work, and, in a short time, first one little sufferer, and then another,
was dragged out from the mass of stone and brick and timber that lay in a
confused heap. Twenty-eight little ones were at length brought out, of
whom twenty-three were dead; five were alive, and were taken to the
Infirmary, but of these, only three survived. They were horribly maimed,
and so disfigured that they were scarcely recognizable. These
twenty-eight poor little bodies were at first laid in rows in the
churchyard to be claimed by their parents and friends, many of whom were
to be seen running to and fro looking distracted with the great calamity
that had befallen them. Of all the pitiable sights I ever beheld, the
sight of these little things laid on the grass was the most piteous; and,
as, one by one they were claimed and taken away--in some instances
parents claiming two, and in one instance, three children--the utmost
sympathy was felt for those who had been so suddenly bereft.

It was most fortunate that the accident did not occur half an hour--nay,
a quarter of an hour--later, or the calamity might have been such as
would have marked the day as one of the darkest in our annals--a
frightful spot in our calendar. Beside the children, there were only
about twenty people seated in the church, far from the scene of the
disaster, and they, on the first indication of danger, had fled and
sought safety outside the building. How the bell-ringers escaped, it is
impossible to tell, but escape they did, and that unhurt, with the
exception of one, who rushed back to get his clothes and was killed. It
was to their intense stupidity and obstinacy that this catastrophe may be
ascribed. Previous to the accident, they had been told that the tower
was unsafe, and on that very morning, they were advised not to ring the
bells again, until an examination of the building had taken place: but
ring they would, and ring they did, and the result of their ringing was a
death-knell unmatched in local history.

Nor were the authorities altogether free from blame. It was said that
they were apprised of the insecurity of the tower, and yet did not take
steps to avoid the accident. The escapes of people on their way to
church were wonderful, and many traced their good fortune to being tardy
in getting ready, or from leaving home at an usually late moment. The
scene of the disaster was for a long time an attraction to people
residing miles from Liverpool,