OCR Text |
Show AN AWFUL CALAMITY. That is an awesome calamity which has stricken tho southern part of-Ttaly and Sicily. The earthquake- and tidal wavo combined to obliterate cities and to sweep away to destruction human beings by tho scores of thousands. It was a tremendous convulsion of nature, and it is no wonder that thoso who survived sur-vived wero dazed or out. of their minds, thinking that the end of tho world had come. Italy has been noted through all tho ages for tremendous cataclysms of various vari-ous kinds, from earthquakes and tidal waves to volcanic eruptions of fatal forc.o nnd destructivoncss. Tho pcoplo of Italy evidently live on a surface that is shaking, and to bo shaken. It is only some three years ago that, there was a world-shocking earthquake there, and particular mention is made in present reports of ono priest whoso brave of-forts of-forts at that timo attracted tho admiration admira-tion of tho world, and who now ropeats his former heroic a.nd strenuous efforts in the service of humanity. It is one of tho splendid concomitants of catastrophes catas-trophes Rich as this that instances of human valor and service always attend them. Tt is dreadful to think of such appalling destruction as is recited in this groat devastation, but so far as such horrors can bo mitigated at all, they are mitigated in the manner referred re-ferred '.o, viz.. by the splendid heroism hero-ism and utter devotion to the cause of his fellow sufferers of fiome great soul that shines out in magniliccnt splendor abovo the devastation. |