The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1847-12-25

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what 10 do--the callejons, or narrow
lanes, continued TO pour forth their
hundreds Of affrighted inhabitants, all
seeking the refuge Of the wider streets
and open squares, lest their own houses
might totter and tumble upon their
heads, while on their Bonded knees
they confessed their sins aloud, and
earnestly petitioned forgiveness ere il
was yet too late. A wounded officer,
IN our house, bed.ridden, and apparent.
ly unable 10 move since the hard.fought
battle Of Ell Moline, came hobbling hur-
riedIy from his room, driven thence by
the cracking ofthe walls and the strange
tumult from without. The Stiffness OF
the morning, 50 profound had been tho
repose Of nature, but added to the gen.
eral feeling Of wonder and Of awe-of
CONSERVATION perhaps | should term it,
a fear caught from the actions and
countenances Of those "~native here and
to the manor Bred" those Graded and
rocked amid commotions OF a kindred
nature. The domes and stceples of tho
innumerable churches and converts
reeled like drunken men-the lakes
hard by rolled their sluggish waters as
though moved by an elemental strife
from above, instead of the earth in
which they are nestled in her sore
travail.
An officer in the street, about 10
mount his horse at the commencement
Of the commotion, suddenly found tho
animal receding from him. Astonish-
ed, he enquired Of a soldier close by
the cause; but the man was as igno-
rant as himself. The puddles in tho
streets-for there had been a severs
shower the nigh! before spread them
selves and disappeared upon the pave
ment, SO great was the motion, while
the trees in the alameda continued to
lash their huge tops as if swayed BY I'M
seen yet all powerful hands. The
shock lasted over two minutes; per.
haps | should say succession Of shocks;
for the oscillatory motion Of the earth
at shor! intervals became calm-while'
the whole scene impressed every one
anew with the might, the mujesty, and
the manifold power of the Most High.
But if the streets and open ways
presented a spectacle most impressive,
doubly awful was the effect produced
among the wounded men in the differ.
ent hospitals. Unconscious Of the
cause Of The strange commotion, filed
with apprehensions which ever attack.
with ten-fold force the disabled and in.
firm, and dreading results from a phe-
they must have deemed akin
to the supernatural, the poor fellows
rose and hobbIed from their cots, trem-
bling and stricken BY deep awe, yet not
knowing whittier to fly. The armless
hurried hither and thither, the legless
hobbled about in all directions, while
bed-ridden, the PROSTATE, and tho
helpless, panic stricken and de.
spending earnestly prayed and peti.
toned not TO be left unprecedented
10 be deserted in an extremity which
their ignorance made painfully terrify.'
ing. But by and by the earth became
relieved Of her mighty throes, the stag
,ering steeples resumed their quiet, tho
affrighted inhabitants rose thankful from
heir knees, the %sentineIs resumed their
'ounds-the fury Of the dreadful tom
)lor was spent.
lnnumerable anecdotes, and some o.
hem amusing enough, are told Of the
earthquake and its effects. An Irish
says that the Mexicans, unable
fight US fair, are adopting a new sys-
:em-that there is no such thing o.
at the bottom Of an earthquake
ind no particular fear in beng on top.
Another says that this is a very unsss-
led country, and that he is anxious to
eave-awhile a yankee from "way
lown East" contends that the whole
'ffair is a species Of clearing up show.
n" TO the war, and that peace, must
,a.o Colior, A Lnnx efopS.