Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1849-1856, 1850-01-10

wat ! exClaiiheu Tue nSuic pehi"o INV,
though was no, aware Of his approach.
"No nearer if you please" said !, as
] saw him approaching and shaking
his white head almost in my face No
nearer 1t wants quarter to four, by
my watch" 81, i. four II alone have the
true time" said The figure. "Come
young man, l have waited long enough;
let US wind up our affairs must turn
over new leaf for you in my books"
was now as completely deprived OF
all presence of mind as before but
look him straight in the face ! dared
not. How he moved know not but
that he was constantly in motion,
though | could not now perceive it as
! thought could upon his first ap-
peMsnce, ! am as certain as Of my own
existence; for turn my eyes which way
would, they were sure to light upon
his mouldering, unesrthly garments,
or upon hi, salIow, bronze-looking
countenanee. If my glances shifted
with rapidity 6f thought, they were
sure to meet his fixed and settled gaze.
"Millions have been summoned TO
their last account" said he, in solemn
voice, "since laid my books before
you. have travelled over the uni
verse since then and yet, | have not
been absent from your chamber. l
possess the power of ubiquity. Mil
lions have been summoned away,-ay,
and millions have sprung into being,
whose names are to be written in my
hooks, and whose accounts this day
begin"
As he spoke, gazed upon him with
an earne.tness that, to an observer,
would have proved the power which he
had over me. Indeed, | felt my inter
est in the old gentleman increasing
each moment, and began to desire that
our interview might, by possibility, be
prolonged. All fear that my accoun,
was to be settled forever, and that his
books were TO be closed against me for
ever, had vanished, upon listening 10
his words and looking into his Ledger.
/ had not, therefore, at present, that
dread and stupor upon me, which
have mentioned as having seized me,
when the idea flashed upon my mind,
that at four l was to be summoned
from time into eternity. No! my thread
of life was to be spun on still farther,
and not snapped in twain at the very
next stroke of Time. therefore ad-
dressed my visiter, as one with whom
| stood well, and whose favor | was de-
sirous Of securing.
ga, any nome mt you please" said,
"I will look over your Ledger withyou.
l am young, though my years are al
most rs many as are allotted to man.
and you,'sir, must be old. May hope
that so aged creditor will not be hard
with one whose years are bnt point
to his 2"
"As you are ready, will not press
the matter. Others would have reason
to thank God, if they also, could say
they were ready, when call. Old |!
call you me Ay when the Almighty
spoke creation into birth, l was there.
Then was born. Mid the bloom and
verdure Of Paradise, / gazed upon the
Young world, radiant with celestial
smiles. Irose lpon the pinions Of the
first morn, and caught the sweet dew
drops as they fell, and sparkled on the
bowers of the garden. Ere the foot
of man was heard sounding in the will
derness, l gazed out upon its thousand
rivers, flashing in light, and rejecting
the broad sun, like a thousand Jewels,
upon their bosoms. The cataracts sent
up their anthems in these solitude., and
none was here to listen to the new born
melody but | The Fawns bounded
over the hills, and drank at the limpid
streams, ages before an arm was raised
to inlure or make them afraid For
thousands of years the morning star
rose in beauty npon these unpeoplcd
shores, and its twin-slster of the eve
famed in the forehead of the sky' with
no eye to admire their rays but mine.
Ay call me old, Baby ylon and Assyria,
PALMYRA and Thebes, rose, flourished
aud fell,-and | beheld them in their
glory an d decline. Scarce melan-
choly ruin marks the place Of their ex-
i.tance; but VIXEN the first stones were
laid in the earth was therei Mid all
their glory, splendor, and wickedness,
| was in their busy streets, and crum-
bling their magnificent piles and their
n to Ia. .,rtI,