The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1891-08-08

forgotten a single word OF our conVersa-
ton
No. nv dear Mr.. lie Quai, she said,
with that friendliness of tone so tantallz-
ing to lover who sees his doom ahead,
i do not doubt that what you say Is true
that you love me with all your heart
and soul; and | cannot express how flat
tered / am by it. | feel for you, sir, the
respect due to a man whom my father
has brought to his house as a friend, and
the friendship which no woman can re-
fuse to a man who has often amused and
sometimes instructed her
Miss Nina de Latore, was well aware,
was accustomed to the homage of all her
fathers numep~us guests. Hence had
little right 20 hope that would be the
favored one: bnt, with the obst macy of
all blind adOrers, fancied she was gentler
to me than to the others and thought
detected in the studied style OF her re-
fnsal faint encouragement to persist.
Nevertheless, pretending to be in the ut
most despair, | cried:
Then | have nothing to hope? | am
utterly rejected, and must hereafter roam
the world with a bitter heart and cruel
secretT
4 suppose, said Miss de Latore with
sympathizing smile, that it is hard to
love in vain. But you will soon forget
me, and some 9TH
Neverl' cried, fiercely; never, Ninal
1t is heartless Of you to say it. Do not
beg you. add cruelty to disappointment
Then, said my tormenter, let us in
weigh together against that fate which
makes woman so beautiful and yet so
heartless.
you know, sir, said Mr.. lie Quai,
breaking in on his story-''you know how
frequent earthquakes are in this part of
South America, particularly in the sum-
mer months, when they often occur daily.
On the day of which | have been telling
you. ever since early morning the ground
had been trembling slightly, while from
time to time deep rumbling could be
heard like the growl of distant thunder.
Though at first these tremors had alb
sorbed much of my attention and caused
me no little fear, still my stay at Mr.. de
Latore's had somewhat accustomed me to
them but during the last words of my
conversation with Nina not even my agi-
tation could prevent my perceiving how
greatly these movements had increased.
Scarcely had Miss de Latore spoken the
last words, when a large porcelain vase
was shaken from its pedestal at the foot
of the steps and shivered to a thousand
atoms. At the same moment | was thrown
violently to the floor of the balcony,
which seemed to rise up to meet me.
With an energy which only fear can give
| staggered to my feet My first impulse
was to seize Nina in my arms and fly; but
ON looking around, stunned as | was,
could nowhere see her. With difficulty
retaining my balance, rushed down the
drunken steps and fed from the now
groaning house. 1t was impossible, how
ever to go far over such rolling ground.
| soon was forced to sink dizzily to my
knees. | saw the house shaking from
side to side; the chinneys tottered and
crashed down the roof, and the window
panes were smashed to slivers; long
planks, wrenched by the strain, burst
from their places, leaving great holes in
the walls; the stairs twisted and gave
way; beams Slid from their supports and
efell to the ground in the midst of debris
of shingles, glass, bricks and plaster. AS
the Tol$fg Ut background increased what
remained of the walls, unable longer
TO stand, crumbled and swept down
on the mass Of ruin they contained.
In few minutes the beautiful villa was
reduced to a heap of crushed and broken
rubbish. All this happened in not much
more time than it takes to tell it, but a
still more terrible scene yet waited to be
Witnessed for, of sudden, the earth
cracked open, and the entire ruin disap-
peared in the chasm. ! clasped my hands
in fright. At that moment heard Nina S
voice eXclaim behind me; God in Heaven,
help me! In frenzy fought to regain
my footing but could not do it. Looking
4 h,l,s, IL
far away on the ground; but hardly had
discovered her before the earth opened for
a second time and swallowed her! My
Godr / cried, in an agony of borrow.
Now, on all sides great rents were appear
ing and disappearing. Before was able
to dread it, they extended to where Law.
A momentary vision of blackness filled
my brain-and then knew no more"
Mr. lie Quai paused to wipe away the
perspiration which had collected on his
forehead at the recollection of this terrible
catastrophe
Sir, 4" he resumed, IF you have ever
dreamed that you were buried alive, then
you have had taste of the feeling which
| experienced ON recovering consciousness.
No hell could be blacker than the place
where, on awakening, | found myself, ly-
ing on my back. | turned my eyes in all
directions, but it was as if had no eyes.
No crack or Granny gave entrance to q
single ray of Gods blessed light. can
imagine no torture greater than to be
plunged into eternal darkness The 81
lence of the place was perfectly awful
My breathing magnifed, sounded like the
Kissing of a furnace. | could hear my
heart beat, and almost the blood surge
through my veins. When | attempted t
move, sharp pains shot through my whole
body, but soon found, to my Joy, that
none of my bones were broken God only
knows why was not crushed as / fell