New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-06-29
BEL RUBIO;
OR, THE
ChiIdrenof The Earthquake
CHAPTER I.
THE GREAT EARTHQUAKE.

lie pay was crOWucu WIN sulppnB. Two uch-Ol
lay near the new marble quay just completed
which was already popular for fashonables and
unfashonables gather Of afternoon and listen to
the playing of the bands.
In the midst OF this peace and pleasure came low,
rumbng. Earring sound The windows ratified; horses
stood still, snortng and trembling refusing to move
further.
Every gazsd in the face OF his neighbor growing
pale-he Why's and then, the tremor ceased,
people laughed uneasy and said to each other that It
was nothing after ALL
But still the horses refused to bulge when whipped up.
Then another rumble. which rose to a The
tremor was renewed. and became aswayng to and fro
Men and women staggered like drunkards and In the
midst OF it the tower the church Of San Lorenzo
seen to he totterns its fall the square Of the
same name
People came running from the in every street,
frantic with fear, making insnctiyely for some open
place The square was the nearest; and the tower
was beheld shaking. bitter cry rose from the crowd
Some tried flee. but their limbs refused to sustain
them on the heaving earth which added dizzy sickness
to their misery and fear.
Then-CRAsHl
The great tower, two hundred and eighty feet high,
fell into tie square, crushing hundreds The heavng bc
came succession OF waves Hills rose ana valleys sank
where all had been level
Then came n shock. moro violent than before, and
the rattle OF falling buildings echoed through the doomed
city.
People hard they could toward the river, with
the instinct of hunted animals TO seek the water Sell
nshness ruled the hour, and men struck fercely at
women and children II the poor things got in the way.
I'm the midst OF the crowd, near the square, stood
carriage The panc-srickeu horses had refused to STIR
In the carriage sat two ladies' with babies in their
Roth were richly dressed but both had been abandoned
IN that hour by their nurses All distinctions OF rank
were lost and they only remembered that their babies
were crying and that they must hush them Then came
a lul In the trsmor OF the ground. and both mothers
prang out OF the carriage and began 10 run With the
crowd.
As they did so said hastily to the other. in En-
glish:
Keep up your courage. Marie. If you give way we
The other. who was nearly faintns. sasped:
ooh my God! We arc lost!"
no we are not LOST" retorted the first who seemed
torhayo courage IN spite of the terrible conmotioD.
na Um.y s' and hold FAST to the baby y
Then they began to tho crowd where all seemed
frantic with fear.
Out in the harbor. by the pier. tho two men-of-war
Their anchors were down. their officers shouting
orders they prepared to get the ships out to sea-
I'm tue midst OF the eommotion. the captain Of the
English ship heard voice hailing him from boat
'""C Gayi Guyi Vre are your'
The English captain uttered ferycnt . Thank God =,
under his bro I'll Tor lie recognized the voice and
vonag oicor in French naval uniform was waving
frIeair and called out in French 81 will save them
Tbe English captain waved his hand in reply but his
face pale ms that Of corpse LIS vile ana child
aud that OF the French officer. were both ashore and he
,ared not leave his duty to them. Then, as the
boat gdcd toward the quay the English captain gave
shrg TO his shoulder. II to control the nervous shud
dor he could not avoid and turned bis attention 10 his
own ship rcsouey REFRESHING every feeling but that OF
strict duty
Al the moment the first rumble OF the earthquake be-
gan small. halfdcckcd craft with single mast, sup
porting huge ateen SAIL was floating not far from the
pier OF three men trying to prope her from the
Vicinity by means Of clumsy sweeps
Wien the first trem0r came. II was not noticed on the
water but the sailors heard the rumDlng sound and
the captaiu-a big swarthy young Fellow wta Keen
black eyes and huge whlsAers-resed ON his oar
"That thunder ought to give wind. boys" The
next minute the second shock came up through the
water ike blow and the captain turned shade paler
through his bronze aud muttered III voice OF apprc-
hensOn; ,, ., J.. ~. .,.,Lo,,rs, p,, gam
host for the open sea Cod help us all Pull say !"
Tho words ne earthquake" were enough for the two
.ui They their with all their might, and
tie began TO move through tho water cha .,ro.
men fet a sudden sinking ~ II the boat were going
down Lhe VIZ nnt ~ ses with rush as fast "a
horse could have gaoped, the sensation OF sinking
growing stronger syery moment ororr,a ,nor o,rs
and fell their knees IN tao instinct OF man Mnen ne
can do nothing more. raising thair hahds 20 heaven
and praying wildly for mercy.
The captain the other hand, turned hisface toward
your oars. you FOOLS The saints can't stop the
,,yibouakS oct 10 your oars!
The ne at minute he himse was hurled from MS place
nv violent shock aud the men raised shrek or terror
Their nerves were completely unsrung by what had
J1t bpaf rus htyh andry on The bottom Of The bay and
they could see The water rushing out to sea, IA II II were
h1g sucked up by some strange monStor revealing the
ground Jagged with rocks and ntersersed with pools
OF mud ., 1id ma, ,,vo ,y,v TT. ross |
from tbs place where he had been THROWN and called to
his Pan,i,s /. td, oar me" Look rurnr..
Hc pointed to the retiring Ways IL saa RP anSe o IN ss
eginning TO curl overat top II the coDteuding
forces we're struggling for the mastery. ~
This trembling sailors Obeyed him instnctvoy but u
soamed useless to hold In the face OF such peril
Ths wall of water cured over and the wave came rae.
lug st IN vain In front of the the great
Lover one ana 1t nearsd the spanards IL caught up
their little craft and swept II inland again
Struggling like madmen they managed TO keep the boat |
from drifting bioalsde to tho water that came racing
than il had carried them out straight toward the city
~ret coud OF dust had risen from tho ruins Of the
doomed city and hung over the harbor. like pail
Everything was dark but nAsh OF hghthihs shot |
nv the ght Of that flash they strange scene;
T5ey were close to the great marble pier and the |
notts Of the bay was clearly visible all around IL rhe
Ue pier Itself cas rising IN NE dTi the rocks renuhs oc
ha .atsiy risates ay helpless their sides by the
foot of tue pier and the wave on wnion the Spanish
boat hung seemed to pause moment oei'ro I" 'ou'
Then something seemed to give way, and down went
the great marble pier, the prlue Vi soo" i"'o 0 '
TbS wall of water that had been following the boat
to an,aI 10 sink beneath It the little craft
hurled hiah in tossed about on the great Diiows
How or where the confusion first ceased they knew
not hn the earthquake was over and they Heated In the
cst Of tbs dark dustcloud, wilderness OF waters
alone. 5000 ,,o aa,,t,as. |
oa,at, ~ the snanish boat up In the bows, peer
IT, throush tho darkness for anything that might be
floating.
Then he gave a shout: 49,
aTLnewitl I knew IL Pull hard -
within minute from his cry he was hauliag INTO sne
hoat Inv the aid OF boathoOk great sheet OF CORK 10
which something was lashed ,.,..u..,.r,
Whatit was appeared from his surprised exeIanston'
uoflsr OF Heaven nc0 children "
low arranged cry from one OF the infants proved
that IL was avethe only creatures that had been saVea
from tho wreck.