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[[underline]]26[[/underline]] [[underline]]Jan[[/underline]] 1865
with people. The furniture was soon removed and placed under military guard outside of the Inst. We were soon informed that our end of the building was no longer in danger so we stationed ourselves at one of the windows to watch the ^[[progress]] of destruction. Truly it was a grand light as well as a sad one the flames bursting from the window [[strikethrough]] of the the to rose high above the tow[[/strikethrough]] of the towers rose high above them curling round the the ornamental stone work through the archs & trefoils as if in full appreciation of their symetry, a beautiful friend tasting to the utmost the pleasure of destruction. The capping of the square tower near us soon fell filling the air with smoke & cinders. Father on the highest tower still stood mantle with flames while above it the anemometer turned, steadily recording the wind wh. fanned into greater fury the fires beneath. Faithful in its dumb creation to the last. Thousands of spectators had col[[end page]]
[[start page]] [[underline]]Jane[[/underlined]] [[underlined]]1865[[/underline]]
lected in the grounds - and a body of men kept mounted guard around the building driving them back as they approached too near. As the first mounted to the upper room of the tower where Fathers papers were kept It was very hard to see them come floating down To feel that in the space of an hour was thus destroyed the labor of years. When the east end of the Inst. was pronounced entirely out of danger the furniture was restored and every one except the inhabitants of the building ordered to leave a military guard was placed at the door to prevent intrusion and in our [[carpet-less?]] disorder rooms we gathered to learn the extent of our calamity numerous friends came in to offer sympathy and assistance and to urge us to leave the dismantled house for the night but we prefer remaining as the fire was still burning and our property not entirely free from danger. Father & Mr. [[Rheese?]] escaped very narrowly. The roof of