The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1876-06-05
BADLY DEMORALIZED.
4 san Francisco Earthquake md It's Ef-
feet. n. DrscrIbrd by Bret llnrte.

4 san TrnucIsco Earthquake md It's Ef-
feet. n. BcscrIbrd by Bret Ilnrle.
Bret Harte, in Gabriel Conroy," in
tScriJncr's Monthly, gives us the fol-
lowing idea OF San Francisco earth
quake: The middle of the broad street
was filed with crowd OF breathless,
pallid, death.stricken men, who had lost
all sense but tho common instinct OF
animals. There were hysterical men,
who laughed loudly without Cause,
md talked inccssantly Of what they
knew not. Thcrowere dumb, paralyzed
men, who stood helplessly and hope.
lessly beneath cornices and chimneys
that toppled over and crushed them.
There were automatic men, who, flying,
carried with them the work on which
they werc engage,i-one whose hands
wero full OF bills and papers, another
who held his ledger under his arm.
There were men who had forgotten the
ordinary instincts Of decency-somo
half dressed, ono who had flown from
neighboring bathroom with only the
towel in his hand TINT afterward hid his
nakcdness. There wero men who
rushed from the fear OF death into his
presence; two were picked up, one who
had jumped through skylight, another
who had blindly leaped from fourth.
story window. There were brave men
who trembled like children; there was
one whose life had been spent in scenes
OF daring aud danger, who covered par.
alyzed in the corner OF tho room from
which n few inches Of plastering had
fallen. There wero hopeful men who
believed that the danger was over, and,
having passed, would, by some mysteri-
ous law, never rocur; there were others
who shook their heads and said that the
next shock would be fatal. There were
crowds around the dust that arose from
fallen chimneys and cornices, around
runaway horses that had dashed as
madly Us their drivers against lamp.
posts, around telegraph md newspaper
offices, eager to know the extent OF the
disaster. Along tho remoter avenues
and cross streets dwellings werc de-
serted, people sat upon their doorsteps
or in chairs upon the sidewalks, fearful
OF the houses they had built with their
own hands, and doubtful even OF this
blue arch above them that smiled so de-
ceitiully; OF those far-rcaching fields
beyond, which they had cut into lots
and bartered md sold, and which now
seemed to suddenly rise against them,
or slip and wither away from their very
feet. 1t seemed so outrageous that this
dull, patient earth, whose LONELINESS
they had adorned and improved, and
which, whatever their other fortune Or
vicissitudcs, at least had been their sure
inheritance, should have become SO
faithlcss. Small wonder that the owner
OF little house, which had sunk on the
reclaimed water front, stopped in the
speechless and solemn absurdity OF his
wrath to shake his clenclied fist in the
face of the Great Mother.
The real damage to life and property
had been 30 slight, aud in such pro.
nounccd contrast to the prevailing ter
ror, that half M hour later only n sense
Of tho ludicrous remained with the
greater masses Of tho people. Mr..
Dumphy, like all practical, unimagina
tive men, was among the first to re
cover his presence OF mind with the
passing Of the immediate danger. Peo-
pie took confidence when this great
man, who had so much to lose, after
sharply remanding his clerks and every.
body else back to business, re.entered
his Office.