Such a rolling of carts and carriages--so many
cheerful children, some crying "Raddishes"--"raddishes"--others
"Strawberries"--"strawberries"--others with baskets of flowers--all wide
awake, each eager to sell his various articles of merchandise. This was
indeed a novel scene to us--it did seem a charming place. My young
companion remarked, Aunt C----, "I think everybody here must be happy."
I could not but at first respond to the sentiment. But presently we
began to meet persons--some halt--some blind--some in rags--looking
filthy and degraded.
Every face was new to us--not one person among the throngs we met that
we had ever seen before. An unusual sense of loneliness came over me,
and I thought my young attendant participated in this same feeling of
solitude, and though I said nothing, I sighed for the quiet and familiar
faces and scenes of the "Home, sweet home" I had so recently left.
We had not proceeded far before we saw men and boys in great commotion,
all running hurriedly, in one direction, bending their steps towards the
opposite shore. Their step was light and quick, but a look of sadness
was in every face. We could only, now and then, gather up a few
murmuring words that fell from the lips of the passers-by.
"There were more than thirty persons killed," said one. "Yes, more than
fifty," said another. We soon learned that a vessel on fire, the
preceding evening had entered the harbour, but the fire had progressed
so far that it was impossible to extend relief to the sufferers, and
most of the crew perished in the flames, or jumped overboard and were
drowned.
Pages:
452
453
454
455
456
457
458
459
460
461
462
463
464
465
466
467
468
469
470
471
472
473
474
475
476