Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1903-01-11
A TRUE STORY OF THE
CHARLESTON EARTHQUAKE

-
August ths twenty-ninth. eighteen huns
ered and e.sht-six, dawned bright and
clear Ia small town in Upper South
Carolina
IT'S warm rays among tho early autumn
flowers TO be reflected by the morning
dew in prismatic colors-
The sun rose higher and higher. the
atmosphere grew warmer. and ere the
Hands Of the oid-fashioned cock on the
stairway Of DR.. Presby's home reached
beating down upon the white gravelled
streets with a heat that made walking.
without an umbrella decidedly uncom-
Portable Those who were compelled to
The monotony OF these august days
vas broken only occasionally. and then
rnly By some horse trader with drove
OF mountain ponies on his way south
yard, or wandering band of gypsrss
moving to new canpng-grourd.
In the cool Of the evening the older
steps Of some store TO discuss pouucs,
partakiag Of each others tobacco, and
swapping yarns. Of which they always
had q supply OF each.
Their smoking tobacco was plug to-
bacco shaven tainiy and pulverized In the
palm Of the hand. and which sent up a
cloud Of blue, strong-smel!ing smoke that
would put to route any horde OF mos
II you were to visit one OF the stores
81 this small town during the summer
. months ABOUT the l1lGQ1e Oh the afternoon
you would find the store, apparently.
deserted. but upon walking to the back
door and looking out you would find the
proprietor engaged in a game OF checkers
with probably The oW'-l4r Of the store adj
Joining his If you wished to purchase
you might just as well 90 on to some
other store. for to interrupt one Of these
games was 70 break an unwritten law.
The penalty for such indiscretion was
severe censure from the players, or may
De worse.
~
Law. and frequently forgot to, warn yarn
strangers. and thereby the strangers were
often sd into trouble innu-ently.
and the incidents Of the day were forgot
ten. but the events of that night will
never be forgotten by those who were
old enough at that time to remember
them.
The, cir was still and oppressive, the
people could not sleep. hence they did.
not retire carly. as was their custom.
trying: to keep cool
Abont-9 O'Clock q Slight breeze stirred
The leaves Of the white Poplars, that lined
the streets and reduced the temperature
g. few degrees.
One by one the lights in the different
houses began to &c out. and by 10 o'clock
Ell siL,, had disappeared and the only light
Its silvery light down upon sleeping peo-
PIE and lighting UP their bedrooms suf-
e Ts b % Esaa IL large d Print t cbrn
come night bird was the only sound that
broke the stiffness.
Half mile from this town was negro
nifty small cabins, some built Of logs with
stick and mud caimneys. while others
were constructed Of planl5s and had rock
chimneys. The proud possessors of these
more up-to-date houses never failed, on
every occasion that presented Itself to
rsmi,nd their less prosperous neighbors
house" and had rock chimney.
around the door OF these cabins wild
pea vines climbed, twining themselves in
and out among the logs and over the
small covering erected to keep the rain
from falling upon the doorstep
Those who possessed sufficient ground
planted It in sweet-potatoes. pumpkins,
and corn In small patches. These three
means OF support needed but little work
,rlg, and the Women and children kept
hem clear OF grass.
hose surrounding it and which had a
;ence and q board walk leading from
he, read, to the door, lived the Rev J.
z: Ellis. of the African American Meth
odist Episcopal Church. South. inscribIng
a A n E. &c. S. after his name on every
occasion where his signature appeared. .
a short distance from his house was
located the church Of which he was pas
Tor and at which a meeting. was: ill pro-
gress at the time OF which I-write. His
conversions We're many and his concresa-
ton was thoroughly worked up and re-
allied the Importance Of immediate re-
pentence.
On this eventful night of the 18th the
Rev. Ellis had selected his text from
Revelations. dSpicting in a word picture
the end OF the world and the terrible
suffering those would have to endure
who were not ready to die when the
Snd came.
1t vas about Il P. NJ. when the listeners
n mis- little church heard slight rum
bling in th6s Stapce. which came nearer
end nearer, and passing eli. died away
IN the distance
\ few minutes another rumble was
fsaTd, louder than the first one. growing
louder as it drew near, untn presently
the floor of the. church shook, the boards
which composed the ceiling. and loosely
laid on the stringers, ratified and threat
ened 10 fall upon the lEsads of the con-
gregaton., The chimney OF one of the
smoking lamps on the. wall fell to the
door with crash. and nearly pcecpi-
lated the startled listeners into 3. panic.
Rev, Ellis paused in his discourse to
ssk the brethren to please behave like
CHRISTIAN folks and not shake, de floor,
IS it disturbed his train Of thought and