Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1886-10-07
A Fearful Night.
M CHARLESTON LApY's ENPERIkNcE.

\ GRAPHIC ACCOUNT or THE EARTHQuAKE.
\ Charleston adv who was in the cit,
during III. earthquake has written to a
friend in Springfield an account Of her ex
perience which the Republican prints She
On thst fatal Tuesday night my husband
and sat BY the student lamp reading. On
account cf the heat there we're few lights 10
the house My Oldest daughter vas on the
piazza the two younger taking with my
sister about going 10 bed. The air was close
and sui, bat not noticeably so. The doors
and windows all through the house stood
open. \ quiet, serene, home picture, house
and inmates presented; when-just here my
hand trembles- suddenly under the south
east corner Of the room there is heavy,
deep. rumbling. indescribably awful sound
Then the heaying OF the earth Then from
around are heard the smashing Of glass, a
Gathering, sha,tering sound through all the
house, and, above cracking Of walls and
chlmney-tops.
Tins all in few seconds, and terrified.
hotrltied, bewiIdered, We spring up. In
siantl, nv thought was The earthquake,
Run out Of the house" And screaming
Run out. Run out :" | rushed into the
piazza. When | reached the top Of the ten
steps leading into the garden, the floor,
piazza. house. the whole world it seemed TO
me, swayed benesth me. | staggered down
the steps. was almost stifed and blinded
by clouds Of something, | knew not Of
what; It was caused by the falling of the
chlmneys. and two piles of bricks fell within
a few feet Of the steps, down which | ran.
My fearful thought was, "The earth has
opened and this is ouE end" All, al that
moment the thought Of God was all tina,
kept reason on her throne. reached the
front gate, ten feet from the house, and
turred for the first time TO look behind me.
The house stood, our beautiful loved
home. took, as felt, my las, glance at
IT, but 1t was not the home, but the dear
home folks, | Was looking for | was sure
they had followed me, and found myself
alone. | rushed back screaming, "For
Gods sake, come out come QUIT" Then
little HIS voice sounded through the still
ness, "Oh. where is my mamma | want TO
die with my mamma | called out Here
| am, and she rushed into my arms. And
then nv husband and the others came TO me
into the street We thanked God We were
together once more, and then stood fearing
the next moment I'VE are all here" But
no. Our son. where is he ? He had gone 10
bed sick. his father and had seen bim com.
fortably fixed for the night. We turned
again TO the house, all calling out to him in
piercing accents that must reacn his room,
his ear, and after what seemed ten minutes
We saw him running to US.
Then came a second shock But not like
the first. As this was less violent, raw Of
hope came to Us that the worst was passed.
We then turned to look in each others face
and ask how each had Jared. Ny husband
had rushed with me to the top Of the stairs
but the shaking was SO violent that he had
TO cling to the post for support, and E. chung
to him. crying, 80, papa, what is it ?" My
son and NJ. ran, too, TO the piazza, but,
blinded by the dust, they stumbled against
the railing and held on and prayed. Then
the tremor ceased and they ran to " here |
vas. Our son said he was asleep, but the
noise swoke him the bed shook under him,
and the sound of cracking walls and falling
chimneys around and above told him that
the predicted earthquake, we none Of US
feared, had come. II am lost, can never
get out" he said. But it all ceased. "Where
was everybody ?" Hope returned, and
Another sligh,er shock and We heard in the
distance the wailing and groaning of human
beings. And now after the horror Of hear
ing and feeling another horror struck the
sight. Had We not more than We could
bear But now to the right and TO the left
appeared bright CLEANS of fire.
My thoughts flew to the house. l had
expected TO never enter it again. but urged
BY the fear that the lights might start con-
fagration We went back. Our parlor lamp
stood in just the same place on the table, the
student lamp had fallen to the floor and had
gone cut. The gsslight still burned in the
dining-room and up stairs dim light flick
cred in the breeze. We put out the liehts
below, but did not venture up stairs. A
third shock and We all clung to each other.
Oh, when will it cease And now We we're
thankful to find our servants safe, they hav.
ing escaped by the Montague street gate.
Then we looked for our neighbors, many Of
whom had gone for the summer, and we're
glad to find all safe and standing near us,
though We had not seen them. The air be-
came cooler, and A. went in and brought
wraps, etc., for the women and children.
Ths men brought chairs from the piazza on