The Holly chieftain., 1898-11-18
SHOW WISDOM WHEN IT RAINS
How n Chicago Crowd Sani-hes ms IL
b, Magic when = storm
Suddenly Bursts.

The days OF miracles generally are
believed to be past In these intense
ly modern, scientific times if any
transformation takes place with such
wonderful quickness as to make 1t
seem almost supernatural some
man bobs up just as the popu-
lace begins to get excited over the
matter and explains the phenomenon
away on the most material, common
place principles. Sometimes TINS -
not altogether to our liking. 1t is not
wei to rob US of all mysticism and ro-
nance. But there is one little bit OF
magic that no one can take from US,
for i, is the outgrowth Of human ma
ture itself.
Fairy lore Of hundreds of years ago
tells US of the city that one instant
stood up white and glistening in the
midst of rolling green plains and the
next had disappeared. Houses, shrines,
temples and all that dwelt and wor-
shipped therein had either sunk into the
earth or been absorbed into the air.
and the green plains spread out fair
and undulating over the spot as if the
city had never been. But the next day
it arose again with equal swiftness in
all its splendor. and life within its
walls went on as before.
We are apt to laugh and scoff at this
fanciful story. but we can see it par
TALLY reproduced in miniature any
rainy day right here in Chicago. To
he sure the Masonic temple and the
surrounding buildings DO not have the
faculty of ascending into the heavens
or sinking into the earth. but the peo-
pie disappear from view with a mag
ical swiftness that could not be out
done even in the mythical city OF old.
Where do the people all go when it
rains? is a question often asked at
sight of the transformation. Chicago
people have the reputation of being
bustlers, but it is safe TO say that they
hustle a little more briskly when over
taken by a shower of rain than at any
other time. Take one of our recent
storms, for an example. The sky had
been overcast with threatening clouds
all the morning. but everybody had
said: 20, it won't amount to any
thing" and had gone on about their
business without another thought Of
the weather. But threatening clouds
are not to be trusted. OF sudden
they opened and without a sign of
warning emptied their contents upon
the city in torrents.
At the beginning of the downpour
the streets and pavements were con-
gested with traffic. a few seconds
later they were well-nigh deserted.
One thoroughfare in particular that
came under the Observers especial no.
tice was faced with buildings which
were 80 parts window to one part
door, and which did not appear TO af-
ford refuge for one-tenth of the hui
manity abroad, yet, like fash. all
had disappeared. Pedestrians had
gone-whither One couldn't see
them go, but they had gone. Wagons
and teams had found shelter-where
So far as the eye could discern there
were no sheds or stables to afford pro-
lection, but they had found it some
where. 1t was as if the great buildings
had been transformed into huge
leviathan whose narrow throat had
widened TO take men, women and chill.
dren, horses and vehicles into its
capacious NAV.
For many minutes the rain beat
down upon n street that might have
been a thoroughfare in city of the
dead. A hardy, persevering cabman,
glistening and cleaning in his rubber
coat. urged his reluctant horse over
the flooded street. or the expressman'
neglected nag caught its breath with
a snort and kicked it's hoofs detected
ly against the curbing. These were
the only signs of life.
But by and by the rain stopped. In
the twinkling of an eye the street was
alive once more. People sprang up
and down or out of their places of con
cealment like jack-in-the-b and
hurried in throngs over the slippery
pavement; the wagons were back. too
rafting over the cobblestones: the
drivers were calling. the car bells were
changing. the wheelmen were whist
ling as before. The silence was brok.
en-, and life, fusy. roaring life. was
rushing on.-Ihicapo Tribune.