The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1857-08-27
SILENCE OF AN ARCTIC NIGHT.

SiIehce OF al Arctlc nlSnt occurs III Dr.
Hays lecture on the Arctic Regions:
"The moonlights of this period (winter)
arc tho most grand and impressive of any
thing have ever witnessed. The clearness
of the air, the white surface of the snow
and ice give an effect monotonous and
cheerless, but truly grand. But there is a
moonlight seem almost terrible in its i'm
pressivcness-it is silence.
81 have often, to escape from the trying
monotony Of ship board life, gone off six or
eight miles into the interior, in search of
novelty and in order that E,iglt be alone
There, seated upou Il rock or snow bank, |
look around me, and see great uneven
country; rocky hills and glaciers covered
with snow; myriads Of crystal gems spark
ling in the light of the pale moon, which
shoots its rays down through the crisp air,
making it almost as light as DAY. 1 look
scaward, and see a long plain of ice, melt
ing into the horizon, dotted all over with
huge, towering bergs- nothing more.
Gall nature is in the repose Of Death. l
am too far from shore to hear the crunch
ing of the tables as they rise and fall lazi:y
with tho tide, or the roar like distant thun-
der, as some huge crack opens through the
heavy foes. There is no animal to cross
my path, no tree among whose stiff branch
cs the wind can sigh and moan. There is
no song Of bird to enliven the sccnc-no
wild beast to howl. l stand here alone, the
only representative Of Gods living world
the only being that has life or can move.
Every sound that hear, every motion
that see, is made by myself; hear notll-
ing but the pulsations Of my own heart, my
own footsteps, or now and then possibly, in
distance, the deep rumLling Of falling
snow bank.
"Thc sensation Of utter loneliness and
Isolation crccps over ME. My heart beats,
rs it rushcs the blood through tho sensitive
organization of the car, am oppressed as
with discordant sounds. Silence has ceased
to be negative-it has become sternly
positive. l hear sec and feel it. It's pres
cncc is uncomfortable. 1 spring to my
fect-I plant them heavily in the snow, to
drown its presence, and rush back TO the
vessel, glad even to find refuge i'll its dull,
dull life of horrid inactivity"
| ----Ss-s$---
| Courti"g-"I don't see why people cannot 10
| l,y rt,t
expense of light fuel and forenoon naps."-A
breakfast table remark.
| Whcw preach that doctrine until your head
| is gray, and you toothess rs u new born
babe, and still young folks will 'tsct up" till the
stars grow tired Of watching, and the roostcrs
begin to crow!
There is a sort of fascination in it, positive
denial to the contrary Notwithstanding all i'll
discrlbable, undeniablc charm-charm in being
the sole occupant of u front parlor, with nothing
TO moest or make afraid. The sofa drawn up
before the shining CRATE, and the lamp regulated
10 steady blaze that will not eclipse the bright
ness of eyes, or made particularly pleasing in
hearing the last pair of household feet take q
bee line departure for the upper chambers, and
feeling that the ever swinging parlor door will
remain closed until one of the party concerned
| choose to open.
Talk Of conrting by dayIng! Think of lam
ingonc's arm by quick, hasty Withdrawals from
around n certain waist at the incessant ringing
| OF the bell; or seeing the puff-combs and curls
| ny III every direction, by sound Of coming foot.
| steps. Imagine proud lover at the feet of fair
lady, putting forth an eloquent, long avowul,
with extraordinary expression over the face:
| and, at the same moment, a puzzled little coun-
tenance Peering through the folding door, won
dering what makes Dir. M-"pray with his
eyes wide open," and, more disagreenblc still,
have 'mama" opcn the door, without the pre-
lude OF o rap, of course, just at the moment you
have ventured to test the hetemperature and sweet
ness of her daughters lips-Jluryuret Verne.
--s~s<
Cruel Punishment in tie It,my.-Tho
Lawrence (Kansns) correspondent of the ST.
Louis Democrat narratcs the following. ca
ses of excessive punishment in the army:
An incident occurred last year at Fort
Pierce, which possibly has never come be-
fore the puLlice. have reliable inforina.
ton that private in the army at that place
some time last summer, committed some
trifling offence against the military dignita-
res, fot which he was court n,artiaed and
sentenced to receive so lashes. Tile SEN
tence WAS executed with great severi:ye4so
mulch so tliat tile soldier died in tire opera
ton or soon afterwards. Another member
OF the army at that place, had been accus-
toned for years to write for Southern jour
mails, aud at tlIis time lie made note of the
incident, in which he rather intimated that
the officers culpaLle, turbeing 80 So
yere in the execution sos law as to cause
death. For this, and this only, was the
writer arreigned, before. scourt-martial and
sentenced TO receive thirty Tor :ffty) lashes
L Z : Al FF>s >. - : Il '