The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-02-27

the shore to the very foot of the
mountain; and not more than one
and one-half miles from the summit.
Fleecy clouds persisted in hanging
over the top, as if to keep us in igno-
rance of what she might do. The evil
dences around showed what she could
do. Now and then the breezes carry
or the clouds for a moment and we
see the diminishing cone and many
jets of steam pouring out Of the crew
Ices, extending somewhat below the
mouth of the crater on our side.
We walk over the vast river Of mud,
ten, twenty and thirty feet deep. A
winding path or track leading up to
the crater Of a different hue than the
last, gives evidence that Pelee has
had recent overflow. Lingering at her
feet, we think of that May morning
when every one in the city could, by
looking to the north, see frowning
Pelee. That day St Pierre was one
Of the most beautiful cities, and, with
three exceptions, the largest in the
West Indies. It was the center of
fashion, commerce and the capital Of
the island. Here, too, were the repre-
sentaItives OF all nations, among them
the American consul at his post OF
duty. AS they looked at Pelee that
morning they had faith that, as she
had never harmed them, she never
Vouiu. DuI AL lhC DllSlCSS VI llLlo
all save one were dead, and he poor
wretch in prison cell, waiting trial
for murder. Officers, witnesses, judges
all dead The accused only alive. He
could not, Of course, be tried. Facts
like these test ones faith in q special
providence. The escaped convict to-
day is travelling in the United States
as a freak annex to a circus. Again
grass grows green In these cherries
streets and squares and on all the
hillsides.
No one lives in st. Pierre now. Only
few boys and men are to be seen,
and these have come up from Fort de
France to sell curios. On the shore,
less than two miles to the southeast
of st. Pierre, and just outside of the
bay, is little town called Fort Car
bet. It seems almost incredible that
this hamlet, lying so close to st.
Pierre. should have. escaped UNI
harmed; but such is the fact and they
The Telephone Girls Story.
The ship gives the usual warning
for us to come aboard. The passen-
gers and crew scattered In all parts of
the ruined city now hasten for the
launches, and the boat bringing
with them all kinds of curios,
bricks from the consecrated altar
Of glass and metal ware, rosaries,
all giving evidence of having
passed thru q terrific heat At Fort
de France an American artist told me
this story of telephone girl at st.
Pierre:
On the morning of the eruption she
called UP q friend in Fort de France
telling her Of the eruption and how
fire and cinders were falling, how men
were running to and fro in the streets,
the city on fire, the cries Of women
and children, how the heat and gas
We're empowering her, that she could
hold out but a few moments more, that
for her there was no escape and she
must die. Then in a faint and weak
voice her friend heard her say Good
By" We can but recall the somewhat
similar INCIDENT in the Tribune fire
when one Of the telegraph operators
remained at his post sending to the
Associated Press in New York an ac-
count of the fire and its progress,
the progress of the flames till there
was no escape. I have no doubt that
in that awful moment many heroic
deeds were done. But no one lives
to tell the stories.
The last look we take Of this his
toric and memorable sight is Of PeIee
surrounded by heecy clouds rendered
more white by the live steam gener-
ated from her everlasting fire, which
nothing but a more radical cooling
OF the earthsS surface can extinBuish.
1t was intended on this trip to go
to the Island of Trinidad, but owing
to the reports of a fever epidemic
to take us to the continent of South
America.