The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1885-11-14

Ireu 1eet hurried on Sne knew uot
where. !
From that part Of the city the only
way of reaching the West Side, where
was no fire, was over certain bridge,
Gradually the stream of people, of
whom Grace was one, drew near that
bridge, In whose narrow passage horrors
were taking place all the time. The
broad street had hardly room for flying
people in wagons and carriages Of every
sort; when the way grew narrow there
was a terrible struggle for place Heavy
wagons piled high with furniture crashed
ruthlessly into carriages Of people; fur
nlture fell and blocked the way; vehicles
weredlsabled and abandoned frightened
horses let loose to trample at their
pleasure: people with loads thrown
down; feeble women pressed to the
wall, All the worst of human passions
were let loose, and men became flends in
the mad struggle for safety and life.
As Grace reached this place, almost
crushed in'the crowd, strong man be-
hind her spoke kindly.
"My poor lad" he said, you'll be
killed In that jam: hold on to me-" and
with great difficulty he raised her above
the crowd and stood her on the narrow
rail next to the water.
holl ~, ,,,o I, ootl
went on fighting his own way, while
Grace, nearly dead with terror, and ex
pecting every moment to fall into the
water, held wildly to his neck. Once
or twice she slipped, but his strong arm
caught her, and at last, after hours, as
it seemed to her, they reached the other
side, and he lifted her down.
"My boy" he said kindly, "you look
delicate to be alone in this mad crowd ;
won't you come with me?"
Oh. how Grace longed to do so, but
fear restrained her. He thought she
was boy, and she could not explain,
because ii my endanger the precious
package.
ooh, nov' she said hastily, 81 must
| find papa, but thank you more than /
can say for helping me over that bridge"
shuddering as she spoke.
eyes, little man. said her friend
"you'd hardly have come over alive if ]
hadn't seen YOU"
"Papa'll thank you too," began
Grace, and then, fearful that he or some
one would suspect she had valuables
she turned hastily and ran down side
street.
But where should she go? That was
the West Side, and free from fire, bu
she had never been there, knew no one
and the streets were full OF flying peo
pie. She could only go with them, TO
they all seemed going one way.
So they were, and after long walk
in which she many times nearly fel
with fatigue, she reached the end of he
journey, the place where half city wa
collected in misery and despair. 1t wa
a wide, bare prairie, with hundreds
yes, thousands of people, some with {
houseful of furniture and goods, SOM
with nothing in the world but thei
night, clothes, camped down to wait TO
they knew not what.
That scene cannot be described
Grace sank exhausted on the ground
and very likely would never have arisen
for she was wet and cold, tired an,
hungry. But although everything II
life seemed gone, kind hearts were no
burned up, and near her happened t.
: be motherly German woman, who hat
= saved all the furniture of her littl
house by means of her husbands ex
: press-wagon, and was now guarding /
and her three children, while her hus
band was making 500 load with tn
same wagon, drawing rich mems treas
ures to a place OF safety. The goot
Frau had alrea ly made fire in her lit
tie stove anl heated some water, pre-
paratory to cooking supper and seein
Grace apparently dying, hurried a o
= and made her cup OF good strong col
fee. She could not speak a word o
English, but she doubtless saved Grace
life,
After drinking the coffee, which CAV
} her new strength, the poor child burie
} her face in her hands and burst into un
comfortable tears, with sobs and moan
that touched the warm hearted woman
, She tried TO question her; she made he
I come To her fire; she at last forced he
= to lie down, wrapped in one OF her owl
coarse blankets.
There, on that desolate prairie, Wit
S rain falling, groans and cries of pai
4 and distress around her, aching in ever
S bone of her body, poor Grace Lor
e passed that awful night,
e A little sleep did wonders to refres
4 her, and with the light of mornin
: came hope, though there seemed llttl
to build it upon. Thousands were rou:
e ing TO fresh sense Of their own desc
= lation, families mourning the loss of on
G of their number who had died durin
r the night, many grieving for cbildre
n separated in the crowds, all remember
t ing homes, comforts, blessings foreye
lost,
e With dawn, wagons from the III
II burned part of the city began TO arrive
Q sent by kind hearts which remembers
s the hosts of homeless fellow-creatnre'
It and filed with food. Bread, meat an
d coffee were distributed, and Grace
S thanks toher friend the German wonla
u -receiYed.R large roll:
But new uneasihess, OF rather th
) eld enc, began ro creep over heri fea
= that.t4tis woman might try to detail
e heF, might suspect the treasure she Dor;
S Although With many pangs at th