Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1886-09-09


ing the city with total destruction, the
people whom you met on the streets or
saw gathered together in groups in the
open places evidently did not give them
thought. No one watched the rnddy
flames or the pillars of cloud rising high
into the still night air. All were too
intent on listening with strained sens
es for the dreaded recurrence of that
horrible growl or groan of the power
under the seas and under the land to
give a thought to thenew terror, though
it had threatened his own home and
many homes in the doomed city.
The crowds poured in from every di-
rection to the space just described, as
though it had been indeed a charmed
circle and life depended on passing
within its grassy bounds. Street cars,
carriages and other vehicles were rang
ed in lines on the streets surrounding
the square, while the horses stood as
though shifting the ground in anxious
inquiry. The colored people everywhere
were loud and increasing IN their dec
lamations of alarm in the singing of
hymns and in fervent appeals for Gods
mercy-in which appeals, God knows,
many proud heart who heard them a
rising in the night and in the hour of
His wonderous might deyoutly ,humbly
and sincerely joined. Danger brings all
Of us to the level of the lowliest. There
were no distinctions of place or power,
pride or caste, in the assemblages that
were gathered together in Charleston
Oh Tuesday night. 1t was a curious
spectacle to look back upon. 1t is a
good one to remember for white and
black alike. There were instances of
unselfish devotion, of kind and loving
regard between master and servant,
mistress anu maid, in the presence of a
common i'll and of threatened ruin, that
showed ,as nothing else could show, how
strong is the tie that binds our white
people and our black people together
and this lesson Of the dread visitor we
may:hope, too, may never be forgotten.
Arrived at his home the writer found
the same scenes of distraction and
wreck which marked nearly every 9TH
er home in the city. All the houses in
the neighborhood had suffered seriously,
and streets, yards and gardens were
filled with the fallen chimneys and frag-
ments of walls, while the walls that
were left standing were cleft asunder,
in many cases from top to bottom, and
were badly shattered in every instance.
Women and children, reused from sleep
or interrupted in their evening pursuits
by the sound of the ruin being effected
aboye and around them. rushed out In
to the streets and huddled together
awaiting the end. whatever it might be.
Inyalids were brought out on mattress
es and deposited on the roadway. No
thought was given to treasures left be-
hind in the effort to save the peculiar
treasure Of life itself, suddenly become
SO precious in the eyes of all. the invalid
woman and the robust man alike. Un-
til long after midnight the streets were
filled with fugitives in sight of their
homes. Through the long hours that
followed few were the eyes even of
childhood that were closed in sleep.
Charleston was full of those who watch
ed for the morning, and never in any
city in any land did the first gray
shades that mark the approach of dawn
appear So beautiful and so welcome to
eyes as they appeared to the thousands
of people who hailed them this morning
from the midst of the countless wreck.
ed homes and our thrice scourged but
still patient, still brave, still hopeful,
still beautiful city by the sea.