The story of Johnstown : its early settlement, rise ... - JohnstownCafe

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142 THE STORY OF JOnxSTOWX.
"To the third story the whole party went, and there spent the nitjht in frightful expectation
that the worst would come ever>' minute. Several times the house shook and the shrieks of ihe
mjured and dyiiv^, who were almost within arms' reach from the windows, were somethin:; terrible.
Father D.ivin went to his second story windi>w and. at the risk of his nun life, saved
two or three people from drownins^ by pullins them through the windows.
" The horrors of that night preyed contintially on Father Davin's mind, and partly broke
down his constitution. The next niu'ht, when the waters had subsided. Father l>a\in sent all
the people in ids house to the hill forsafets'. but remained in the house himself. His home and
church were partly destroyed, and two feet of mad left on the first floor His first work after
he could .get out, which was about twelve hours alter the dam broke, was to look after the injured
and dead.
" He threw the doors of his church open and turned the beautiful edifice into a morgue. As
many as 125 bodies were in it at one time, and there was not an hour of the day or night that
Father Davin was not consoling with the friends of the dead when they called to remove any
one In mud up to his knees, he paced from altar to vestibule, assisting in the removal of the
dead bodies.
"During the afternoon of Saturday, June ist, he walked down to the banks of the Conemaugh.
Here he found three men robbing the body of a man unknown to him. Being quick to
resent a sacrilege of this kind, Father Pavin struck the villain on the head with his cane, stunning
him The miscreant soon recovered and dealt Father Davin a terril>le kick on the side with
a hob-nail shoe, from the effects of which he never ftilly recovered.
" No sooner had Father Davin told some of his parishioners what had happened than they
started in hot pursuit of the robber of the dead, but failed to find him. The effects of the
assault laid Father Davin up for some time, and until the time he died he complained of it.
During the excitement in Johnstown, Father Davins house was thrown open to every one, and
here many a weary worker found a night's rest.
" The newspaper men were his favorites, and in his elegant home the knights of the pen found
much needed rest at the finish of the day's labors. Several times Father Ii.uinv.as advised
after the flood, both by friends and doctors, to take a vacation, but this he stt-adilv refused to
do, giving as a reason that it looked to him like shirking duty when the wants of the people required
his presence.
"A short time ago, however, he was prevailed upon to go awa\' for awhile, and he went to
Denver, where he died. The last words he spoke on leaving his house were to his sister Stella.
As he w IS a'oout to enter the carriage for the train, he said : I am afraid I did not leave quite
soon enough-
" H a monument is to be erected to those who did noble work at Johnstown, and in their
disintereatcd zeal for the public welfare lorced themselves bexond the power of human endurance.
Father Davin's name should be inscribed upon one of the most imposing the love of man
for true heroes can design. He loved the humanity by which he was surrounded, and when
that humanity was in suftering he gave tip his life in an effort to ease their misery and to give
them streuijth to bear the pain he could ULit alleviate."
In the noblest sense Father Davin's was a marlvr's end, and his shall be a
mart\"r"s crown. •• Peace to his aslies.
An imase of the X'ir^in Mary, standiny on a petlestal, was the one
thing spared in the German Cath'jhc church. Cambria. The ricli robe was not
even spattered. Xo stain was on tlie lace and the tlowers were iinsidhed.
The report that it was preser\ed b_\- supernatural ayency .gained credence.
Berea\ed women thronged to tlie church to pray and adore. The