The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1877-02-09
Made Crazy by Frig hit.

TRANSPORTATION lntO plchleu mummleS.
Made Crazy By Fright.
One of the most striking things con-
nected with the early incidents of the
Brooklyn theater fire was the effect pro-
duced upon the minds of many persons,
especially women who were rescued
from the burning building. There were
in several places scenes resembling
those of mad-house. Some grew silly,
and when they were led from the door,
foolishly prattled of matters in no way
connected with the tragedy. More
seemed to lose all consciousness of
what was passing, and frantically
rushed here and there, exclaiming loud
ly and gesticulating. One woman, led
away by two men, earnestly pleaded to
be allowed to return, and evidently
would have endeavored to go back into
the theater, where she thought one of
her friends still was. So determined
was she, that finally they were obliged
to raise her in their arms and carry her
away. On the opposite side of Wash
ington street another woman walked
rapidly back and forth, shaking her
head slowly, and muttering: "He's a
good one, good one," without seeming
to be conscious of what she said. In
the station house was one man, bruised
and burned, who required two men to
keep him quiet. Starting up suddenly
and staring wildly, he would throw out
his arms and seem to be frightened by
something he thought he still saw.
When quieted, his head sunk on his
breast and he was unconscious of what
was passing. A young woman of pre-
possessing appearance acted as if intox-
icated Several times she burst into fits
of laughter, and talked bits of none
sense to those caring for her. Still
others appeared stunned and Supplied
by what they had passed through, and
remembered nothing of the scenes. A
strong man said that after leaving his
seat and starting for the exit he had no
recollection of what happened until he
was upon the street. The greater por-
ton of those who came out. however,
had vivid recollection of the whole
scene, and recovered their presence Of
mind after the first shock.
HUMoR OF New ENGLAND Parsons
The following specimens of the humor
of New England parsons are from a
batch published in the christian Union ::
Parson D., of Biddeford, prayed for
rain against his own persuasions and
pleasure, it would appear. He conclud-
ed his prayer thus: "We have prayed
for rain, o Lord, because the people
have desired it. But, o Lord, thou
knowest that what Biddeford meadows
need is not rain but manure" A re-
quest for prayers for rain was most in
felicitously handed up to the Rev. DIR.
K, during service, to his great disgust.
''The fool" said he, ''who wants me to
pray for rain ought to know there will
be no rain till the moon changes" The
Doctor held a missionary service that
very evening in a school-house some
miles away from home. There came on
a tremendous thunderstorm, and the
venerable pastor lost his chaise and SER
mon in a swollen brook, to the great de-
light of the man who sent the note. DIR.
S., the father of one of the most famous
American jurists that ever sat upon the
Massachusetts bench, was pastor in the
old days of q hospitable people who
lived by the sea. In those days it was
courtesy when the minister called, for
the parishioners to offer him glass of
wine or something stronger, and it was
courtesy on the parsons part to accept
the hospitality. After days calls
when there had been a great deal of
courtesy displayed on both sides, Par
son S. found himself in his own yard at
evening with pig in his wagon. There
was q we'll with the ordinary square
wooden curb also in the yard Parson
S. proceeded to- pen his pig, when the
kitch window flew up, and Mrs S.,
in shrill, frightened voice, cried out,
"Oh, Mr. S., Mr.. S.! what are you do
ing?" "I'm putting my pig into the
pen, my dear?" ''Oh, no, Mr.. S., you
are putting the pig into the well!''
AN HONEST WoMAN.-A portly old
lady recently surprised the Custom Off
Ger at Paris, Ontario, by presenting her
self and insisting on paying the duty on
number of spoons, she stated she
smugsled into this country some twenty
years ago. There was no mistake about
it. Those silver spoons had troubled her
dreams from that day to this, and lately,
having got religion and joined the
church, she felt she could not have their
weight on her conscience any longer.
She must pay up. The astonished col
lector at last fixed the tariff of charges
to her satisfaction, and she went forth
with light heart and free.
METAMoRPHosIs' OF MADNESS. - A
well known visitor of madhouses has
come across an incident almost unpar-