Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1874-05-21
AFATAL SATURDAY.

q main and despair Of the Massachu-
n lerts food. Additional particulars
came to us this morning, and they
rive new recitals of heart-rendering
eues and fresh instances of heroism
and devotion.
There could hardly be more
marvellous subject for an epic poem
.ban the ride of that frenzied horse
man down the valley, seeking by
almost superhuman efforts to save
fine lives OF his neighbors. Some
.ontpmpOraneous poet, standing on
the scene Of the calamity, with
death, desolation, and ruin around
him, viii yet picture the terrible
occurrence in fitting lines, made
vivid by the words which the awful
reality can suggest. This disaster
/, I'M illustration how an hour may
t,gmipata or change the whole
rou4a Of human HE. Saturday
dwued upon that valley as it had
dawned before, though long weeks,
months. and wears. 1t was a quiet,
PEACEFUL day, New England Sat
uday, in which the labors of the
weal. were drawing to close, amid
bright auticipations of Sabbath's
rest. The manufacturer was calcu-
Iatiug the profits OF his business
and preparing to enlarge it. The
operatives were planning for the
future when their little savings
would enable them to live more
comfortably. The women eXchang-
ed their morning gossip from neigh
boring door-steps, the children
romped and played on the green,
end in the busy mills was heard the
hum Of thousands Of spindies and
the SONG OF the industrious work
man chanting an accompaniment to
die music OF the wheels. The life
Fl those towns has its counterpart
III all portions of the land where in
du-try and coutentment abound and
Hone sends her smiles to gladden.
the heart Of the rich and the poor
alike. And now in the midst of
III this a strange cry is heard, 1t is
not the idle shout Of boys nor the
'oud command of one IN authority,
Tt IS distant, faint, but still frantic
cry OF warming. 1t is repeated,
louder. aud more distinctly, and men
and women pause in their work
.ud listen The cry comes nearer,
nearer, till down through their
streets rides the pallid horseman,
shouting an alarm and supplying
for an instant those who catch his
dreadful meaning. He is here but
moment and is gone again, but
they are reused by sullen roar
like that OF tornado and they be-
hold up the valley, that moving wall
Of water rushing down upon them.
in ali instant the past, the future
everything in the presents for
gotten. save the one desire to es-
cape. The horsemau has disappear
cl, but has lett a commotion behind
him greater than that Of any other
rider who has ever passed down
that highway. He goes on like the
wind, bat the waters follow, foam
inc, crashing, roaring close behind
him. The people may know their
danger. but that is all. In mo-
meut or two they are beyond the
reach Of help, or beyond the need
Of it. 1t comes like q hurricane
is there before its awful effects can
be understood, calculated upon, or
even .uumised-and then IS gone
while bewiIdered, Mortified, and dis
mayed the people gaze at the havoc
and ruin which has come upon
taan. and then, rousing at last,
rush wildly down the valley, CROP
ing along the path Of the watery
tempest for their dead. 1t IS
scene never to be forgotten; a sight
which proved too terrible for the
reason Of many, and which will
haunt others to their dying day.
Our dispatches this morning an
Houuce the continued discovery Of
bodies, and the number Of victims
may yet he found to reach 200. No
disaster approaching this in horror
las ever been witnessed in this
country, and in the annals Of Mass
aolu-ott- it win long be known as
the dark and fatal Saturday.-Il.es-
Noys Ltal-Ocaun.
FELINE SAGACITY.-A man nam
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