land looked more beautiful than when the sunrise-gun
boomed across the waters, announcing the ninetieth anniversary of our
independence. The sun, which on another day should look down on the
city's desolation, rose unclouded over the houses, that stood forth from
the foliage of the embowering elms, or nestled in their shadow; over the
quaintness of the old-fashioned churches and the beauty of the more
modern temples; over the stately public edifices, and the streets
everywhere decked with flags and thronged with crowds of happy,
well-dressed people. Of course, the popular satisfaction expressed
itself in the report of pistols, guns, and fire-crackers; and all
through the day the usual amusements went on, and in the afternoon
almost everybody was on the street.

A few minutes before five o'clock, when the festivity was at its
wildest, the alarm of fire rang out. Every circumstance was favorable
for a conflagration,--the people scattered, the city dry and heated by a
July sun, and a high southwesterly wind blowing. It needed only the
exciting cause in the shape of a fire-cracker, and lo! half the city was
doomed.

My youngest brother, at the first sound of the bell, came and begged me
to take him to the fire; so I went, to please him. Poor child! I little
thought that by twelve o'clock at night there would be no place at home
to lay the little head.

We found the fire near Brown's sugar-house, where there was a large
crowd already assembled. But, though the smoke and masses of flame were
rising only from one house, the wind was blowing a perfect gale; and a
foreboding of the calamity impending seemed to possess the spectators.
There was none of the usual noise, and men appeared to look at the
burning house with a feeling of awe. We did not stop there at all; and
some idea of the rapid progress of the fire may be gathered from the
fact, that about four squares distant, where, on the way up, we could
see one fire, on our return we saw three,--two lighted by sparks from
the first. We slowly retraced our way, and met people on every side
quickening their steps in the direction of the fire.

About seven o'clock, mother and I thought it would be wise to pack up
our silver and valuables; for it seemed as if we were directly in the
path of the conflagration. Down Fore Street, and from Fore to Free, it
was rushing on. The southwestern heavens were entirely shut from our
view by the flames and smoke; cinders, ashes, and blazing