The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1909-09-02

/
numb tortured, delirious with fever
shaking with chill.
| / saw Jack at intervals. In that
| awful first instant he had dzextinguished
I the gas, buS the moon and the dawn
shone dimly, in which his face half
| showed. Here and there the shadows
shifted, rose and fell-Wuve shadows.
From above, from below, from every
| side came grinding. shattering, roar
| ing. like hundred trains crossing q
hundred bridges. Then followed the sill
very rattle Of breaking glass, the thur
derous crash of walls, wild screams
that grew feeble, ceased ! then silence.
| l ran to a window, but could see
nothing but dust, dust. 1t shut out the
day and the moon. l groped back into
the room. Jack was standing in the
| open door, twisting and untwisting his
| soft felt hat
Earthquake! My God.' he cried in
a hoarse whisper.
| l tried to speak, but my tongue was
frozen. l reached out my hand and
| touched his coat felt the warmth Of
his body and laughed like child tina.
feels the pressure of its.mother's kiss
| in the dark.
| He clutched my arm. "Come!" he
cried Gomez 1t wassa savage cry
yet trembling with agony.
"Where?' l asked. l was frightened:
at my own voice.
"Amy" he cried. "Merciful God
Amy
| We went down the stairs rs-stagger
ing. falling. struggling, we went down
the stairs. He was the first in the
! street. l after him. lie led the way.
and l followed. Over piles Of brick
and iron, through dust that choked
and blinded, we ran. THE streets were
full of people, running like we were
But there was no word spoken, save
only the cry of some one under wall
or the grooming Of mother to child
in her arms.
l was beginning to breathe once
more and to get a new grip on life
when again came the rumble and roar
and the earth trembled in its agony
Tall buildings leaned till they all but
touched. I could see but narrow
line of sky between. thought they
would fall and crush me. but didn't
care. l didn't care for anything.
laugh I'd die. But I didn't ran.
could hardly keep on my feet.
seemed to be stumbling over ridges Of
earth that sank out of sight when
stepped on them.
Jack kept right ahead of me. but
presently he stopped so suddenly that
| l ran into him.
"Oh," he said, Il can't leave them
there His face was pale as death.
Anxiety burned in his eyes. but a
great pity trembed in his voice.
| cant leave whom?' gasped. hut
already he had turned back.
I followed. and we came to frail
woman sitting on the curbstone. In
her arms was baby. At her knee
was little girl The girl was crying.
On the woman's face was the paleness
of utter exhaustion, on her lips was:
a PRAYER, and in her eyes, resting Oh
her children. the deep pain with which
love embitters despair.
Madam" he said, '.you will let us
help you?"
She looked at him. in her eyes a
blessing worlds could not purchase
He clasped the baby In his arms and
motioned for me to take the girl
Then. with his strong hand graspinc
the woman's arm. we hurried away.
Three blocks distant man bolted
into us-a large, broad shouldered man
with crime on his hands and grease
and dirt on his face that shone pale
beneath The woman threw her arms
about the mans neck and sobbed. and
the man took Jacks hand and held II
for an instant, then reached forth his
arms for the babe. Jack kissed the
child and handed 1t to him and stood
looking at it wistfully until they were
swallowed by the throng.
We passed a church. The door wa,
OPEN \ few candles burned dimly
Without on the stone steps a blacl
robed priest stocd. crucifx in air
chanting About him few Of thu
faithful knelt. His black locks were
blowing in the rising breeze. His eye:
were upturned. Upon his calm fac,
was written. Peace, be STILL"
So we came to a corner. where Jacl
paused and caught my arm. His fae'
was without color, CHASTITY in til,
weird light of the new day. His voic,
was scarcely more than a whisper
His eyes shone like those Of one VIII.
has staked his last cent upon the tur1
of a wheel and knows the issue Is lif
or death.
..Tom.'' he cried, .'look. / cannot
| cannot.' He covered his face wit
his hands. He was trembling A chill,
; ran past crying for its mother.
: "I.ook where:" / asked.
He glanced at me dumbly and raises
his hand to his head. then lowered il
4 red blotch cleaned duly on hi
, brow at the edge of his hair. His fiji
: gers were red.
| "Tom"-he was on his knees, griI