The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1866-08-24

Concluded.
I have but a very dim recollection
of what afterwards TRANSFERRED, till |
found myself descending the ladder
with Mr. Gordon; but | know that
before we closed the trap, the storm
had resumed its empire, and the vi
bration of the walls told me they
could not stand long unless it abated.
When we had done this, though the
sounds from above were every now
and then startling and appalling, we
were in comparative quietude, and
were enabled to relieve our dumb
show by the interehang~ of thoughts
and feelings. To hear the sound of
our own voices, and communicate our
thoughts by words, after the overpow-
ering din by which we had for the
last hour been encompassed, was a
comfort which words cannot express.
The relief to poor Mrs. Seuter must
have, been Immense, for, now she
GouIdl hear herself speak, and listen
to her own groans.
The Lord preserve us she ex-
claimed; but this is awful Il shall
die with FRI ht IF l had never left
A berdeen, | should never have
Gracious powers, what's that? We
ishalliall be swallowed upi G fss4a ~ "a
At this moment there wasa report,
and then a rolling crash over our
heads, which made thelceart shake
beneath us. -
That's the, house gone, said Mr..
Gordo1 quietly. W4 ex pected il would
not hold up long.
This, was followed by a. wall among
the snegresses, and a young girl rose
up exclaiminga " Eth, me Cad! [ left
my piccaniny sleep: warra I do now?
Tan away der-tana away; let me go
fetch him. ~ s921d LGb e.i3o-.l5Bt wen 10
Cough bodyi'"' replied an old wo-
man; you Is mad; you let no senses
wild you piccaniny too. Tan-t ill-no-
body else can s.. I'll a sAaS Gel "A
This, however, did not seem to af-
fordomuoh comfort to the poor girl,
who did nothing but sit and wall. . Il.
My mind had hitherto been so oc-
cupied that Iiihad not time to take in
the peculiarities of the scene by which
we were surrounded, Immured in a
large dark vault, lit only by the feeble
rays of two candles, and lamp which
hung from the ceiling, there was just
sufficient light to give everything, ex-
cept those within the radius of these
lights, a grotesque ord iabolical aspect.
The negroes in the distance, most Of
whom were huddled on the floor, ap-
peared the very personifcation of
spirits of darkness awaiting their con-
demnation; one old negro, tall and
spectral, in the background, looking
like a malevolent demon gloating over
their fall. -
During more than an hour we're
manned in state of uncertitude as to
what was going on above US; all we
knew was that the noise of the storm
had not sensibly diminished. At last,
i could hold, out no longer, and
mounting the ladder, endangered to
raise the trap, that | might see what
was the state of things above ground.
[ undid the latch, and essayed to lift
up the door, but my strength was not
sufficient to lift it. | called up Mr..
Gordon and one of the negroes, but
our united strength failed to move it,
and at last, after repeated efforts, we
were fam to give over, for it became
clear that the ruins of the house had
fallen over us, and till assistance could
be obtained from above, we were pris-
oners. Our position was by no means
an enyiable one, for we had no idea
when, even If ever, we should be re-
leased, and our stock of food was very
scanty. But this was not the worst
evil we had to encounter, for present
ly, as we sat. low, mysterious rum
bling came from the bowels of the
earth. A few minutes elapsed, and
then the noise increased-reached us
the earth rose under our feet-the
whole edifce reeled-the walls crack
ed-and the ladder leading to the trar
split into Fragments and fellupon the
negroes, whose wild, despairing cries
rent the vault. & 1t was moment Oh
intense agony. We all stood trans
fixed with awe, for we expected moth
| ing less than That earth was about
to open and swallow us UP. ~ . ~
No sooner had the EARTHQUAKE
passed, than new danger menaced
usTl Through one of the cracks in the
wall water was flowing rapidly, and
the floor of the vault was already GOV.
cred some inches deep. At first nei-
Their Mrs Seuter nor the negroes ap,
peared to comprehend this; but the
water rapidly increased, and Mrs
Seuter became alive her peril.
why, she exclaimed, starting
"we shall all be drowned Is there
no means of eseape2 Can you think
of mo way ofqextricating us? shs
asked of me, sa.. 40 -..l Il 800, y m
| "None whatever" I replied alWe
are in the hands. of God; He alone
can help us fit is His good plea
! Sure.Do .zu1fE b. aba s iced stf 5s
The old lady's countenance became
ashy pale, and then she threw up her
arms and shrieked: IT cant diel ]
won't die T. viii nobody save mef