Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1855-03-23
IFrom the Pioneer Magazine,l
Letter from John PhGnix.
MISSION OF DOLORES, 18th Jan. IS55

Dear Ever - 1t was my intention to fur
nish you, this mouth, with an elaborate
article on a deeply interesting subject, but a
serious domestic calamity has prevented. ]
allude to the loss of my stove-pipe, in the
terrific gale OF the 3lst December.
There are few residents of the city, whose
business or inclination has called them to the
Mission of Dolores, that have not seen and
admired that stove-pipe. Rising above the
kitchen chimny to the noble altitude OF
nearly twelve feet, it pointed to better
world, 49, va pleasantly suggestive OF hot
cakes for breakfast. From the window Of
my back porch, have gazed for hours upon
that noble structure; and watching its rotary
cap shifting with every breeze, and pouring
forth clouds Of gas and yapor, have unused
on politics. and tancied myself a Politician
1t was an accomplished stove-pipc The
melody accompanying It's movements, inaptly
termed creaking by the soulless, gave evil
dence ofits taste for Music, and its proficiency
in Drawing was the wonder and delight of
our family circle. 1t had no bad habits, lit
did not even smoke.
fondly hoped to enjoy its society for years,
but one by one our dearest treasures are
snatchcd from us the SCOT fell, aud the stove
pipe followed SCOT, On the night of the 3lst
of Dec, gale arose. perfectly unexampled
in its terrific violence. Houses shook as
blown of, and ships foundered at the docks
A stove-pipe is not pyramid w hat resist
ance could mine oppose to such storm =
One by one its protecting wires were severed;
and as it bowed its devoted head to the fury
of the blast, shrieks Of moro than mortal
agony attested tho desperate nature of its
situation. At lergth the Storm Spirit fell
upon the feeble and reeling structure in it's
wrath, and whirling it madly in the air with
I,r. ly,. taNt. NJ
nails, and loosening many OF the upper
! bricks of the chimney, dashed 1t down tc
earth. But why harrow up the feelings o
I your readers by a continuation of the dis
J tressing narrative The suffering that W,
have endured, the tears that have been sheC
Q since this loss will be understood, and com
miserated, when add-the next morning TIN
d kitchen chimney smoked,-and has beer
+ doing it intermittently ever since
Since my last, scarcely CLEAN of fun ha
a como to illumine the usual dull monotony o
the Mission of Dolores
Tho days have beeu dark and dreary;
II 1t rains, and the wind is never weary"
1t is amusing to observe the shifts make
OF Poetry will resort to, when compelled t
J. make use OF an irrelevant subject to exc on
9 his rhyme, to convince himself and his read
ers, that the tauI pas was quite intentiona
% the result OF study, and should be admire
a rather than criticised. In IA poem calle
u " Al Aaranf," by Edgar A. Poe, who, whe
J. living though, himself, in all seriousness, IL
only living original Poet, aud that all othe
manufacturers Of Poetry were mere copyist
= continually infringing on his patent, occur
II the following passage, IN which may
= found a singular instance OF the kind aliudt
- to:
"Ligeia Ligeia
My beautiful one