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Jennie is...a little China doll a
Christmas present when I was Five years old and I will always keep
her as a Relic of the Chicago Fire.
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Saturday evening Oct the 8th 1871 there was a large Fire in Chicago it
was probably the largest Fire ever in that city then it was the
lumberyard burning there was a great many people out to see it.
They stayed untill a late hour and so were very tired but did not get
much rest for Monday morning at three o'clock I was awakened and
told to Dress for the Fire was all around us and we would soon be
burnt out. My ma put all her valubals into her sewing machine and
locked it up and threw some things in to her trunk. I carried ma's fur
box (with furs in it), and, account book, and a parasol, and, a little
lady called Jennie. And perhaps some of my little friends in Fruit-Port
have made her [acquaintance] but some of you may not know
who little Jennie is so I will say that she is a little China doll a
Christmas present when I was Five years old and I will always keep
her as a Relic of the Chicago Fire. We could not save the Sewing
Machine but did save the trunk. We had a gentleman friend who
helped us; we all went down right away but ma stayed, she said that
she would stay as long as she could. So we went around the corner to
monroe street and waited and when she came she brought a large
hair Matrass. The air was so full of cinders and was so hot that it
almost stifled her. We could not get an express man to carry the
things for there were none to be had. So our friend drew our trunk
and a trunk that belonged to a friend of his who was out of the city.
He lashed the two together and lashed the Matrass on top of the
trunks, and then drew them along. The trunks both has castors on.
When we got to the corners of Dearborn street ma told me to go
Down on Jackson st. a few blocks away to the house of a friend and
see if they thought the fire would come there and if not we would go
there and stay. And Just as I was about to start a man who had been
standing near and heard what ma said told her that he would see me
safe there. Ma thanked him and said we would not trouble him but
he said it was no trouble and walked along beside me. He said he
would take my account book I did not like his looks and so told him
that I could carry it myself, and, as we went through a crowd just
then I dodged away from him and ran and I have not seen anything
of him since. When I got to the house they had all their things
packed and out on the side walk and, in a little while ma came and
then we went back to monroe st and then as the Fire came on we
went on toward Lake Michagan as we went on we came to our
friends brothers house we stayed here until the fire drove us out
then the heat was so intense that it drove us down to the waters
Edge and then my uncle who was with us (and, had arrived
Saturday) took his hat and poured water on the things to keep them
from burning but thousands and thousands of dollar's worth of goods
were burned right there on the waters Edge. Although our things
were saved we sat there until I was almost blind with the dirt and
cinders that filled the air I could not open my eyes, so that when I
walked ma had to lead me. I did not have anything to eat from
Sunday afternoon until Monday afternoon at about four o'clock. Then
we went out to the City limits on the South side to the house of a
friend I stayed here two days and then I went out in the country
with my cousins, and stayed there one week and then I came to
Fruit-Port [Michigan]. I shall ever remember with thankfulness my
reception by my little friends in Fruit-Port. I almost went barefoot
and without any good clothes. I was well treated and one of them
even took off her over shoes and let me wear them that I might go
out in the cold weather and play. Never while I live will I forget my
friends in Fruit Port.
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