I abused myself for leaving Virginia and entrusting to another man a matter I ought to have attended to myself; I abused myself for remaining away from the office on the one day of all the year that I should have been there.
And thus berating myself I trotted a mile to the steamer wharf and arrived just in time to be too late.

The ship was in the stream and under way.
I comforted myself with the thought that may be the speculation would amount to nothing--poor comfort at best--and then went back to my slavery, resolved to put up with my thirty-five dollars a week and forget all about it.
A month afterward I enjoyed my first earthquake.

It was one which was long called the "great" earthquake, and is doubtless so distinguished till this day.

It was just after noon, on a bright October day.

I was coming down Third street.