Weekly Chillicothe crisis. (Chillicothe, Livingston Co., Mo.) 1878-19??, 1884-01-10
The Saturday Night Horror.


Never since the AK first rang among
the cottonwoods that covered the town
site of Atchison has this city been the
scene of horror so swift, so crushing,
so awful as that Of Saturday night
last No sudden death which cast its
shadow Of bereavement over II hearth
stono during the civil war, 10 one
of the long procession of casualties and
calamities, by flood, rail, fire or vio-
leuce, that have since made desOlate so
many households in Atchison, has ever
seemed SO sudden, so cruel, so horrible
as this remOrseless fire, which, in q
few brief moments, utterly blotted out
of existence one of the happiest homes
Of our city. sent beloved wife and
child toa dreadful death, and enveloped
the whole community in pitying sor'
row.
In all the land, from ocean to ocean,
when the sun went down on Saturday
evening there was no more contentod
and pleasant home than that of Charley
Styles. For years the beautiful house
in which he lived had been the constant
dream of husband and wife. The site
was chosen long time ago, and every
brick, and stone, and board, of which
the house was formed and fashioned,
was testimonial to their industry, en-
ergy, thrift and economy. With low
ing thoughtfuness they had planned
every room and nook and cerner of it:
with loving tenderness they had
watched its building, and fitted and
furnished it as home in which they
expected to pass all their days, and
rear their children; with loving pride
they occupied it; and there, less than
two months ago, they welcomed their
wide circle Of friends, proud, joyous
confident, and unclOuded future light
ing the day-dreams of their imagina-
ton, and the sweet content which is
born Of mutual love and confidence fill.
ing their hearts with its abCulding
thankfulnoss and delight.
In one brief hour this beautiful home
was swept away, an lido lied wife and
a beloved child met an untimely and
awful death in the sUtiIcating smoke
and cruel flames, and the husband aud
two other children. narrowly escaping
the same dreadful fate, are left wife
less and motherless, stricken by be-
reavemont whose shadow will never be
lifted from their hearts and whose
memories will sadden all their future
years.
If pity could soften the force of such
bow, or sympathy relieve such a sor-
row, that which flows out from everi
heart in Atchsln would do its healing
work swiftly and surely. For never
have tho hearts of the people OF this
city been so deeply and profoundly
touched as they were by this dreadful
calamity. Charley Sly les and his wife
were universally respected aud cs-
teemed. They had grown up in Atchi-
SON. Everybody knew them and Every
body admired them. HIS industry,
energy, integrity, kindlincss and good
humor were illustrated in every rela-
ton of life; her grace, amiability,
brightness and womanly virtues made
her universally beloved, The thorough
devotion of this young couple to one
anOIner anu 10 lnclT CnlIuGtn was tne
theme of general comment They had
no ambition, no delight outside Of
their home, their children, and their
friends, and in their daily duties, their
pleasures and their aspirations they
illustrated those qualities which are
the browning glory Of genuinely
happy and cOntented family life.
1t will bo Years before the recOllec-
ton of this calamity fades from the
memory of our people In the mem.
ory of tho husband and children left
behind, il will never fade. But it may
be a consolation TO them to know that
their great grief is felt and shared in
every household in Atchison; that
every heart in the city goes ont to
them, in their loneliness and desola.
tion, with the tendercst sympathy; and
that in every house where fathers aud
mothers gather children about their
knees, the shadow of this awful be-
reavemcnt has Inspired more thought
fu care and more loving devotion,