The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1855-01-05
MISCELLANEOUS.
Translated from hs French, for tAe Home Journal
LONDON FOG.

Irdnsidfed from he fTehcA, Jor he HONS So~""'
LONDON FOG.
The traveller who has never visited Lon
don in the month OF December, cannot
pic,ure 10 himself genuine fog in that
city, nor the iribulations, perils and dangers
| 10 which il exposes the indiscreet man who
ventures i.to the street during lis conunu.
ance. But, before going out, the stranger
is victim 10 many anxielies. The noise
in the house and in the street, warn him
that il is day, bul he sees not The daylight
Ho seizes his watch, and listens; il goes
but, not being able 10 distinguish the hants,
he makes il strike. "Nine o'clock !" he
cries, in despair tam /, then, blind "-
He rubs his eyes, runs 10 the window, casts
bewildered look into the dense gloom oil
the street, and is convinced that he Is de-
prived Of the mos, valuable Of his senses
He rings violently, and servant answers
the summons. Blu, as he enters, the wax
candle which he holds in his hand is ex-
linyuished. "Wha, will Monsieur have p'
he askes, in the obscuri,y. "a doctor an
oculis, the best ocnls, Quick-run-a
half guinea for yon!" and benumbed with
cold, the unhappy man throws himself
frightened, back into his bed, expecting for
| two hours the physician, whom, like every.
body else, the fog Tciards in his dubious
| way. Figure 10 yourself the emotions o.
this imaginary blind man during these two
hours.
AT length the doctor enters. "Doctor,
restore my sight, and the half Of my for.
tune" he stops, amazed and oveIjoyed
by geam of light. BY the light Of the
lamp borne By The ralef, he sees The valet
the physician-himself His blindness
was only ,lream-a nightmare But the
doctor does no, admit, the explanation ; he
has made visit, and he charges two gum
cas- for the hallucina,ion OF his patient,
though explaining 10 him that The cause is
nothing else bu, the fog-a fog which, Two
or thee times year, makes London like
the old realm Of shades.
"a fogw cries the stranger; "but, sir,
this is nigh,-ni1h, the mos, gloomy.i How
long will il last!"
"One day, at least-possibly two, and
perhaps more" replies the phlegmallc
doctor.
"Ah! will leave Immediately" said
the asionished stranger. 81 will leave for
ever, country that the sun himself aband.
ons."
"But stop, sir" said the Esculapian (;
"some moments of fear, and visit rom
the doctor, is your small uibu,eto the Lon.
don fog. Thank heaven that you are SO
easily rid Of il. II You were unfortunately
outside OF your hotel, listen to what would
beiall you. To walk at this hour, in the
capital OF England, is like plunging into a
porridge of peas for tho mist, in taking
from you sight and respiration, offers you,
in return, a hope OF eating and drinking.
"Sad nourishmeni for as,hmalics From
one side of The street, fit OF coughing an
swers 10 similar fit from the other side !;
canno, see the passers.by, you have The
salts sfaciion of hearing them cuIse Their al.
mospheric breakfast. Breakfast, did say !
dinner, tea, supper, are Of The same iare.
You cannot open your mouth without swal-
lowing dose OF fog and, as all day-ii you
can call il day-.you are obliged to have lights
you cosume, beside The fog. notable quan.
iiiy Of the fumes OF gas, Of oi, or of,allow, &C.
cording TO your means. These poor lights,
themselves yielding 10 the scourSe, give
only a feeble, reddish and melancholy
glmmering. They are cold as yourself,
and illumine only the smallest possible
space.
"The entire city seems covered with
vapory tent, from under which is heard The
confused sound Of invisible beings. You
think ,ha, all the smoke that, for twenty
years, has escaT ed from the FIVE hundred
thousand chimncys Of London, falls this
ips,an, from The clouds, afier having corrupi-
cd there. The odor which surrounds you
no, only makes you cough, but also sneeze,
wheeze, and pant all the colds in the
world seem TO be holding rendezvous IN
Your head. You breathe like whale
caught between quicksands and the keel Of
a ship; and three persons speaking in the
street, make noise like the bellows OF a
forge that has gap in the side.
$50 much for Tho lungs" said the doctor,
''and Tomorrow, /, as all my bro,hef
physicians in London, shall have hundreds
Of patients TO cure. As TO surgeons, they
will not be less needed, 10 mend the arms,
legs. and broken heads Of this dark day.
"You walk with the greatest precau,ion,
cropping your way along the Salls, the gates,
the windows-by all lha, you can grasp,
and a, length, by miss,ep, fall into a
cellar, upon the shoulders Of shoemaker
who makes his dwelling ihere-happy IL,
al the moment, he. holds no: the point OF
his awl in the air. But you fall still farther,
head first, into the subleranean shop OF a
charcoal man, throw down the mistress,
and receive from The rude hand oi her
husband reward which leaves you as black
rs his merchandise. You escape; alas
what will you do nc1il
"You bruise your limbs against the un-
wicldly iron po, OF milknan. and the
contents overturned, makes still more slip.
perry :he pavement beneath your feet. The
angry man takes you by the collar but,
irritaicd by your misior,unes, you trip up
his heels, which sends hin 10 the bottom
Of sub,erranean kitchen, TO break some
dozens Of dishes, or the head OF the cook.
'To escape tho consequences Of this
catastrophe, you run nj hazard. and straight
before you, 10 where the enormous paunch
Of 4 gentleman suddenly stops you, So
yiolen, 10 the shock, iha, you roll into the
gutter, and the iai man into shop, the
door Of which his fee, have burst open.
ga new flight TO avoid new settlement,
and you thank heaven, all soaked as you
are, for not having fallen three steps farther,
,.,heve nm i'm IN ense sowct on.,p. lie I'M nip0