Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1870-11-16
In a Cellar at StrasbOurg.

A French paper gives tho following
account Of the experience Of one Of tho
inhabitants Of Slrasbourg during the
siege 81 had been established in
Slrasbours for many years, and my
affairs had never been so prosperous
as they were when The war broke out
On the approach Of the enemy sent
away my wife and family, but could
not leave my warehouses and stores,
least when the town was taken they
should be given up to pilIage. The
first eight days alt went well; the
quarter | inhabited seemed to be
Espared, but on tho ninth day shell
exploded in front of my house and
broke all the windows on the ground
floor. thought it prudent from tha;
time to take refuge in my cellar ]
had some prcvi-iono ttorc, sb~t
seldom went out of it. | spent my
days aud evenings in reading, little
thinking what was about TO beiall me.
On Saturday, the 10Th, about mid day,
while was taking a meal, heard a
tremendous noise over head. Iran TO
the stRirs to ascertain the amount OF
damage doubtless caused by shell
falling into my house | drew back
terrified. The entrance TO the celIcr
was stopped up by portions Of the
wall The house bad fallen in, and !
was buried alive What passed through
my mind in the first hour of my cap
tivity cannot adequately describe.
had fits of dumb anger, 10 which
general exhaustion succeeded. By de.
grees / came to myself, for must
confess completely lost my head; |
collected my ideas and thought | re-
membered having during the day
brought down petroleum lamp. i
felt my way 10 the piece Of furniture
on which ! believed ] had placed If.
and by good fortune there ii was. !
lighted instantly 1t was then that !
realized my true situation all around
me there were ruins the staircase no
longer existed; | could no longer de-
coive myself; the house had fallen in
and this was to be my tomb To clear
the rubbish Oh that side was my cnly
hope, aud began it with the fury Of
despair Every brick / took away
made others fall the walls crumbled
continually, and ! was from one mo
ment to another threatened with des.
tructiou BY the ruins. Then my lamp
went out for want of oil, and for a
time ! gave up all hope but the in.
slinct of self preservation prevailed,
and | set TO work again in a sort OF
rage. had been working, as il
seemed TO me, more than two days.
when the ceiling suddenly fell in; a
brick struck me on the head, aud
tainted How long | remained inscn
sible ! cannot tell When | reopcued
my eyes perceived an opening above
my head. aud the stars were shining,
uafe' hndt MOVE i6f iGRf % pfbudehig' y
fresh fall of masonry. | waited for a
day in mortal anxiety. As soon Us /
could realize my position hope retnrn.
cd. | made heap of rubbish all
round INC, and, clinging to beam OF
the ceiling. raised myself out of this
cellar which had so nearly been my
grave Once out Of il, again gave
way When | came TO myself once
more, ! cronched down among the
ruins Of my abode and wept for more
than two hours. | had spent four
days in that cellar. went into it
without one gray hair, and now It is
quite white. have aged more than
twenty years in four days As for my
shops all are burnt, had worked for
ten years to set up my family in toIer
bic comfort. My wife and looked
for an old age exempt from care; now
all must begin over again, and sec
no prospect of anything but misery
for our future days