The Washington times., 1912-02-27
(copyright. 1911. The Frank A. Munsey COP

seemed to grow louder every moment.
What was but a murmur on the ear
drum became roar In the excited brain
cells.
worGs 9pGe .Tps more aver we're heard the OminOuS
They spread from room to room, and
from house to house. The wild
scenes that had attended the first
awakening were tame in comparison
with what now occurred. seif-controi
reason--everything-gave way to
il they could have seen what they
But then they would not have been
about II. Then their reason would not
have been dethroned.
Darkness Is the microscope of the
IMAGINATION, and IL magnifies million
Some timorously descended their door
steps, and feeling a current Of water In
, the gutter, recoiled with cries of hor-
bank of flooded river. As they re-
treated they believed that the water
was rising at their heels.
Others made their way to the roofs,
persuaded that the flood was already
inundating the Easements and the lower
stories of their dwellings.
Women wrung their hands and wept,
and children cried, and men pushed and
stumbled about, and shouted, and would
have done something II only they could
have seen what to do. That was the
pity of It! II was as IL the world had
been stricken blind, and then the trump
of an archangel had sounded, crying:
Fly! Fly! for the Avenger is on
your heelsl"
How could they ny?
This awful strain could not have
lasted. 1t would have NEEDED no deluge
to finish New York II that maddening
pail of darkness had remained unbroken
few hours longer. But just when
thousands had given up in despair, there
came a rapid change.
AT the hour of noon light suddenly
broke overhead. Beginning in a round
patch inclosed in an fridescent halo. II
spread swiftly, seeming to melt It's way
down through the thick, dark mass that
choked the air, and In less than fifteen
minutes New York and all its ur-
roundings~ emerged into the golden light
of MONDAY.
People who had expected at any mo-
ment to feel the water pitilessly rising
about them looked out of their win
dows, and were astonished to see only
tiny rivulets which were already shriv-
cling out of sight in the cutters. In a
few minutes there was no running
the walls and walks showed how great
the humidity of the air had been.
At the same time the oppression was
lifted from the respiratory apparatus,
and everybody breathed freely once
more, and felt courage returning with
each respiration.
The whole great city seemed to utter
vast sigh of relief
And then its voice was heard, as It
had never been heard before, rising
higher and louder every moment. 1t was
the first time that morning had ever
broken at midday
The streets became filled with magical
quickness, by hundreds of thousands
who chartered, and shouted, and
laughed, and shook hands, and asked
questions, and told their experiences.
and demanded II anybody had ever
beard of such a thing before, and won
dered what II could have been, and
what it meant and whether 1t would
come back again.
Telephones of all kinds were kept
constantly busy. Women called up their
friends, and talked hysterically; men
called up their associates and partners,
and tried to talk business.
A Continuation of This story VIII
he Found In TOmorrOw's
Issue OF The Times.