Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-08-25

eiereyman. addressing those present in an Inn
passioned manner. There were tears In his
eyes and an awful sadness In his voice. men en-
and brethren" :" he said "it is appointed unto all
men once to die. If it be appointed unto US
who remain to die together, let us die ike
Christians who still retain our faith in eternal
justice, and not like wild beasts tnat oeVour
L saw that while they heard him those pres
ent gave very little heed to him, and were
eagerly waiting to hear the next dlspatch reao;
During the short time that was there heard
the authorities were doing all they could 10
prevent the decentralization Of the police de-
militia regiments had brought out 10 men
to the armory. 1t was estimated that there
were over million strangers in town, Tor all
the roads had been pouring them In Tor tnree
days, and the highways leading from the west
were choked with people The mob at bunalo
had taken possession of an express train anu IL
had run tor 200 miles black with people hang
ries of the widest kind were reaching the Fifth
Avenue Hotel. fire had broken out at the
dry dock, and a drunken mob were looting
through Grand street, pillaging as they
came, Finally report came that
the fatal east wind was blowing. And at this
there was general movement Of those present
as if the time were too short to waste in longer
listening. / came up Lafayette place to Astor
place with the intention of reaching the Fourth
avenue ave Both spaces we're ehoked with people, PIE
steps of private residence, wildly calling on
the mob. which paid no attention to her, to re-
pent for the day of judgment was at hand. Her
white hair was blown over her face and her
arms were frantically gesticulating Into the
great hall of the Cooper Union a mass of relig-
ious people had focked and a number of speak
ers were making addresses and offering up
prayers. When passed the woman who was
exhorting the crowd, l had noticed the manner
in which her hair, which was of soft, fossy
white, streamed out straight in front of her,
but 1t did not occur to me until had reached
the square in front of the Cooper Union that
this was caused by the peculiar and ominous
draught of wind from the east, of which had
heard SO much for it was there that saw a
crowd pointing up to the roof of the vast
building known as the Bible House. which ap-
them were holding flags and drapery, and the
material foated out westward without any Of
the undulating motion which always marks a
nag In disturbed @ current. cur These extempor- nIg
could sec that this sign produced dumb sort
of terror IN the crowd 1t seemed to me then
that all emotion of which was capable was
centered in the one desire to get to the woman
loved and die with her. A crushing and at
the same time an animating remorse, as if
somehow had been responsible for her death
at least. in disregarding her warnings, and
somehow doubly guilty in mistrusting her mo-
tlves. unnamed me and inhamed me. 1t was
with something of the same disregard Of every
body but myself that had seen in others, that
fought my way to Twenty-frst street, what
brutalities committed need not be recounted.
That hour remains with me an acute and jan
L
Judge Brisbane's house torn and bleeding. The
terrible scenes were in my eyes, and the dread
full monotonous tumult of human desperation
that vast sigh of doomed humanity pierced
here and there by the walls and shrieks of de-
spair and the cries of innocence for help, was
in my ears. The celebrity with which it had all
come on left no chance for cool reason. An in
visible phantom was at the heels of the COM
munity and we were part of a mighty STAN
pede. After fumbling for an instant at the
bell and pushing back several ghastly creatures
shoulder to the door and pushed it il. Some
one appeared to be resisting me on the other
side, but it gave way and half fell into Judge
Brisbane's vestibule, an instant later We were
looking into each others faces bloody and
soiled and ragged and wild with the frenzy of
fear and impatience, he pale as death, but res
olute and holding an enormous bar over me.
Quick" he said. Help me fasten this
doorr'
That sudden call of duty struck something
habitual in me, and, without knowing exactly
in barricading the door. The endeavor some
what changed the current of my thoughts from
the danger that was unseen to the danger that
muttered some kiRd Of excuse for my conduct
to the Judge, for he said; mo time for apollo
gies or determinations now. The house is full
of my neighbors. who have come here for pro-
lection. Go upstairs and look after the women.
The best and only thing we can do is to pre-
serve a quiet place to die in and not be trampied
to pieces. Are you armedp'
the upper rooms occupied by women, some of
whom, in morning attire hastily thrown on,
were sitting around with their heads in their
hands, while others were huddled at the WIN
dows staring with strained looks of terror at
the crowds on the street. Walking up and
down the room wringing his hands middle
terrible irony and cowardice without reference
to his listeners "Yes," he said, "you taught us
the accursed Nature worship; you called her
our mother, and weaned us from our faith to
hall in IN
explain her benignity nowf Why don't you
comfort us with the reign of lawf We are
about to be swalioWed wed up PIN in the pitiess NAV
sophistries triumph over the selfshness and
brutality of mani What have you left to us
except to curse God and diet"
L ran my eye over the huddled groups of
frightened women. The one 1 sought was not
there. few through the groaning figures on
the stairway up to her chamber. knocked
loudly and called her by name passionately.
Then listened. heard nothing hut the dull
sounds of the human tumult that came through
the open easement and the signing tones of the
telegraph wires as the steady draft from the
east swept through them. shook the door,
and then abjured her to come to me. Then in
my madness l burst it in She was on her
knees at the bed, with her hands on her ears
and her head buried in the bed clothes. fell
down on my knees beside her and put my arm
around her. Kate" / said, 1--WE will die to-
gether Look up. Love at least is eternalr'
She was cold. I caught her head between my
me. My God. she was deadi Dead with her
staring eyes full of terror and her beautiful
mouth set in hard and CHASTITY lines. Then it
was that felt rise up within me for the first
time the rebellous bitterness Of the natural
man. Need tell you that at such moments
man is little better than an animal save in his
free agency that enables him to defy. Ipassed
hours there moaning. cursing, bewailing. When
at last the force of the paroxysm had expended
itself, shook my fist in the face Of heaven
with the obduracy of a Pagan Greek, and
said, Come on now, you envious Fates, and
do your worst speedily, or l will be too quick
for your
Judge Brisbane found me there raving.
do you known asked.
"Yes" he answered, land am grateful.
She is spared much that we must endure"
future of the race end In mockery."
1T seems So" he replied. "But we cannot be
sure. Come with me-"
We ascended to the roof The spectacle that
greeted us was Understandable. The tops of all
the houses were black with people, who we're
staring mutely and with childish terror into
the West. The steady, subdued organ tone of
the rushing atmosphere could now be heard
few moments, and then said, 'It's terrible.
What do you suppose is taking placer
"I suppose" replied the Judge, shat we are
losing our atmosphere. Keeling it OFF, SO to
speak, slowly as we revolve. Our planet has
entered some portion of the ETHEREAL space
where the conditions are sucking us dry of our
oxygen. As it recedes from the earth the water
disappears. and we shall be left to revolve. like
the moon, without air and without liquid, and
consequently without life."
He said this medifatively, less as IL he were
answering my question than as If he were
formulating bis own fears.
"Then," 1 remarked, "if this takes place
gradually the millions have got to struggle
and writhe and fight together in suffocation.
We can at least blow our brains out and cheat
such fate"