, 1874-08-30
SOMETHING LIKE 4 FIRE.
Burning OF u E1cmp-Vhnrf Mt ST.
Petersburg.

From c.ssells Huaa-in<.
| Well, you scesu to have discharged tho
| Whole Duty OF Man, according to joan Mur-
| ray" remarks St. Petersburg friend to whom
torior OF Russia. Is there anything left to add
| to the list ?"
.tNothiug that can think OF, unless it be L
| big ire" ..
rat that starved in the granary. I'm sure there
| have been fires enough this summer to give
| every tourist il Russia one for himself
This statement, though rather ''t3ll, can
hardly be Bel Gown as . positive e1Bggcratlou.
During the last summer Rrssix has been outdo-
ing herself in fires, in way astonishin: even to
those who remember the great conlagrations OF
1859. All tho journals lave been teemiug with
fire after fire, to IN extent which might lead =
casual observer to conclude either that the Rus
SLAMS are in the habit Of regaling themselves
annually with patriotic rehearsal OF the burning
OF Moscow, or that the entire nation has attained
the condition Of the Chinese in Charles lambs
incompatible Essay on Toast Pig, among
whom tho only known method Of cookery was by
burning the ontiEo premises. North, South,
East, and West, the public st large appears to
have been amusing itaelf by mallpg boufire OF
everything that cones to hand. wGile tho insur-
ance companies Of every degree are repenting in
dust and ashes. Ono could hardly open news-
paper without seeitlg announced, IN d Careless,
of hand summary Of half dozen lines, As q
matter Of no moment, the destruction By fire OF
.tifty houses, 113 houses 81 an ontire street
containing several public buildings" Hitherto,
however, 7 have remained, like Gidaons fleece,
dry amid abundance, not single fra out OF al
this multitude having been obliglng enough to
come in my way; but it is dscreed that this de-
lay shall bo atoned for By the spectacle Of con-
dagration worth all the rest put together.
One dreary September night, had been sit-
ting up late over the fifth volume of Count
Toistoi's '.War and Peace perhaps the best
Russian historical novel ever written. I was
Just midway through the Dorodino chapter, and
had 30 thoroughly enjoyed tho life-ike deacrip-
ton OF the great battle, that it was little wonder
If it haunted me- even in sleep But I could
hardly have slept more than IN hour. whom Was
reused By clamor TINT might have awakened
rural policeman, and, rushing to the widow.
found myself in the nnidst OF scene That almost
realized tho visions Of battle upon which it had
broken. Aar1n-lishts were hoated upon tho
tower of the Fire Brigade station, which "as
next door to nc; lamps were fitting about the
courtyard; the trampling OF horses and tho
rumble OF wheels, mingled with tho hoarso
shouting Of many voices. came echolng from be-
low; and overhead, the whole Bky YVES purple
with tho reflection Of fierce red glare that
broke the dakness far away to the eastward.
There could be no doubt OF it, ! had got my
wish at last dressed myself as il 81 running
it close for morning chapel at Oxford, and was
downstairs and out Of the house in twinAling.
"Whcre is p ask of one OF tile helmeted
figures in gray frieze Who are rushing about in
..Tootchkoff Bridee.~ answers the man. aud
the next moment an running at full speed to-
vards tie scene OF action. There is no need to
;nonire @ further: at the mention Of the Tootch-
Ioi B1idge. i comprehend at once the whole O.
tent Of tho catastrophe. The bridge in question
tho Il oE easteru shore of the island on which tho
yasiliOetrof suburb IL built; and close to it, on
the further side OF the river, lies an enormous
hemn-wbarf. containing four or i've warehouses,
and usually covered with piles Of loose bales, in
addition to the quantity stored within. Such
,nsas1;ne of fneI once fred. would make q
bla5e % to sta1tle ali Petersburg and,
indeed. @ the whole neighborhood is already IN
commntion Heads ne thrust1ng themselves
o1,t Of windows voices calling to each o.he1;
half-drossed figures running about the strco:s +;
aau 1v t;nniar;np naat At fn caop. tie brazen
bainoets ~ its man eiancing rediy in the ttful
iicht A. lepgth. ~ turn the cosnor Of the
street leading to tho footchko1 Bridge, the
whoIo scene burats upon me at once
The enti1e front OF the hemp-wharf is ono
sboet of dancing flame, which, tossed By the 1is-
A~~ fa-,v, ,~J o,a- ond eooD