dwellings,, reused, as many supposed hv an
earthquake, rushed forth in terror adijng Inv
Their franic uterrogatores, to the general horror
ofthe scene. Each moment the crowd was in
creased ny the addition of multudes who sue.
ccsslvely thronged the place of dusoaion, tho
windows, roofs, and balconies of the of tile houses
oppos''e being also -crowed, the street at length
appeared one undulating mass of human beinrs. |
The confused murmurs these spectators-the |
phrenzied EXPLANATIONS and enquiries of those
who feared tha: some of their relatives or friends
were crushed beneath the buildlng-the loud
commands OF the persons employed in supern. |
tending the northumberland the crash of fuliup |
timber and rubbish which every moment sound |
ed, with mourntul import, upon the ear-a
these combined in one terrific effect, and created
a confusion which cannot lie described The la |
bors OF the workmcn employed were mpcded |
alike by the press OF the muItiudes thai bore
down upon them, and by their own fears lest some
other portion of The ediice might lie disndood H.,
their exertions, and bury them in its fall. Horror
had SO parayzed every faculty, that even the au-
1horltles, whose duty it was to direct the rest not
only lost all command of the crowd, hut also
have lost all presence of mind. The
day was now advancing rapidly towards noon.
A! hrst II had been reported, with the eynrrcra-
{ on usual IN such cases of extreme horror that
nearly one hundred persons must have been killed
The lateness of the hour, however, was prsyilen-
tally the cause of preservation 10 ma,iv Had
the even, occurred at midnight, il is 6roblbIe
that the number 0! sufferers would have exceeded
the report.
Slowly and with great labor several bodies were
extricated, not without imminent risks Onc
was recognized by MIR. Bradford as the body Of.
the son oil a wealthy merchant, who was hat
morning TO have been united to the lovely dauph-
ter OF a Southern planter. Both families were
known 10 Mr.. Bradford, and shuddor of horror
chilled his heart, as he reflected on the situation
OF that lone one Her life had hitherto been
bright as sunbeam, across whose path No sha
dow ever fitted, and she -was now suddrnlv
plunged in the dark night Of sorrow Icr,i1ueS.
love, lines and affection had en- cared her IN nj
around her; the purity of her smiles shed a us ire
On The humb!rst being that came heneath their
On that morning, she was, at the altar,
10 have surrendered her hu piness to the care OF
one who was well worthy to repay the trust, and
instead OF the felicity that awaited her she
was onlyto behold the bc,rothed of her heart
placed before her eyes a mangIcd cu,se. The
thought OF the agony that mi ght, nav, that must
rnsue, for moment overcnme Mr.. Bradford's
hrmness. He thought of the desplir of that loved
nne, despair which left no room for h,ne As
that thought crossed his mind, he check ed it at
its spring; for he had him self, in early life brea
bowed down heavily by the hand of affection, and
he well knew that for the innoccht there is no
lcspuir so dark as not 10 admit Of hope. For
though the agony of sudden gricfmay for n while
uvcrwhclm the mourncr, Yet when the frs,
laroxysm of anguish has subsidized, there is hnp,
in the assurance of happiness hereafter there is
hope in heaven!
In this instance, however, there was no time
or resignation. Mr.. Bradford was the next day
Informed that the mangled and almost shapeless
mass which had once been n noble form. was i'm.
nedatcly after its recognition by the yyslan .ers :
conveyed to the dwelling of the father Of the in-
ended biide. A. it was at n short distance from 4
he city, the news of the dreadful occurrence OF ,
he pasl nigh, had not yet reached ihcm- The
ovely girl, in her bridal dress sat fln1nrr hrr Il