The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1872-11-22
IE,sn,os,s Of the Boston Fire.

ctiYS by those VINO Kept aiO0i from the
scene. Not the least laughabie Of the in
cidents to which we ailude was that in
which a n1iddieagcG lady played impor-
tant parts. She was somewhat on the
shady side Of fUIty, tail, thin and bouy Of
aspect Her sandy hair was screwed up
into EumGcTlCSs rigid curls OF either side
Of her face, and a cruuched bonnet t!ut-
tered defiantly down her back and was only
prevented froiH falling off by the ribbons
by which it was tied round her neck Her
rusty black dress had been evidently hur-
ried on At moment sswarning, as it was
button.d and hooked ina style of labyrinth
inc reIplexity. She pushed her way tbro'
The excited crowds while the fire was rag
ing AT its highest, wringing her hands and
ehrieEirg frant!cally for ''CIara," who i'm
PlOred, wept, stormed and moaned for
Clara" en!iating eycrybody,s symTathy.
''NiH UGhCdy put out a hard to sayo the
poor thing?" she iinplored in almost fran
tic accents. ''Oh dear; Oh, dear! My
little darling wiz Ge burnt to death p
Even the most hardened felt for the agony
that seemed 10 be urging the poor woman
20 madness.
FiREME& STOPPED THEIR WORK
to asl, her where her "ClaIa'' was, and
several crowded about her with pIolieTs
of assistance if she would only be explicit.
Put not coherent explanation could be
gained from her. She continued to wiring
her hands ard 10 moan, CLARA, Clara my
poor Clara" In.thc meantime thrill Of
terror went through the multitude at the
idea that some human creature was in
deadly Ieril Of burning to death, and no
intelligence Of her whereabouts was to be
gained from the half demented woman
before them, who rocked t. and fro sob
bing and refusing to lie comfoucd. Pres
entity, with wild shrek Of joy. she dartcd
forward, shouting Clara Clara p and
stopped down. CroUching in the corner
was large white cat, with singCd fur,
who, with curved back and swollen tail,
stood kissing and splitting with fearful
energy. AS the Old lady stopped to pick
her darling up, the ungrateful cat few at
her. leaving the marks Of her claws or her
face, and darted of IL mad terror amid the
jecrs, laughter and hootiEg Of the crowd
her frantic mistress darting after her with
the bonnet flying ensign downward like a
signal of distress.
ANOTHER AMUSING DIVERSION
was created by tall, Tcll-knit and rather
rugged specimen Of humanity, who stood
gazing at the fire with the deepest interest.
Every now and then lie would take a Wig
oruus bite at a large hunk of tobacco and
chew with an energy that knew 10 flag
ging, hat without taking bis eyes from the
fire which appeared to fascinate him. As
the flames made hcadway lie moved un-
easily, shifted his weight from one foot to
the other, and clewed with renewed ami
nation. Each new building that fell
prey TO the fire seemed TO cause linn to ex-
pcricnce the most poignant despair. His
glance was not 50 strongly marked by SYM
pathy as by anxiety. His saliOw jaws
/ seemed TO clOng2tc with every fresh build
ing that went down. His dress and APP
pearance did not bctoken a 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 a prospect of losing his sit
uation. Presently. when the flames seemed
as though they would engulrh the whole
city, he turned his pale face from the
flames. and addressing 4 party 10y his side,
exclaimed with no less pride than disgust:
''Psho 1t can't be done. The place amt
big enough, The Chicago fi8e knocked
this all to Splintcrs. Yes it did, ! tell you.
/ was born there, end l Ought 10 know. /
tell YOU. sir. Chicago is bound to be ahead
on this fire yet" and lie walked away, his
face glowing with patriotic feryor and al
expression Of the most uuJouudcd contempt
ovcrspreadiug his cOuntenan ce for the mis-
erable failure that was certain 70 attend all
envious attemptso of Boston TO rival { hicago
in the matter Of fires.
THE NUMBER OF TITsY MIN
who were to be seen in the Heighbolhood
of the fire battles computation. They
sprung up without warning in al 6irec-
tions, tumbling into the mud, stepping into
mUd-holes, tripping over obstruCtiOns Of
T every description. and picking themselves
up again with that sodGen Indifference to
pain or Inconvenience that is SO ciarac-
teristic of the enthusiastic dcv0tee at The
shrine Of Bacchus. One Of these had :.
large bundle, wrapped in a white sheet,
which he was dragging after him through
the mud and mire. and which had the cf-
feet Of stcadying him to soIae extent and
prevented him from falling. How many
people he swept eff their feet as he,,pulied
his load after him will never now be known.
His progress was suddenly brought to
( stand-Still by a policeman, who seized him
and began to question him regarding the
right by which he kept company with the
bundle, but the only reply elected was n
stupid stare from n pair of lack lustre eyes.
hlccough, and the exclamation Awe
ri, Elissur! Big fire down ere. Whall
yer take" No shaking, hustling or re-
monstrance could win any other answer
from him. At length the policeman began
to drag him away. bundle and all, when The
tipsy idiot loosenCd his hold on the bundle
> said "Look-a-heTc, missur policeman;
II yer goin' to take me up, yer mayzwell
carry mer bunnel, too. I'm willin.' Mines
whiskey: wass youTn ?' And the last
seen of the pair was the policeman drag
ging the bun die with one hand and with
the other grasping his prisoners collar,
causing the worthy to perform series OF
gyrations in which he got oVera great deal
of ground without finding it necessary to
take very short steps.
! ONE WOMAN, FRANTIC WITH TERROR,
+ was seen rushing down Devonshire ST.,
! with cheap but large looking-glass in her
arms, with which was cracked III all direc-
tIons with great gaps where pieces of glass
/ had fallen out. Her face was as full of
/ stony terror rs 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 trip
ped and fell squarely on the pavement,
( with the looking glass under her. 1t was
/ crushed into splinters. but she. unheedinr.
regained her feet, aud, seizing the flag-