The native American., 1837-12-09
From the KnicherboGicer..
FIRE.

drawing voice of the city Waterman had sleepily
proclaimed, Past twelve o'clock! that laid
aside the book which | had been peruslng, ac-
cording to my usual custom, in bed, and giving
one turn to the argand- lamp on the table at my
side, extinguished its now somewhat lessenlng
fame and applied myself in earnest to seek the
sleep which would willingly have deferred for
another hour, had not experience taught me that
a giddy brain is always the next days punishment
for such disregard of of natures laws. Scarce
w., however, had began to lose the train OF
causes and events that was carrying me again
through the scenes of which had just been read
ing, when was recalled to perfect consciousness
by the startling cry Immediately under my win
dow, five times repeated: 'Fsre!-fire !--jtre -
fire !-fren 1t was not the short shrill voice of
boyhood nor the hurried, half-articulated shoutoi
one who runs, but slow, clear, and distinct.
sprang from my bed, and threw up my window.
The night, though cold, was beautiful. The
moon was in the midst of her course, and shone
down upon the earth from unclouded sky; and
here and there a spire, coated with glistenmg me-
tai, reflected back her chilling rays, like the de-
mon of winter shooting his icicles around. Not
a sound was to be heard in the streets; not hoof
nor wheel resounded on the pavement; and the
smooth and compact frottOir, which in still
night gives warning to whole square, if so much
as dog tread heavily upon it, was silent as the
flags of sepulchre. One only sound broke in at
intervals of half minute upon this solemn still
ness 1t was the repeated shout of that same
rich trumpet voice, Rre!-Jtfre!-.jire!-.frc!-
fire"
looked in the direction from whence it came,
but was unable for several minutes, as he stood in
the deep shadow, to catch the motionless figure
of the Waterman who was startling the echoes by
that wild cry, which seemed to come forth from
the bowels Of the earth, like the supernatural
voices that pronounced, 'Wo, wo, wo! upon the
city of COP, before its destruction. In the dis
lance perceived red cloud ascending into heaV-
en-, marking where the fierce element was raging,
though too far off to allow the yells and unearthy
noises that usually accompany such scenes, to be
heard How beautiful was the whole picture!
Those roofs, gittering in the placid moonbeams,
concealed from my view human beings who might
! be involved in the destruction which was sweep
| ing on; and yet how securely did they sleep!-
unmindfnl of that startling cry, which again, and
again, in prolonged echoes, rings through the de-
serted streets! The flames rise higher, the cloud
of living fire breaks the adjoining dwellings
and the shout comes forth with shorter and
fiercer emphasis: Fire! fire! .fre' Ha!-there
IS some one awake at last! There rolls out the
solemn peal of the great bell The watchdog OF
1 the city has scented the coming foe and from his
lair is now baying forth his deep-throated warn
ings! Slowly and soemnly doth the howl burs
forth from his capacious chest. Hark!-how
rolls away like distant thunder, bounding and re
q bounding from dome to dome! How various ar
the emotions excited by that rumbling peal! Here
the usurer springs from his anxious couch, where
his dreams had been of wealth and successful spec
ulation, and casting an eager glance toward the
distant contingencies, thanks Mammon, his god
that he is not concerned There, one of those
Iblest creatures, whose existence proves that hui
man nature is not utterly depraved, murmurs a
thanksgiving for her preservation, and aprayer
| for the poor wretches who may be driven from
their homes and their beds on this wintry night,
to seek in vain for shelter from the chilling breath
of December Thy prayer shall descend in
blessings upon thine own head, lovely one! 1t is
the tall store-house, and the rich merchandise,
that the Destroyer EMBEDDING in his beautiful but
deadly mantle.
! Here, the rich man is hoping his property may
rise in his neighbor's ruin There, the insurer is
tossing sleeplessly upon his couch In yonder
dim alley are many dark-soulcd men, who are ex-
ulting in the downfall of one who has been above
them, and would fain reduce all to their own lev
ell, by general destruction of property. More
listen to that bell with pleasure, than would be
II willing 10 dCFUOWlcuSc ~, CFCi W thSiiieSi'SS'
But the city is rapidly throwing offits drowsi-
ness. Here and there church-bell may be heard,
adding it's nervous alarlm to the deep sullen boom
of the great tocsin. Many rapid tramp IS re-
echoed by the frosty pavement. Men are gather
inc together to see the work of destruction, or to
assist in arresting it. And yonder comes an en-
CINE, rafting down the street, shaking the tall hou-
ses to their very lowest foundation stone. Anoth-
er, and another, and another follow. What per-
feet babel! Each has its bells jngling discordant-
" in the still air. and every man is exhausting his
lungs in vain endeavors to yell louder than all his
fellows; and some few are armed with brazen
trumpets, such, it may be, as made the walls OF
Jericho fall down. What unearthly howhngs and
groanings!
| AS f the iends from heaven that fell
| Had peaed the banner cry OF hell
! Go on, in mercy!-or never hereafter shall
know the nightingale from the screech-owl-the
warnings of Fanti from bacchanaan scream
Thank Heaven, they have decided at last which
! of two ways to choose, that were equally short
and once more we are in comparative silence
Footstep after footstep dies away in the distance
and Nature again comes down to take possession
of the spot. Is she not beautiful! She is Away
so. But now, it is night-a calm, still, brlgf