Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1846-09-10

that should submerge the world was all event
that staggered human belief, yet Noah, obedlent
to the voice Of heaven, began his ark of safety
There is no one who does not lament that there
is not fuller antedeuvan history. We merely
catch the SUBMITS of events, and are told of
some half dozen things that happened, while
all the rest is wrapped in impenetrable mystery.
We are told that the world was drowned, but
the particulars of that terrific scene are left en-
tirely to the Imagination. 1t is only by the dec
lardton Of the apostle, that men were busy at
their usual occupations, eating and drinking
and marrying and given in marriage, till the
flood came and swept them all away" that we
get any data by which we can form any true
conception of the catastrophe. Yet this short
statement is worth every thing, and with it be-
fore me, have sometimes thought | could al
most paint the scene. Noah, whose head was
whitened by the frosts of six centuries, laid the
foundation of his huge vessel on pleasant day.
when all was serene and tranquil. The fields
were smiling in verdure before his eyes the per-
iumed breezes Aoaed by, and the music of birds
and sounds of busy life were about him, when
he, by faith alone, laid the first beam of that
structure that was to sail over buried planet
When men, on enqulring the design of that huge
edfce, were told its purpose, they could hardly
credit THEN senses, and Noah, though accounted
by all very upright and respectable man, be
came Jest for children. As the farmer return
ed at evening from the fields and the gay citi-
,f tbo oh 4
Noah's folly" Those more aged and sober
shook their heads wisely, saying The old man
is mad" Even the workmen engaged upon it
laughed as they drove the nails and hewed tho
plank, yet declared they cared not as long as
the foolish old man was able to pay. Still the
talked about. When it was finished, and curl
osty satisfied, it was dismissed from the mind a.
a passing folly.
Yet have sometimes wondered what people
thought when they saw the beasts of the field
and the forest, and fowls of the air, even the
venomous serpent and the trong-limbed lion
coming in pairs to that ark This must have
staggered them amazingly, and made the ark fol
while fresh topic of conversation. At length
the patriarch with his family entered-the door
was shut in the face of the world and he sat
Gown on the strength of a single promise to d.
wait the issue. That night the sun went down
over the green hills as beautiful as ever, and the
stars came out in the blue sky and nature
breathed long and peacefully In the morning
the sun rose i'll undlmmed sp!endor and mounted
the heavens Deep within the huge structure
Noah could hear the mutfled sound of life with.
OFT The lowing Of herds came on his ear, and
the song of the husbandman going to his toll
and the rapid roll Of carriage wheels as they hur-
red past, and perhaps the ribald shout and laugh
OF those without, as they expended their wit on
him and his ark together. To say nothing Of
the mprobabilty of the event, the idea was pre-
posterous that such heImIess, helpless affair
could outrde wrecked world. Thus day af
ter day passed on until a week had gone by, but
still the faith of that old man never shook. AT
length the sky became overcast, and the gentle
rain descended-to Noah the beginning of the
/ flood, to the world welcome shower. The far
mer, as he housed his cattle, reoiced in the re-
freshing moisture, while the city checked not its
galety or the man of wealth his plans.
But as the rain continued day after day, and
fell faster and hercer on the drenched EARTH and
the swollen streams went suging by, men ours
ed the storm that seemed determined never to
break up. The ow-lands were deuged the
streams broke over the banks bearing houses and
cattle away ON their maddened bosoms Wealth
was destroyed and lives lost till men talked OF
ruined fortunes, famine and general desoaton
but still it rained on. Week after week it came
pouring from the clouds till it was like one fall
ling sheet of water, and the inhabitants could no
longer stir from their doors. The rich valleys
that lay along the rivers were flooded, and the
peasants had sought the emlncnces around for
safety, Yet still the water rose around them,
I'LL all through the valley nothing but little black
islands OF human beings were seen on the sur
face, Oh, then what fierce struggles there were
for life among them The mother lifted her in
FAINT above her head while she sroye to main
tain her uncertain footing in the sweeping wa
ters the strong crowded off the weak as each
sought the highest point while the living mass
slowly crumbled away till the water swept smooth
and noiselessy above them ALL Men we're heard
talking Of the number of lives lost and the a.
mount ofwealth destroyed, and that such flood
had not happened in the remembrance of the OIL
dest man. No one yet dreamed Of the high
grounds being covered, least of all the noun
tains. To drown the world it must rain till the
ocean itself was filed above its level for miles,
and so men feared it not and sought for amuse-
ment within doors till the storm should abate-
Oh what scenes of vice and shame and brutai-
ty and revelry did that storm witness in the
thronged city, and what unhalowed songs ming
led in the pauses Of the blast that swept BY
But at length another sound was heard that
sent paleness to every cheek, and chained every
tongue in mute terror II was q far distant roar