Daily Los Angeles herald., 1884-08-22
rNs EARTHQUAKE suslNsss.
A Greatly overrated Business-How
1t Scares the Yankees "A Spin
sters' Romance Knocked Out OF
Time-A sad But True Tale

Our Yankee friends who shrug their
shoulders about the horrible earthquakes
in California, which never take place,
have had little shake up and have made
more fuss about it than a specklod hen
would make over a black chicken A
dispatch from the capital OF the Gland
of Steady Habits" states; Sat Hart
ford, three convulsive shocks were felt.
Bells were rung and many people were
thrown down and badly bruised. Wom-
en- tainted in all parts of the city, and
windows were shattered and splintered.
At the county Jail tho prisoners were
wild with fear, and attempted to burst
in the door to escape. Their howlings
could be heard for some distance. A
prisoner named Doyle endeavored to
break out. and died from fright, occa.
stoned by the earthquake. At the
Weatheriield State Prison the plaster
ing from the walls fell down, and some
panic among the prisoners occurred"
To Western man this seems to be
''much ado about nothing" There
must be something very reproving in the
average Connecticut conscience, if o
little temblor can SO rouse up the peo-
pie who have tho honor of inventing
wooden nutmegs. Such a shake in
Southern California would not be noticed
as much as camp.meeting, large
farm alap nr auaa a attlrida
Los Angeles women do not faint at
earthquakes. Nothing smaller than a
mouse can make them faint, and even
then they are judicious, and will not
faint unless their toilet Is well made,
and they can fall into the arms of some
gentleman to sustain them in their ab-
normal manifestations.
As q matter of fact the earthquake
business is game pretty well played
out in Southern California. Those who
como here expecting TO write narrowing
tales of destruction aud death from
earthquakes will be sadly disappointed.
The literary part Of the business is over
done. A spnster who came from New
England TO Pasadena to investigate the
probability Of being overtaken by matri-
mony or an earthquake, had prepared
herself for the fainting scene, and the
sweet words Of trust and joy that she
was to say when the naughty earthquake
should run away. But, alas! when the
fateful hour arrived, she was in the pan
try washing greasy dishes, dressed in
eight cent calico aud checkered apron
drabbled in soapsuds, and showed hands
like those Of o Chinese laundryman,
while her rings and gold comb were up
stairs, and there was no powder on her
| freckles, and the fellow into whose arms
she was to fall was planting orange
trees, and arrayed in hickory shirt and
dollar pair Of overalls, with boots Of
sturdy cowhide well cased in irrigating
mud and didn't know there was an
earthquake at all. Bat the temblor
shook the tin pans on the shelves and
| the glassware OH the sideboard, and that
was all. In two seconds 1t came and
went without herald or trace. The idea
that an earthquake would send word of
its approach, bring its knitting and
spend the evening, giving ample time
for fainting under favorable auspices,
was rudely brushed away and in its
stead was only rattle OF a few empty
pans, only that ard nothing more.
Hopes were dashed, romance and earth
quake had disappeared in silence to-
gether and left no trace behind or on
either side. That is specimen of Los
Angeles earthquakes, which pass by as
the idle wind. Those New Englanders
have the undivided sympathies of An
| gelehps in their fear aud trembling. 1t
may do them good aud teach them not
not bear false witness against their
neighbors in California.