The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1853-04-06

| | saw only the confusion around me; but
shortly aferward telt myself softly de-
posted among boughs and leaves.
81 must have swooned after descend
ed, for | recollect slowly recovering my
consciousness, and finding my garments
wet and heavy, and the rain beating upon
me. lay among the thick foliage of a
maple that had been overthrown by the
whrlwind. A man whose voice and mien
were familiar to me. and whom. as my
senses gradually returned. | recognized
for one of my neighbors, came and took
me off, and placed me beside him on the
ground. Around me the earth was strewn
with splintered branches of trees, rails and
boards; and looking westward to the hill,
| beheld where fences had been swept
away, and stone walls scattered, and a
wide path had been broken through the
wood. along which masses of fresh earth
appeared among the heaps Of PROSTATE
trees, and tall shvered trunks stood over
looking their uprooted fellows. At a little
distance from me was heap of bricks
and rubbish, and on my inquiring what it
could be, was told it was the ruins OF my
fathers house. Then flashed upon my
mind the recollection of that moment Of
confusion, haste and alright, which passed
before left, and in a transport Of anxiety
amounting almost to agony, ran to the
spot. found the neighbors already gath
cred about it. and busy in removing the
rubbish, in order TO ascertain if any of the
family were buried beneath; and weeping
all the while. I assisted them as far as my
childish strength would allow. notwlth.
standing the good-natured attempts that
were made to prevent me. Let me hasten
over what followed said in the begin
ming that could relate my story without
any painful emotions. but was mistaken;
for when | come to this part Of it | am al
ways sick at heart. They were, found
crushed to death by the fall Of the Chin,
ney and the beams of the building
father. my dear mother, and the, TWO love.
ly children still in her arms.lf But where
was my sister-had she been SO fortunate
as to escape? Even. this hope was torn
from me-, for she was soon found where
the whirlwind had cast her, in the edge oil
the brook now swollen by rains, the water
ripping against her cheek, white as snow,
and her disheveled hair floating in the
current. -.fqe - sfs =; b,.,; ~.
| s.There are no expressions that can de-
scribe the bitterness of my grief. The
bodies were carried to aneighboring house
| followed them--l remained with them all
night refused to be comforted but with
I the feverish hope. which sometimes cross.
ed my mind. that the dead we're in a state
of insensbilily, from which they would a.
waken. slept not-I ate not-until they
were buried. struggled madly, and witt
meanings of agony, against those who
came to put them into the collins. They
were carried to the grave the next day
amid great concourse Of people from the
: surrounding country, who filled the house
and gathered into a solemn and silen
multitude, around the door. The hymn
given out on that occasion by the minister
was one my mother taught me to repea
from memory; and when they sang the fol
lowing s,anza, the eyes of all were turned
> on me by reason OF my passionate sob
; bing: a.gk a5aysA --fl.
: Mans life is like the grass.
Fl t Or like the mountain flower; aTc
. A sharp wind sweeps the field,
1t witheIs in an hour.
was not allowed to see the bodies GOV
cred with earth, lest my health might suf
E fer from the excess OF my grief; but when
! at length, they told me they were buried
, suffered myself to be undressed and let
10 my bed. from which did not rise 70
$ several days after.
e "The neighbor to whose house the bod
8 les of my family were taken, a devout ant
just nan. Of the Baptist persuasion, allow
j ed me to remain under his roof. and treat
: ed me with great kindness. He was ap
b pointed my guardian. and proved faith
j full steward Of the remains Of my father
! property. The terrible calamity with which
9 had been visited had engendered a sad
e ness that hung upon me like continua
Y cloud; but, as ! grew up, my mind wa
!. opened to receive the consultations Of tn,
4 Gospel. / saw that the chastisenent
0 though severe, was meant for good, ant
: that the Lord, by 'remov wing all whom hat
loved, and separating me from the child
s rem OF men, had enabled me TO devote my
9 self the more entirely to the work of recon
: Cling my fellow creatures to him. came
4 therefore. to this region Of the West, wher
the fields were white for the reaper wher,
= the harvest was plenteous and the labor
Q ers few, and entered on nv calling. whicl
g has not been unblessed, with a Cheerful
e and encouraged spirit."
s Here the travelling preacher made al
lend Of his story; but had no opportuni
s Ity of remarking on certain Of its circum
g stances, which seemed to me little ex
Y traordinary. since just at that moment h
4 found himself opposite the door of one O
e the brethren, thrifty farmer, where h
e said he was under an engagement to stop
!. ONE HUNDRED MILES PER HoUR.-"l
If Maine Yankee" announces, through tn
n National Intelligencer. the invention Of
d form of road and improved locomotive
IS which he says, will safely transpor, tn
d mails and passengers at the rate Of on
s hundred miles per hour! The writer fur
Q lther says, he has been made acquainte'
II with the details of these improvements
: "which are SO palpably correct in theory
is and feasible in practice. that every civ
l. |engineer and railroad man will, on exam
l. Iination, at once recognize and admit, a
y Iths. desideratum, even to the extent {
% safety and speed above indicated" Tn