The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1889-06-27
InsIIN IHE ELuon.

FrDm the AinersNille Pa Free Press
Unknown lady-believed to be
Mrs. Gels" were the few briei
words heralded among the pub.
lished names of the luckless thou.
sands who persisted la the Johns
town food. People here read the
name without the remotest thought
that the hnpless woman once dwell
among US, from Infancy to happy
girlhoOd aud that she who WAS mum
bered with the desd Of that awful
disaster waa none other than Miss
Abbie Ludes. Had the latter name
appeared, the identity Of the lady
would have been complete anu
every one would have recalled q
sweet nalured child, the favOrite OF
her school mates aud companions,
and the darling Of the home circle.
Sad 10 say. the lifeless body, "be-
lieved To be Mrs. Gels" was our
Abbie Ludes but changed from q
playful school girl TO wife aud
mother.
A little over ten yeaIs ago the
parents Of Abbie, Mr.. aud Mrs.
Matthias Ludes, removed from this
town TO Saliua, Kansas. There, Mr..
Ludes engaged In mercantile pur-
suits, the same which gave him
prominence here. About four years
ago Abbie became the hspPy bride
OF Mr.. John Geis, q young banker OF
that town, whose parents reside at
JohnstOwn. Two children were
born to them, q girl aud boy. Mrs.
Gels and her infant boy were visit
ing her husbands parents ut the
time Of the food, aud both mother
aud babe were engulfed In the
relentless torrent aud lost. Mr.
Gels hsstened to JOhnstown when
the first report Of the flood reached
him, to learn the fate OF his loved
ones. The following letter, after
his arrival, was sent to his sister ct
Salina, aud sorrowfully details the
fate OF his wife and child:
JoHNsTowS, PA, June 3, 1889.
MY DEAR SIsTER-It Is with q
heavy and broken heart that relate
the sad, sad tale OF the loss Of my
dear good wife who was all the
world to the; aud also my sweet aud
beautiful boy, whom everybody
spoke Of as growing more and more
lovely every day. - Well to
begin: I had strong aud dreadful
all the way here that
something dreadful was In store for
me and all Of Us, but when la Pitts
burg I learned that Foster. Quinn |
aud father were safe, hope came TO |
me and I was almost cheerful, aud |
In that mood telegraPhed William
this trother nj Sslina) all I then |
knew. | got of at Sang Hollow,
aud with Q thousand others began |
the weary, heavy tramp Of 1--we
miles through the rain To Johns
Town, meeting scores Of people In
tending to take the train to Pitts
burg and immediate points. Dozens
NJ these folks questioned regard
ing the safety Of all our folks. They
knew little or nothing Of Abbie, she
being almost q stranger here, but /
gave contradictory statements re-
garding the fate OF the others, until
met Fathers Gallagher aud DAWN.
IN the way up TO Green hill. Father
Gallagher In q kind but firm way
ed up to the subiec. and In .
I was aware os the fearful
ruth. | made my way In o daKed
manner up the hill 10 0 house where
he folks were stopping aud from
Ismes and Andy learned the details
Il poor Abbie's disappearance.
James was very much afraid OF the
high water all day and when the
alarm whistles blew he came 10 the
mouse aud called Abbie, Llbble,
little Gertrude. Rosemary, and Marie
% him, told Abbie 10 wrap mp her
,aby in something warm and hy TO
he hills for their lives. Abble
-eplled: as there Immediate dan
,er?" James said, Eyes, fly; follow
me-" He picked up Marie and Rose
nary aud started out, expecting
Abhie, LibbIe and the children 10
oliow. He was uading through
no feet OF water and looking back
Iaw Abbis hesitate and 70 back for
extra In the shape Of
wraps for baby, ~ he thinks. By
he quickest work he plseed bis
children In q safe place and started
o return. Before he got near the
louse Q volume Of water forty feet
high shot past him aud he Was COM
,eiled 20 retrsce his steps. Nov liz
le Gertrude. who vas with Abbie
md baby and Libbie. and who finally
seaped. tells the dreadful sequel.
hey ali aseended 10 the attic amid
he roar Of the raging waters and
,ot into Q stationary clothes closet.
he calling erseking and rafting, '