The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1851-07-09
Ssa-eA 1eacn aye
Relninisoenoes of am Awful Event.


"Reminiscences of an Awful Event.
A few prints adorned the white
washed walls of the primitive sale
manger. Some of them were inter-
es,ing as representations of scenes TINT
occurred during the awful catastrophe
of tho Roseberg in 1906, when the
mountain slipped ond hundreds Of
human beings, houses, chalets, herds OF
cattle; farms and dairies, were destroyed
in FIVE minutes. The traces Of this
dread event, as seen from the lake Of
Lucerne, are SO fresh, that i, is difficult
TO believe that it did not tako place
Yesterday; the utter ruin and dcsolu,ion
being still more strongly marked by the
contrast with the smiling scenes around.
One oft1c prints that interested me
most was That representing the incident
of the sleeping infant in its cradle,
floaling down the lake, tho bulance of
thclit,lc ark being kept by the house
cat, which remained at the child's feet.
The placid coun,cnance Of The un.
conscious slumberer amid The surround.
ing wreck, and the uneasy looks Of the
poor cat who gnzed ruciuIly at the
waves, would make good subject for
picture. There arc thousand we'll.
known stories and anecdotes connected
with the calami.cus phenomenon; some
very touching and others relating 10 the
escapes quite miraculous. Husbands
were. separated from their wives,
parents from their children. One Of
tho most affecting is that Of bridal
party which had jus! left the lilIc
church Of Goldau, after assisting n, The
union oftwo lovers. The joyous pro
cession advanced down the street, pre-.
ccded by band Of rustic musicians.
In the centre, sursouded by their
friends, walked the youthful bridegroom
and his blushing bride, the pre,ticsl
girl ins,he village. They had been
attached since childhood, and every one
sympathized in their happiness. The
young man carried in his hand The
"bouquet de marriage"
About half way down the street.
lived an old dame, the village school
mistress, who had instructed the pretty
katcl,en in her childhood, bu, was too
infirm to join the wedding train. When
they renched the door, the young
bride disengaged her arm from ,ha, Of
her companion, and whispered to him
that SHE would be back in moment.
ran into the house to cmbrucc her old
preceptress. During that moment the
catastrophe took place! The ground
gave way beneath the feet of,he bridal
party clouds of dust darkcncd the air;
torrent of mud, mingled with stones
and rubbish, came flowing down from
the mountain; and all was ruin and
desolation. The bridegroom escaped
without my more serious damage lhun
that of being thrown down aud stunned.
Fte soon recovered Ills senses, and
freeing himself by desperate eilor,
from iherubbish in which ne was half
buried staggered 10 his feet, his bridal
bouqnet;sl grosped in his hand and
looked about for the house into which
hissbeloved had entered. II was gone!
Every trace Of The village had dis
appeared, not vcs1igc Of the old
familiar scenes ofhs childhood nc, the
eyes Of the unfortunate young man.
lie run wild about from one heap Of
ruins to another, calling loudly on his
bride, but there was no answer. He
interrognted the few bcw!Lcrcd
individuals whom ho met flying they
knew not where, or else in search Of
their friends: he demanded oflhcm with
frantic gestures whether they hud seen
his katchen; but no ono knew anything
about her.
For three long years tho unhappy
man continued his distracted search;
no efforts could induce him to dcsis!, or
win him away from lhe fatal spot
Night md day. still carrying the faded
remains Of the morTiage bouquet, his
spectral form might be seen wandering
about among tho ruins, and his voice
calling on his lost one, now in accents
Of hopeless despair, and then with wild
and teverish anxiety rs glcam of hope
that she would answer his cries crossed
his djsordered brain. AT length his
restless footsteps were heard no longer.
sehrch was made for lhe unfortunate
bridegroom, and he was found wing
dead beside n heap ofrnbbsh; The worn
fingers Of his righ, hand claspcd tightly
round n bunch Of wiheTcd stalks and
disco'ored ribbons. His weary search
was over, he had found his bride al
last. = Dublin Umircrsiiy Magazine.
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RECIPE FOR STAKE BlrE.-A subscri.
Der writing us from the river, says tina,
one Of his children, a small lad, was