Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1849-1856, 1850-01-10
Times Day-Book and Ledger.
4 FoRTHE CLOSE OF THE YEAR
Hf JOHN IL. wARLAkU

n As ! was sitting IN my chamber, be
fore a comfortable fire, one cold, snap
| plsh afternoon, on the last day Of the
! year lS-, inser,bly fell into ,ha,
state of mental and bodily stupor, quite
common with most gentlemen after
dinner; when one Is puzzled to tell
whether he is asleep or awake.
seemed TO be vibrating between two
lndistlnct, indefinite sources of enjoy.
nent, if l may so speak. but could
grasp at neither. 1t had been hard
day among merchants, and was no time
for money to be lying idle. A note III
hand was worth two IN the pocket
Many, as full as a soaked sponge iii the
morning, were wrung dry by ynight. !
was blessing my stars that was too
poor TO be one Of these-for there are
times when man may thank God for
his poverty as well as his riches-and
| looking over the bills and accounts,
with which my table was covered, of
every description, from demands for
the clothes that covered my body and
the books that ninistered to my mind,
down 10 those for the oats upon which
my horse was dining IN the stable
They were all paid and receipted IN
due form, and il was with a sincerity
and gratitude, which few were in a sit
uation to experience, that, after having
tied them with red tape into bundles, |
exclaimed, aloud, THANK God l am
rid of duns !"
mot so fast, not so fast, young man"
said gruf voice behind me.
My jaw fell, my hair rose, and fel,
an inexpressibe terror at turning my
head either to the right or left g..
" Not so fast, not so fast, young
horrible voice. i'll long drawn none;-
Thank God, if you will, when you are
rid of me %
NV curtains were drawn, and the
room almost dark and, as turned my
head towards the doof---Ilcavcns
what an unearthly y object met my gaze!
A figure OF small size had entered the
room aud vas still in some kind of mo-
ton. He neither knocked nor passed
the customary salutation The vision
was too indIs,inct in the darkness for
meac curately TO ascertain his dress,
even if my amazemcnt would have per-
mtted but he seemed to be clothed in
tatters Of a dark and shadowy hue,
mouldering, decaying, and ilmpsy as
cobwebs, as if he had arisen from one
of the catacombs OF the Nile, after a
sleep cf three thousand years. He
was bent almost double, and wore
long and bushy beard ,as white as snow,
that trailed upon the floor The low
er par, of his body seemed encased IN
something like bronze, and his sandals
seemed Of non, or adamant and yet |
he moved az light as fawn. | thought |
! discovered something like wings. at
his sides but what surprised nc more |
than anything, was, thG' b. bore on
his back two immense pa ,hment-cov-
cred and iron-clasped fohoa, nearly as
large as the door, and almos, half as
thick an they were long How this
strange figure found his way into my
chamber, | know not, for certain | am
that the door was locked on the inside;
and how he moved about with his huge |
burden without upsettlng everything, is
amystety, of which | felt no disposi-
tion to attempt solution As ! sat
gazing and wondering, tramp, tramp,
he went about the room, keeping hi.
sharp eyes turned upon ne all the |
while, IS If they would withcr me with |
their unearlhly gaze and, pointing
with his finger to the huge volumes,
beneath which he was bending, on the
back of which | behcld, for the first
time, in large characters, the words
DAY-BooK and LEDGER His couute-
nance, or what could see oi it, wore
so severe and forbidding an expression,
as to defy all attempts at speech. He
stlI pointed to his burthen, aud, as
fanccd, was narrowing the distance
between us. Pray, SIR" said |, at
tempting to turn my eyes from his, aud
speaking IN an aluos, inaudible voice
May ak your name. and busincsSl"
Name p said he, and he was near
ly a minute pronounclng the word---
"Name have as many different names
as there are nations OH the ear,h,--ay,
as there are men IN those nations. or
hairs upon your head have been
cal'e CMogus, Tempus. and million