Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1853-01-13

long sigh breathed close by. cast glance
around the wharf, but I could see nothing.
l ventured to lean aside and look into the
door of the little room behind me. All WAS
perfectly dark there-the gloom was impren-
etrable
"Some sleeping dog" muttered 1, cor
more likely doing drunkard," and re-
turned to my original half-reclining, half
sitting position
"Ay!" said deep, biting-toned voice,
again close to me; Gay, thus speak all fools
of what they cannot see or hear. Darkness
is the bliss of the ignorant. Gallileo alone
saw that the earth revolved on its axis
the learned, the wise looked as you looked,
and they, too, saw nothing-but the night
and ''a doing drunkard''-"a foop'-ex.
claimed they ALSO"
There was silence for few moments.
My position was an awkward one. I hard
~ knew what to say or do to my mysteri-
Gus sarcastic interlocutor. I could not
make conversational debut with the
! 'Weather," and yet wished to hear more
Of this singular individuals opinions He
did not wait for my response.
"1t's sad, solemn sight, The great
city slumbers on its wide couch like q tiger
in his lair. Ruin runs swiftly along in its
front; pail in heaven lowers over it; the
night wind moaned through the grey-haired
cypress trees behindit; the dead sleep well
in their cold, narrow houses in its centu-
rles; none save wretched vagabonds or
murderers and thieves, skulk along the
noisome streets. A sad sight! sad sight?"
And my strange acquaintance again sighed
heavily.
''But, sir" at length ventured I to remark.
timidly, in an undertone, and in as unobtru-
sive a manner as possible, "but, sir, why
look only at the gloomy, desolating side of
the picture? Remember the ancient but
beautiful German proverb, ssTo every black
cloud there is silver lining" Follow AS
modeus' example, look into the houses. not
into the streets and graveyards. Picture
to yourself the hundreds of happy families
around the domestic hearths-"
" Picture me no happiness !" exclaimed
my mysterious interlocutors, in sharp, quick
tones. "It is all dream-a false vision
Pierce the rosy cloud, and the naked misery
and deception appear %
"But, my dear sir, you exaggerate-you
60 into extremes. Do you dispute the ex-
istence Of intellectual pleasures of the en-
joyments Of the heart ?"
l was conscious that the darkness in the
room assumed a shape and approached me.
IL stopped by my side. [ looked up. The
feeble rays of the lamp fell on tall, gaunt
figure, most of whose features were conceal
ed by rough fur cap that came low on his
face.
" Intellectual pleasures" he exclaimed in
Still more sarcastic tones, "enjoyments of
the heart Do you toe trust to such fancies,
When you shall have struggled for years
against bitter world when the dreams of
youth shall have vanished before the freezing
realities of life; when every cherished hope
of fame or power or wealth shall come to
your memory only as some mocking phan-
tom, and you wander alone, friendless, poor,
despised, then, will come to you with
these honied words of the intellect and
heart, their pleasures and enjoyments Do
you see me, man Do you know me % His
hand grasped my shoulder fercely; his cap