St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-09-20
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I'm the Earthquake.

"EVer in an earthquakeP' asked man or
a crowd of smokers, who with him occupied
the smoking apartment of Pullman sleeper,
aud who assisted him to fill the room with
blue and white smoke. They were perfect
strangers to each other. They had never met
before, and probably never would meet again.
Being fellow passengers and fellow smokers
they found common interest and talked
as only travellers can.
No one answered the question. and the
queationer took it for granted that no one in
the party had ever been in such a calamity,
for he continued by relating his own expert
ence in the recent Charleston shakeup.
I'm from Georgia. he said, mot very far
from Macon. On the night of that earth
quake felt kinder poorly and went to bed
pretty early. 1t was q beautiful night.
Not a cloud was to be seen, and the
moon and the stars made it as bright and
pretty as could be. [ looked out o.
the window as u1dres- ed = nd wondered how
anything could be prettier: I remember !
also wondered how the people in the North
coua stand it to live through the cold, dreary
winters. I pitied 'em. l got into bed and
soon fell asleep.
81 awoke. felt there was somebody under
the bed, for it felt that man was under
H.. |
fully awake when my wife came rushing in.
She said; .Jubal, we're in a cyclone Just
then we heard a low. rumbling noise and the
house and bed began to oliver. 1t was still
bright moonlight and not cloud was visible.
l tried to get up, but every time [ tried the
bed kinder took d turn, just as the berth docs
on an ocean steamer In storm. and rolled
me back When did get up felt sick AT my
l.. III a1
1t dawned on both of us that it was an earth
quake, although We did not say anything
about it. We went for The children.
1.-THE shocks came ut intervals, accompanied
by the rumbing that sounded like the rush
ing OF mighty wind. The sound became
deeper and deeperaad then more in1istinct
as it rolled away. All that hight we were up.
Every time heard II AMI felt the quivering
of the earth sense of fainrness came over
me that was not unlike sea sickness. Ever
minute expecred the house TO fall, so out on
the green grass we took our quarters ana
watched and wai ed for daylight.
'sMy little boy said, explaining the
rumpng noise which appeared to come from
the earth, Il guess. papi, that some thunder
got in the earth and is trying to get OUT 1t
certainly SCUM led that way"
a temporary Loss.
II lost my right arm one night said an ap-
parently sober and sane man on the Milwau
kee Limited train. addressing the conduc
tor. As he made the assertion he took out
cigar. and. placing it in his mouth, lighted it,
using his right arm and hand
sWell," said the conductor, as he took the
proffered cigar. for false arm and hand
yours are the best / ever saw
ssI don't mean" continued the passenger,
"that actually lost it, but [ experienced all
the feelings that q man can who actually has
his arm cut OF at the shoulder. 1t was all
dream. and happened in this way. l went to
sleep one night, and in my dream Thought
was again in the army. and had been ordered
to the front. We were in a battle.
I saw the enemy coming toward US,
and, while waiting for the order to
fire. received bullet in my
right shoulder and saw my arm drop off and
fall down to the ground. There was little or
no pain attached. but kind of dead feeling.
/ fell and was soon carried back to the hospi-
tai. Thoughts of what / had lost flashed
through my brain.
II awoke from my horrid dream 1t was
dark in my room at home, but as | recognized
the old familiar objects, 50 different from the
bleak and desolate hospital where l had just
been in my dreams, [ thanked heaven that
it was only a dream. A strange feeling
flashed through my brain. 1 failed to feel
my right arm; tried to move it, but could
not. Great beads of perspiration stood out
all over me, as took my left hand and passed
it over to where my right hand and arm
should be- They were gone and I could not
And them. pinehed myself to make sure
that was awake. Finally L moved my left
hand up to my right shoulder, and, thank
goodness, there found my missing member. 1t
seems that had gone to sleep with my right
arm under my head and my hand and arm
had gone to sleep too. They we're numb and
without feeling, so of course felt as though
they had no existence. 1t did not take me
very long to get that right arm down and
awake. l know, therefore, what it is to be
without the right arm, although still have it
with ine.''