New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1843-02-17

4
| ef the ear,b whose surface became heated so that
tho have footed urchins rather danced than walked
p,on il, a thick. dua-coiored vapor, by degrees,
involyrd the world from the horizon 10 the skies,
and there prevailed dead, oppressive calm, with
on, single stirring breath of air. The earth be-
came, as it were, one vast heated oxen. The air
was dry and parchipg; the turkeys lay SPRAYING
on their breasts, with expanded wings; the dogs
strolled wistfslly around, seeking some cool re-
treat painting and lolling out their tongues; the
little birds hid themselves in the recesses of the
woods and ceased 70 sing; the leaves Of the trees
and flowers wilted and shri7elled up under the
excessive heat Of the burning sun-aDd the world
ceased to revolve, either from spension Of the
laws of nature or for fear of disso!ving il pro-
fuse preparation
Other fearful auguries proclaimed that the hour
had come. The sun was like red ball of living
FIRE; the whole armament rocked and trembled,
as if painting with the throes OF sufocation; ever
and anon, long flashes of zig-zag lightning shot
athwart the heavens in dead silence, for no thun-
der followed; and all nature, rational and IRA
tional, animate and inanimate, seemed awaiting
in deatt-like silence the hour of their final disco
luton, as predicted by the prophet
Methought / wandered about In that unhappy
and distracted state Of mind which generally en-
sues when we are haunted by some dim, half
visible spectre of underlined misery, whose pres
ence feel, but whose prosecutions we cc=not
avoid. 1t seemed that strolled TO the river side,
in the hope of inhaling tina COOL refreshing breezes
from its bosom, but it sent forth nothing but scald
ing vapor, like that from steam-engine. The
fishes lay sprawlin. and painting, and dying on its
surface; and hungry hawk, that had plunged
down for his prey, being exhausted by the coHsum-
ing heat, lay futtering helpessly on the waters
From the mountains of the opposite shore, columns
of blosd-red smoke and flashes Of sulphuross fire
issued with angry roaring vehemency; and in
some Of the deep assures of the rocks, methought
could see the raging fires, as through the bars
Of furnace. Then came rolling out of the bowels
of the earth torrents of liquid flame; then came
on the dread struggle of the rebel elements, re-
leased from the guiding hand of their great Mes
ter. The dissolvins earth rushed into the waters;
noise, like the kissing of millions of serpents,
succeeded, and when looked again the river
dry
fled from the appalling spectacle, and sought
the city, where all was dismay and confusion
Some were shrieking and tearing their hair, in
guilty apr extension of the horrors of death, and
the suferngs Of the world to come. Others sat in
mute despuir awaiting in dumb insensibility the
fate of all the rest of their race; while others, i'm
PEELED by the instinct of self preservation, and for
getful of the inevitable doom that awaited them,
were devsing various expedients for escaping, and
securing their most valuable articles about their
persons. little Iove-sick maiden had hung the
picture of her lover about her snowy neck; an mix
ous mother sat weeping and wringing her hands
by the side of a cradle where lay little laughing
cherub playing with kitten; while another was
rushing madly about, with child in her arms,
which she had squeezed TO death in her convulsive
writings. Thousands of scenes like these occur
red all around, but | delight not to dwell on hor-
rors, and will proceed to state what saw of the
exhibitions OF the various modes Of grief, disap-
pointmcnt and despair, which served to convince
that the ruling passion will strugg in the las
agones Of existence, and triumph at the moment
Of the dissolution of nature herself.
In the course of my wanderings, methought
encountered the celebrated Fire King, who was
sitting ct home, quietly smoking his cigar and
calculating that being the destined survivor Of all
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 al antidote against the heat of the
most raging anthracite furnace, and being now as
sured of safety, made my observations with more
GOODNESS and precision. Being of rather prying
disposition, | conceived that every thing was in
a 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 of various habitations, where saw many
things which would not DISCLOSE were it not that
all this is nothing but adream. Entering hand
sone house, rather splendidly furnished, saw an
old man Of upwards of foarscore, whe was bitterly
complaining Of being thus suddenly cut off, without
time TO make his will and repent of his sins;
| while an elderly woman, whom took to be one OF
Iobs comforters, upbraiding him for not taking
her advice, and attending to these maers long ago
In another miserable house, without furniture, and
destitute of every comfort Of life, discovered a
shrvelled, cadaverous spectre, hugging bag of
gold, and lamenting the hardship of being called
away just day before the interest became payable
on his bank stocks. ! met in another place spe-
culator with the persPiraton rolling down his face
in torrents, who was calculating the immense pro-
tits he might have made if he had only forescen
this sudden catastrophe. A little farther on, |
saw glutton devouring a pair of canvass backs,
and heard him at intervals mumbling 10 himself
They sha ut cheat me OF my dinner" The next
person particularly noticed, was stanch bel,ev
| er in g progress" who terribly out OF humor
that the world should be DESTROYED just as it was
on the high road to periectoity He had an es-
say in his hand which he was rslling up to enclose
in bottle, Theoretically sealed, in the hope ,hatit
might float down to poslerity, and make him inn
mortal, forgetting, as | supposed, that the world
was now about to perish by fire, and not by water.
In the course of my farther peregrination., fell
in with father, very busy in making will, divi-
ding his property among his children; and anoth-
err dsinheriting his son for marrying against his
wishes. A usurer was amenting that he was not
aware of what was coming, as he would certainly
have borrowed a good round sum, aad thus escap
ed paying The interest. A worthy dealer in poll
,ical hsberdashery, who had been seeking office. l