The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1889-05-29

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promising to come back to them as soon
as all possible help had been given to the
unfortunate people, many of whom were
still half buried beneath the ruins of their
homes.
feared to face Ina, knowing what her
first words would be, and the terrible an
swer | must give to them, and strove to
forget the inevitable pain by hurrying
from place to place, assisting as best l
could those in need of help. 1t was
very desoate scene, amid all the beauty
of purple mountains and blue sea, that
Christmas day sun shown down upon.
The little city lay in ruins, with scarcely
house still firm on its foundations.
The cathedral alone seemed to have es-
capped, and its bells kept up a monoton-
Gus ringing, and the chanting came down
to us in snatches of melody, the blessed
Christmas hymns sounding unutterably
sweet and comforting amid all the pain
and desolation.
At last some one suggested that the
cellars Of the Francia were very large and
solidly built, and probably many people
were in hiding there, waiting to be re-
leased; so party, including myself, be-
gan removing the tons of fallen stones,
bricks, etc, and after great labor sue
ceeded in making an opening into the
first cellar. We soon found our labors
were not in vain, for we could hear voices
long before any one became visible, and
at last we reached them.
There were two cellars, one 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 these 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 thought 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 compare.
lively uninjured.
"Thank Heaven" l exclaimed as
seized his hand. "Dare l believe my
eyes after having seen you swallowed up
close to my feet2 Thank Heaven, for
Ina's sake p'0's,.
"Ina," he answered huskily; "where is
my child3"
"She is safe l found her after you
disappeared, and she knows nothing of
that horrible time. She is with friends.
l will take you to her. But cannot un-
derstand-"
MY being in that cellar9" he inter
rupted. ''No, l am not surprised, for ]
can scarcely understand it myself. only
know that | lost my consciousness in that
terrible moment when the ground opened
and / slipped in. When / came to my
self 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 a great quantity
of earth and stones, and with them my
unconscious self. / was stiff and bruised,
but otherwise uninjured. That is all
| know"
At such time all conventional barriers
are forgotten, and as Ina's father and
wrung each others hands and looked
straight into each others eyes we under
stood each others hearts better than if
we had been friends for years of every.
day life.
] need not dwell on the Joy of father
and daughter, as Ina, rushing into his
arms, described the sudden blow that
tore her away 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 res
cued.
We returned TO England together, and
/ found courage as we stood before "The
Vision" which held the place of honor
in their drawing room, to tell Ina the
story of my dream and its strange fulfill
ment, together with my luckless search
for her all the past summer. "Since that
night have loved you, dear Can you
love mel' l asked as | finished my tale,
and Ina, as she turned that beautiful
haunting face toward me with smile
which was, indeed, like a benediction,
whispered; "Yes !'-Once Week.