New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1872-11-28
lady played important parts. She was some

lady played important parts. She was some
what on the shady side of forty, tall. thin.
and bony of aspect. Her sandy hair was
screwed up into numberless rigid curls ON
either side other face, and crunched bonnet
fiuttered defiantly down her back, and was
only prevented from falling off by the ribbons
by which it was tied about her neck Her
rusty black dress was evidently hurried on at
moments warning, as it was buttoned and
hooked in style of labyrinthine perplexity.
She pushed her way through the excited
crowds while the fire was raging at its high
est, wringing her hands and shrieking franti-
cally for Clara" who implored, wept,
stomed, and moaned for "Clara," enlisting
out hand to save the poor thng?" she I'M
plored, in almost frantic accents. "Oh, dear,
oh, dear! My little darling will be burnt to
DEATH" Even the most hardened felt for the
agony that seemed to be urging the poor wo-
man to madness. Firemen stopped their
work to ask her where her "Cara" was, and
severai crowded about her with proffers of
assistance If she would only be explicit. But
not coherent explanation could be gained
from her. She continued to wiring her hands
and to moan, "Clara, Clara, my poor Clara"
In the meantime, a thrill of terror went
through the multitude at the idea that some
human creature was in deadly peril of burn
ing to death, and no intelligence of her
whereabouts was to be gained from the half
demented woman before them, who rocked to
and fro, sobbing and refused to be comforted.
Presently with a wild shrek of Joy she darted
forward shouting, "Clara, Clara!" and stopped
down. Crouching in corner was large
white cat, with singed fur, who, with curved
back and swollen tail, stood kissing and spit
ting with fearful energy. AS the old lady
StnOpaI n piolr hnr 1orliprr tbo toc,I
cat flew at her, leaving the marks of her claws
on her face, and darted off in mad terror amid
the jeers, laughter, and hootings of the crowd,
her frantic mistress darling after her with the
bonnet flying ensign downward like a signal
of distress.
Another amusing diversion was created by
tall, wcll-knit, and rather rugged specimen
of humanity, who stood gazing at the fire
with the deepest interest. Every now and
then he would take vigorous bite at large
hunk of tobacco and chew with an energy
that knew no tagging, but without taking
his eyes from the fire, which appeared to fas-
cinate him. AS the flames made Roadway he
moved uneasily, shifted his weight from one
foot to the other, and chewed with renewed
! animation. Each new building that fell
prey to the fire seemed to cause him tho most
poignant despair. His glance was not 80
strongly marked by sympathy as by anxiety.
| His sallow jaws seemed to elongate with
every fresh building that went down. His
| dress and appearance did not betoken man
| who had any enormous amount of property
at stake there, and the general impression
among those who observed him was that his
alarm was caused by prospect of losing his
situation. Presently, when the flames seemed
| as though they would engulph the whole city,
he turned his pale face from the flames, and,
addressing a party by his side, exclaimed
with no less pride than disgust, "Psho! it
can't be done. The place amt big enough.
The Chicago fire knocked this all to splinters.
Yes, it did, tell you. 1 was born there,
and ought to know. L tell you, sir, Chicago
is bound to be ahead on this fire yet; :" and
he walked away, his face glowing with patri-
otto fervor and an expression of most I'M
bounded contempt overspreading his counte-
| nance for the miserable failure that was GER
tain to attend all envious attempts of Boston
to rival Chicago in the matter of fires.
| The number of tipsy men who were to be
seen in the neighborhood ofthe fire battles COM
putation. They sprang up without warning
in all directions, tumbling into the mud,
| stepping into man-holes, tripping over OBJ
structions of every description, and picking
themselves up again with that sodden indif-
ference to pain and inconvenience that is so
characteristic of the enthusiastic devotee at
| the shrine of Bacchus. One of these had q
large bundle wrapped in a white sheet, which
he was dragging after him through the mud
and mire, and which had the effect of steady
ing him to some extent, and prevented him
from falling. How many people he swept off
their feet as he pulled his load after him will
never now be known. His progress was
suddenly brought to stand-still by police
man, who seized him and began to question
him regarding the right by which he kept
company with the handle, but the only re-
ply elected was a stupid stare from pair of
lacklustre eyes, a hccOugh, and the excla-
nation: "Aive-ri, missur. Big fire down
'ere. Wha'll yer take?" No shaking, hust-
ling, or remOnstrance could win another an
swer from him. At length the policeman
began to drag him away, bundle and all,
when the tipsy man loosed his hold on the
bundle and said: "Look-a-here, missur po-
lceman if yer goin' to take me up, yer mayz-
well carry mer bunnel, too. Pm willin'.
Mines whisky; was yourn?n And the last
seen of the pair was the policeman dragging
the bundle with one hand and with the other
graspng his prisoners collar, causing that
I worthy to perform series of gyratiOns in
which he got over a great deal of ground
without finding it necessary to take very short
steps.
One woman, frantic with terror, was seen
rushing down Devonshire street with a cheap
Due ioohiLS- III iCl WhlCh
was cracked in all directions with great gaps,
where pieces of glass had fallen out. Her
face was as full of stony terror as if she had
gazed upon the head of Medusa. Every now
and then she looked backward over her
!, shoulder, and the sight that met her view
seemed to fill her with an additional fear, for
} she flew along rather than ran. Suddenly
she tripped and fell squarely on the pave
ment, with the looking-glass under her. 1t
) was crushed into splinters, but she, unheed-
J ing, regained her feet, and Selling the frag-
J ments Of the frame, Rugged them to her heart,
J and sped on her frantic course, like an arrow
J shot from bow.
Some of the signs erected in the ruined
district are remarkably funny, and show the
good nature and philosophy that prevails to
, so large an extent among us, and which is SO
, distinctive feature of our national charac-
l ter. One sign reads "Removed for repairs;''
r another, "Gone up;" another, "Great sacri-
: fees here" another, "Closed during the
, heated term" another, "Out of evil cOmeth
goods :" another, ga burning shame" and
f so ON to ininity. We have not the space al
! command to detail all the humors that have
arisen out of, or have formed feature of oul
misfOrtupe hut such 40 we have uivan ora 9