Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1843-03-17
BY WIN. f. HER.
TnE ENp OF THE WORLD.

q
had with an old gentleman who thought the
world was very near its end-it had got to
be so wicked, the sooner its concerns we're
wound up the better. The remainder of
the article describes dream which the
author had after the fault-6nding gentleman
had left him. We copy it, promising our
readers amusement from its perusal
Methought the eve of the first of April had
come, and with it every indication that the
prediction ofthe prophet was about to be
fulfilled. The waters of the rivers, brooks
and springs became gradually warmer and
warmer, until some of them began to boil :;
but currents of air issued from the assures
ofthe earth whose surface became heated so
that the bare-footed urchins rather danced
than walked upon it; thick, dun-coored
vapor, by degrees, involved the world from
the horizon to the skies, and there prevailed
dead, oppressive calm, without a single
stirring breath Of air. The earth became
as it were one vast heated oven. The air
was dry and parching the turkies lay
sprawling on their breasts, with expanded
wings; the dogs strolled wistfully around
seeking some cool retreat painting and loll-
ing out their tongues; the little birds hid
themselves in the recesses of the woods
and ceased to sing the leaves of the trees
and flowers wiIted and shrivelled up under
the excessive heat Of the burning sun-and
the world ceased to revolve, either from
suspension of the laws of nature, or for
fear of dissolvng in profuse perspiration.
Other fearful auguries proclaimed that
the hour had come. The sun was like a
red ball ofliving fire the whole armament
rocked and trembled, as if painting with the
throes Of sulfocation ever and anon, long
flashes of zig-zag lightning shot athwart the
heavens in dead silence, for no thunder
followed and all nature, rational and IRA
tional, animate and inanimate, seemed "a
waiting in death-like silence the hour of
their final dissolution, as predicted by the
prophet.
Methought l wandered about in that un-
happy and distracted state of mind which
generally ensues when we are haunted by
some dim, half visible spectre of underlined
misery, whose presence we feel, but whose
prosecutions we cannot avoid. 1t seemed
that | strolled to the river side, in the hope
of inhaing the cool, refreshing breezes
from its bosom, but it sent forth nothing
but scalding vapor, like that from steam
engine. The fishes lay sprawing and
painting, and dying on its surface and
hungry hawk, that plunged down for his
prey, being exhausted by the consuming
heat, lay fiuttering helplessly on the waters.
From the mountains of the opposite shore,
columns ofablood red smoke and flashes of
sulphurious fire issued with an angry roar
ing vehemency and in some of the deep
assures of the rocks methought could see
the raging fires, as through the bars of fur
mace. Then came rolling out ofthe bow
els of the earth torrents Of liquid flame !;
then came on the dread struggle ofthe rebel
elements, released from the guiding hand Of
their great Master The dissovng earth
rushed into the waters; noise, like the
Kissing of million of serpents, succeeded,
and when looked again the river was dry.
fled from the appalling spectacle, and
sought the city, where all was dsmay and
confusion. Some were shreking and tear
ing their hair, in guilty apprehension of the
horrors of death, and the sufferings of the
world to come. Others sat in mute des-
pair, awaiting in dumb insensibility the fate
of all the rest of their race; while others,
impelled by the instinct of selfpreservation,
and forgetful of the inevitable doom that a.
waited them, were devising various expedi-
ents for escaping, and securing their most
valuable articles about their persons A lit
tie love-sick maiden had hung the picture of
her lover about her snowy neck an anxious
mother sat weeping and wringing her hands
by the side of cradle, where lay little
laughing cherub playing with a kitten
while another was rushing madly about,
with a child in her arms, which she had
squeezed to death in her convulsive wri-
things. Thousands Of scenes like these oc-
Cured all around, but delight not to dwell
on horrors, and will proceed to state what
saw of the exhibitions of the various modes
of grief, disappointment and despair, which
served to convince me that the ruling pas
sion will struggle in the last agonies of exis-
tence, and triumph at the moment of the
dissolution of nature herself
In the course of my wanderings, me-
thought encountered the celebrated Fire
King, who was sitting at home, quietly smo-
king his cigar, and calculating that being
the destined survivor ofal his race he would
succeed to an immense landed estate, and
become lord proprietor Of the whole earth.
Having agreed upon the terms, he furnish
ed me with an antidote against the heat Of
the most raging anthracite furnace, and
being now assured of safety, made my OBJ
servatons with more GOODNESS and precision.
Being Of rather prying disposition, con-
ceved that as everything was in state of
utter confusion, the doors and windows all
open, and no police officers on duty, there
was no occasion to stand upon ceremony.
accordingly made my way into the most
private recesses ofvarious habitations, where
saw many things which | would not dis
close, were it not that all this is nothing
but adream. Entering handsome house
rathnr ..alandidlu fnrnishad l sa,u an old