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

April
we
s/:/:Ayx(; for loved oxf.s. 349
He handed it to Iut with tlie callous cait-lcsMif ss that seems to accoml)aii}-
taniiliarity with the dead and thi- lieloii^iii'.^s of the -rave. Attacheil to
the rini; \\a> a little ta;4 with tlu nii-nioranduni. ' woman about tift\'-h\e.
hair partl\- •_;ra\-. dress black." That was all. .V i^lance at the rnii; and its
ta'.;". and the '^irl trembled from he.ad to foot with a eon\ailsi\e cr\, as if all her
pent-up anxiet\- fi'und \ent in a wail that niu^t reach to hea\-en. She threw up
her hands and fell upon her km es, praying and solibini; h_\-sterically.
The atiectini;- fate of Mr. and Mrs. ]•:. X'incent Webber was rendered still
more memorable b\' the Ion;.; search for their liMilics. Mr. Webber came from
Eii^LTland to Piiiladelpliia. spent si.\ inonths in Harrisburi;, ami went to Johnstown
in the fall of 1S.S7 to rtll the position of assistant snperintentlent of th(.' Ciantier
Works. He was a young man of fine abilitx and character. hi:_;hl\- eilucated
and a master of his profession. One month b(.lore the flood he married Miss
Florence Warner, of Harrisbur^. The lad_\- wds a iinished scholar, ti'acher in
a business colleL;e. and deservedh' esteemed for her moral and sficial excellencies.
The loving pair connnenced housekeepin;.; in Wood\"ale. anil had just
taken up a carpet, the water ha\ing touched the' tlcjor. when the great deluge
overwb.elmed them. The last seen of them they were standiu',; at their rear
door with hands clasped. Letters and a few triid the warmest desire to find the remains, personally
inspecteii every quarter of the floodeil district. Miss Wa'-;ner visiteil
the Pittsbnri;!! hospitals, ireipiented the morL;ues. scrutinized hundreds of
.bodies and disphned such de\otion as to win universal admiration. Her
brotlier-in-law was found in Johnstown, a mile from hi.s home, the middle of
Jul>-, fniried temporaril}' and finally interred in Harrisburg. I'our days later
i\Irs. Weliber was dug from between two freight cars lodged in the acres of
ruins back ot the lower end of Main street. Her sister firou,L;ht the bodv to
Harrisburg to be laid beside her husband's. Miss Wagner tells the stor\ of
her faithful search modesth'. (.lisclaimiug any praise for (.loiin,;' wh.it she knew
was her dut\'. It is as follows :
' In --\pril I first went to Johnsiown to arrange the home of my sister Ever> thin;^ that
love and numey could do was done b\ Mr. Webber tn make his home a [lar.idise for the one he
hid thosen to be his for life.
\\'uh -.vhat satisfaction and pleasure we eyed the ho.me before our departure
for Harnsburt;, little dreamins; that sueh a terrible cloud was then hannin;.; over the peaceful
horizon of their happiness I 30th was their weddint; day. just in the spring of the year,
when the whole creation is clad in sunshine, the forest smiles and hearts are joyous. With every
prospect for a happy future, they bade us farewell. Could we have seen what was then lurkintr
in the skies, we would not to-d.ay be mournin;,' their loss Alas 1 frail creatures of the dust
cannot tell what a dav will brini; fortli Our hv.irts that ha'-e been made to ache by the Johnstown
flood no earthlv po«er can cure Like thousands of others, the ache will 1:0 on and on
until the veil is lifted and we sliall know the ineanin„' of what was dark here
"On Ma\ 31st, one inonih frr->m their wed.lin',; da^•. tliey were swept away in that terrible