The Delta independent., 1889-08-27

came down to US In snatches oi
melody, the blessed Christmas hymns
sounding unutterably sweet and COM
forting amid all the pain and desola-
ton.
At last someone. suggested that the
cellars of the Francia were very large
and solidly built, and probably many
people were in hiding there. waiting to
be released; SO party. including my
self. began removing the tons OF fallen
stones. bricks, &C.. and after great
labor succeeded in making an opening
into the first cellar. We soon found
our labors were not in vain, for we
could hear voices long before anyone
became visible, and at last we reached
them.
There We're two cellars, ono opening
out OF the other. We had succeeded in
reaching the inner one, and found it
crowded with people. Many of the
hotel servants had gone there on the
first alarm, and few Of the visitors
had been guided by them or had found
their way there also; and as those
people were gradually lifted out
through the hole we had made, what
was my amazement to recognize Ina's
father among them.
l rubbed my eyes, and though the
agony Of the night must have turned
my brain, But no, there he was,
covered with dust, indeed, and with
bleeding face and hands. but alive and
comparatively uninjured.
Thank heavenr' I exclaimed as
seized his hand. ''Dare believe my
eyes after having seen you swallowed
up close to my feeta Thank heaven,
for Ina's sake!'
Ina" he said huslsily; where is my
childs''
"She is safe. found her after you
disappeared, and she knows nothing Of
that horrible time. She is with
friends. I will take you to her. But
l cannot understand"
My being in that cellar?" he inter-
rupted. mo, am not surprised, for
l can scarcely understand it myself. I
only know that lost consciousness in
that terrible moment when the ground
opened and slipped in. When came
TO myself was lying on the floor of the
cellar with many people around me and
they said that one of the earthquake
shocks had shaken down the outside
wall Of the outer cellar. throwing in
great quantity 5f earth and stones, and
with them my unconscious SELF I was
stiff and bruised, but otherwise unin-
jured. That is all know"
At such times all conversational bar
riers are forgotten, and as Ina's father
and l wrung each others hands and
looked straight into each others eyes
we understood each others hearts bet
ter than if we had been friends for
years OF everyday life.
need not dwell on the Joy Of father
and daughter as Ina, rushing into his
arms, described the sudden blow that
tore her from him as they tottered
down the staircase. She remembered
nothing more after this blow until she
found herself with Mrs. Doone, and
learned from her how She had been
rescued.
We returned TO England together,
and found courage as we stood before
''fhe Vision" Which held the place of
honor In their drawing room, to tell
Ina the story of my dream and its
strange fullfillment, together with my
luckless search for her all the past
summer. ''Since that night night !
have loved you, dear, Can you love
mc'" ! asked as finished my tale. and
Ina, as she turned that beautiful haunt
ing face toward me with smile which
was, indeed, like a benediction, whis.
pered, "Yesr'-Once Week.