Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1855-02-09

were neaps OF lewelled trlnkets, chains,
bracelets. rings, piled up for sale. He han.
kered after these. lie bought heaps of golden
rings. lie decorated his wrists and ancle.
with bracelets and bangles enough for Bay
adere. He might have been dog, for the
collars round his neck, lie might have been
an Ambrose Gwynnett hung in chains for the
profuson of those ornaments in gold with
which he loaded himself And then he went
in for Il solid service Of plate, and might
have been butler or philanthropist, for
the piles of ewers, salvers, candeabra, and
gobets which he accumulated in his hands,
under his arms, on his head. More gold,
more jewels More-more-
Till a bell began to ring-a loud, changing
voiceful golden bell, carried by a shining bell
mln, and the clapper of which was one huge
diamond. The thousands of people who, u
moment before, had been purchasing jewels
and gold, no sooner heard the bell than they
began to scamper like mad towards the gate:
and at the same time, Acon-Virlaz heard the
Oellman making proclamation that Sky Fair
would close in ten minutes time, and that
every man, woman or child found within the
precincts of the fair, were it only for the
thousandth part of the tithe of moment
after the clock had struck twelve, would be
turned into stone for a hundred years.
Till the men, women and children from
erery nation under the sun, (he had not OBJ
served them until now, so intent had he been
on his purchases, came tearing past hun
treading on his toes, bruisng his ribs, jost.
ling him, pushing him from side to side,
screaming to him with curses to move on
quicker, or get out Of the way. But he could
not move on quicker. His gold stuck to him.
His jewels weighed him down Invisible
clogs seemed to attach themselves to his feet.
He kept dropping his precious wares, and,
for the life of him, could not refrain from
stopping to pick them up, in doing which he
dropped more.
Till Mr. Ben-Daoud passed him with cir
die of big diamonds, tied round his waist in
a blue bird seye handkerchief, like pro.es-
sional pedestrian,
Till the great bell, from ringing intermit-
tent pcals, kept up one continuous clang.-
Till clock above, like Catherine wheel,
which Acon-Virlaz had not before noticed,
began to let off rockets of minutes, Roman
candles Of seconds. Till the bellman's proc
lamation merged into one continued roar Of
Oh yes Oh yes y Till the red-headed gate
keeper, who was like Mr.. Mcphibosheth's
turnkey, gave himself up to an unceasing
screaming of All out All out = whirlinq
ti si' sbsEss fbssEs e5PYf 55P IRE Ia al fafG around. '
Till fifty thousand other bells began 10
cang, and fifty million other voices to
scream. Till all at once there was silence,
and the clock began to strike slowly, sadly
one. two, three four-to twelve.
Acon-Nirlaz was was within few feet of
the gate when the fatal clock began to strike.
BY desperate effort he cast aside the load of
plate which impeded his movements. He
tore off his diamond laden coat he cast his
waistcoat to the winds, and plunged madly
into the throng that blocked up the entrance
r. p,l TOO lnta No
closed with heavy shock and Acon-Virlaz
reeled away from them in the rebound,
bruised, bleeding and despairing. He was too
late. Sky Fair was closed, and he was to he
turned into stone for hundred years.
The red-headed doorkeeper, (who, by the
way, squinted abOmInably,) was leaning with
his back to the gate, drumming with his keys
on the bars
1t isl beautiful day to be in doors he
side. = bitter cold out
Acon-Virlaz shuddered He felt his heart
turning to stone within him. lie fell upon
his knees before the rei-headed doorkeeper
AMI with tears, sJbs, groans, entreated ne
to open the gate. He offered him riches, he
offered him the hand Of Miriam, his large
eyed daughter all for one turn of the KEY in
the lock of the gate of Sky Fair.
Can't he done, tho doorkeeper remarked,
shaking his head Till SKY Fair opens again,
you can't be let out
Again and again did the jcweller entreat,
until he at last appeared to make an impress
sion ON the Ied-headed ianltOr.
Well, I'll tell you what | can do for you
old gentleman he said dare not open the
gate for my life but there is window in
my lodg9 and if you choose to take your
chance of jumping out Of it lit is not far to
fall,) You can
Acon-Virluz, utteripg confused medley of
thanks, was about to rush into the lodge,
when the gate keeper laid his hand upon bis
arm.
BY the way, mister, lie said, you may
as well give me that big signet ring on your
finger, as a token to remind you of ali the
fine things you promised Ine when come your
way.
The jeNeiler hastily piucke ed of the desired
trinket, and gave it to his red-hcaded delive-
rer. Then he darted into the narrow, dark
porter lodge, overturned II round table, on
which was the doorkeeper's dinner, Gt smelt
very much like liver and bacon, and Chamber
ed up to a very tall, narrow window.
He leaned his hands on the sill and thrust
ing his head out to see how far he had TO
jump, deserted, Immediately beneath him.
the dusty shay, the discount pony, and Mr..
Ben Doaud with lighted cigar in hishnouth
Hold hard y screamed Acon-Virlaz -
Hold hard Ben, my dear friend, my old
| friend hold hard, and take me in =
Mr. Ben-Daoud's reply was concise, but
conclusive;
Go to Bermondsey, he said, and whipped
his pony.
The miserable man groanad aloud in des-
pair-for the voice Of the doorkeeper urged
him to be quick out OF it, if he was going to
jumr- and he felt, not only his heart, but his
limbs becoming cold end stony.
Shutting his eyes and clenching his teeth,
lie jumped and fell dowu, down, into space
According to his own calculations, he must
have fallen at Fast sixty thousand miles, and
for six months in succession--but, according
to Mrs. Acon-Nirlaz and Miriam his large
eyed daughter, he only fell from his arm chair
into the fireplace, striking his head against
the tongs as he iell-having come home a
little while before with no such thing about
him'as his beautiful seal-ring-and being
slightly the worse for liquor, not to say
| drunk