Morning herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1837-1840, 1838-05-17

gu may taik OF your Boston Commons, your Nay
OF Naples, your Champs dElysees, your Spanish
prados, or your PennsyvaLia Avenues bat of all the
places IN this great world give me the Battery at
New York for nerve stringng promenade, love
making grove, soul stirring buoyaney Of spirits or
aveluptuous Loaf. Who is there in the great Me-
tropols that has not wandered around the beautiful
promontcry nor enjoyed the balmy freshness of its
never failing ocean breezes; what mortal bat has felt
gush ofdeght in beholding the beautiful order with
which nature has diversified the landscapein the sur
rounding country. Its verdant hllls-is howery
dales-its broad and majestic bay, whltened with
the canvass of hundred ships-bearing the
commerce Of the world---the intrepid steamers
darling across as if impeled by magic-ther gon-
dola- like forms appearing and disappearing almost
at the same instant-the cities, hamlets, villages,
villas and seats that are seen to rise in all d.
rections-the proudly floating stars and stripes above
the ramparts of the different fer6catons with
which the bay is studded over-the distant view of
the vast Atlantic it appears through the in
sublime perspective ana last, though not least the
charming females thar usually take stroll towards
sunset of a summers day, to enjoy the invgorating
breeze attended by the happy youth in nankeens and
pumps, or by their dear old maiden aunty in specta-
cles. Surely you that have not witnessed these
things have much happiness yet in store.
1t has been my constant practice during the last
fifteen years of my life to take mornings walk upon
the battery before day-light-usually at a o'clock,
both winter and summer A few, but very few IN
deed, of this great city know the advantages both in
bodily health and animal spirits, enjoyed in these
early peregrnations. In summer tme It is true, abest
the sultry season, my meditaons have been disturb
ed with group of laughing girls sneezing French
= - Il
ance Of the year, all is solitude and silence. The
morning star is my sole companion by the aid of
whose soft rays have often gazed upon the peace
full waters of the noble bay and observed the gentle
heavngs of its CLASSY bosom. For length of time
passed my rounds without observing any body,
except my old friend R and with him invara-
bly, tell IN at the hour of iour no matter what was
the state of the weather or the atmosphere he was
sure to be there at that hour. brief salutaton,
general remark or two upon the weather, or casual
observation upon different objects presenting them
selves to view upon the bay were all that ever trans
pired at our meetings. and then zach as if by common
consent took his path, preierring the luxury of
silent mcdtativc STROLL the fcvcrsh excitement of
gossip upon every day affairs, which we never failed
to enjoy in the evening over mug Of noble ale at
our club house in Thames street. Years rolled away
we drank our ale-tsok morning walk usual
-punctually met at four, exchanged sautations,
and parted, met and parted again, until the habit be-
came confirmed and fixed, and walking on the Bat
lery before day light became to as as natural 60
ing TO the club house after supper-quite matter of
course.
1t was on the morning Of the I'd of January, 1887,
the dreadful period at which the bark Mexican drove
ashore at Rockaway and nearly every soul on board
he'd with tha a al IN
my mornings peregrinaton. The water, for the first
time in the season. had frozen in my room-the win
dew glass was covered with ice, formed by the con-
gelaons of my breath. / slpt into my clothes,
drew en- my and gloves, and turning up the
collar of my coat and giving my bandana a twist
around 1t to protect my face from the cold sal
| lied forth. II bitter morning, more than once
resolved TO turn back, but the thoughts OF encounter
ing the sarcasm Of nv old f,nna :. Il -. So
mined me TO 60 on. My good spirits and great coat
kept toerably comfortable until came to the cor
ner of State street and Whitehall, when a sudden
north westerly blast almost took me of my legs and
made feel around fer my nose. II was useless to
| think of rereating and onward pushed till reach.
ed the centre of the bleak and deserted promenade.
II was awfully dark occasional gleam of
light from the planet Venus the black scuds fitted
across-the whole was buried in gloom-ihe
once beautiful pdrtcrre was now ueS0late heath-
arctic field and the surrounding scenery resem-
| bled Norwegian coast in the depths Of winter
The wind howled savagely tarough the leahess bran.
ches Of the trees the bay was convulsed, and the
raging element was dashng with terrific but useless
violence, whole fields of against the stone bull
warks. had nearly completed my tour when all OF
a sudden thought of my friend. looked arsund-
he was not in sight. He had never yet missed his
walk; was il possible he had turned back A mo-
menfs reflection convinced me that he was not the
man TO turn away from any weather The dreadful
suspicion now crossed my mind that my friend had
ventured down; had become overpowered with the
cold and perished The apprehension inspired me
with fresh courage ! quickened my pace hurried
from path 10 path, and SKINNED the frozen sur
face with the agility ola school boy In each mound
Of snow that presented ITSELF imagined recognized
the form Of my old friend stretched lifeless every
post seemed 10 my periurbed Imagination the life
less corse Of my dear old gossip
/ At length, wild with anxiety needless Of the per-
ishne Wind which seemed TO hush every thing it
touched with the stiffness Of death, rushed from
avenue TO avenue, and from tree to tree, until al
length overcome by my feelings and the intensity or
the cold could go no further and leaning against