The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1880-02-11

cool 0iUl8eII uuueT tine bQhu9 OE u IOT6bI W
immense toad stools that grow near the lake
A mighty Saurian Ia seated, half In the lake
half resting on rocky island In its centre
watching the battle with enjoyment, proba
bly, determined. "a soon rs the CRAB mas con
Quered his enemy, to step In and settle the
dispute, ~ q great many peacemakers nave
done In European history. by swallowing DOLL
OF the combatants.
Ia. THE FISHES CONFERENCE.
We have reached tho very bottom OF the
sea, sterile, sandy plain, Its level bed
broken by single tree OF coral, upon whose
branches a number Of sea plants are growing
A conference OF fishes is assembled here. "A
FLYING Fish liz the center Of the group the cy-
nosura III all eyes Around 1t are gathered an
Eagle Ray. whose long, outstretched wings
give 1t all the appearance OF an eagle Just
ready to fly away, chiefly DANGEROUS or &C
count OF the sting tnits tall: Red Fire Fish,
with scollnped wings and long bony fins; 2
Sapphire Cunard or hog fish, its body red and
gold, its fins blue and an eyed Ptaraeles, half
bird, half tish. | u corner, hidden In the
shade OF the corat tree, a hungry Shark is
lurking. waiting and watching evidently for
D fair opportunity to dash upon the other fish
and secure rich booty. His mouth Ia open
already In anticipation Of his prey, and one
Can easily see within the dozen rows OF teeth
he boasts Of that makes breakfast such an
agreeable meal for him.
ID. THE BALL OF THE MoLLUsKs
But few steps Off, also At the bottom at
the sea, our brethren, the moilusks, descended
from the same great ancestor az we. X Dar-
win is to be believed, are sporting merriiy
among the shells and corals that cover the
bed of the ocean. 1t is ball night. az grand
q ball In this submarine kingdom as that OF
Rex's on earth, and all the beauty and cbivv-
airy they always att nd balls) of the molusk
family are assembled to pass the night IN JOY
and merriment. The band is somewhat
meagre In numbers, 1t must be confessed, but
J,N ~, r,f.
toned here, and 90 the molIusks for their
music must depend upon the single conk shell
horn Of old Purple Heart urchin. Seated
bow-legged on an empty email shell. the old
mana cousin to the star-tishes. 1t must be
known blows and blows away with all his
force and energy. and manages to send q low.
shrill music through the air-we forget, the
water to which the younger molusks pree-
emit can dance. Upon large round shell Is
Astoria btar-Fi gayly waitzlng II. or prob
trated even TO theae depths. with the fair
Gem Pimplet, whose hair, too red to be dia-
gutsed Under the term OF auburn" hangs In
thick finglets. concealinR her rosy-warty
face.
There Ia another couple present; but they
have tired Of the light fantastic and found
\ sweet and cosy retreat In which to talk Of
love-a nice retired box, a long circular shell.
Tar from the crowd, and where a kiss or 60, II
they should happen to indulge In such luxu |
ries, will escape too much indiscreet puhlicat- |
tention. Mr.. Opelet, were one to Judge OF his |
age by the color of his hair, is an old man
too old by far for any sentiment or flirting |
Tor his locks, thick snaky eurIs. are white as |
snow; nor are his features those of Hrecian |
beauty, but dwartieh. wrinkled and grotesque
10 the last degree "a X eonvulsed with laugh |
ter. Despite this fact, the fair Rosy Feather
Btar is evidently deeply smitten with hs
charms-of mind i not Of person more
Than once throws her fair self into hs arms
md heaps the fondest caresses on him.
Nv. FIRE.
16. THE FOUR FIRES
When the tire-bells ring out at night their
Wild exciting music. and then slowly toll the
lumber of your district, you dash hurriedlv-
% the cars and hasten home; and when you
Ind only smouldering ruins awaiting YOU
house, furniture books and papers all gone
you curse fire and wish II had never been dis
lowered by Prometheus.
But when Texas norther reaches the city,
when the Thermometer drops like n favortta
california mining stock and the cold wind
Whistles around your ears and seems to prick
you with a million needles, you fold your
lister closely around you and hurry home for
comfortable place by your cheerful CRATE
Then Ia fire htassinE.
And when again the doctor has given up
Ill hope, and says that the end is near, and I
'Ou feel "a If you wanted a little more time {
to fix up things" then fire becomes dread
Il--but we are wandering off from Rex 60
and Bob lu9ersoll. (
A mighty agent, lire Of both good and evil, I
low sweeping cities away, now broilinX ali ,
legant porter-house steak. All! that steak.
low Its fragrance still hangs around! How
'ould our prehistoric ancestors Of the Stone {
Ire have existed without fire, without hroiled
D wonder at, that when they finally discov-
red how to obtain this element from two |
lint rocks they should have made q god and {
rected affairs and temples to IT.
But noble as were the temples Of Baal and
Ioloch, the fire gods, they fell far short OF
hat which Rex has erected to the destroying
dement,. k
In the centre OF this edifice four phtnnixes
Import an altar on which stand, In the midst
1 sea Of flames. the chemical parents Of !
Ire, Mr.. Oxygen and Mrs. Carbon. The first ,
. one blaze Of fire; the latter, u dark bru-
lette, is dressed Ii black trimmed flame color
It each OF the four corners OF the temple Is {
ne Of the four slaves Of fire, who. at word or
las, Candle and Gunpowder, each Ia flame col !
red garments OF various degrees OF reful-
'ence, that OF Candle being much the !
obereet and least brilliant. 1T is here
hat Rex falls into small error OF {
rilliant one. He had evidently never
cen In q newspaper office after midnight, j
then the pressure on the gasometer has been 6
emoved and the light becomes slim and Z
lckly.l Four pillars-or we might better ,
lyle them lamp posts arise at the cor I
ers where the slaves Of fire stand, each
ecked with the utensil that gives forth the I
ght II represents. A whirligig, one OF l
hose Christmas pyrotechnics which always |
oes the different way from what is expected, |
rowns the lamp-post to which GunpOwder, 9
Ike q Canal street "masher," Ia clingng. /
HIS post is surmounted by an old fashioned {
mp of the ancient Grecan fashion; Candies
nth an immense chandelier, and Gas with j
he latest thing In gas fixtures. t
1.-THE FIRE woRsHIpERs
Fire was a god among all the nations Of an
Quity, even the Romans worshiping 1t, az i
hey evidenced by the altar on when they 4
ept a fire ever burning III honor OF Vesta: /
ut the great fire worshipers OF antiquity a
lere the Persians and the Philistines. i
The worship Of Zoroasteris at least without T
rime attached to 1t. The priest, man of +
enerable and amiable appearance with long, /
owing white beard. has but to keep alive the :
.ernai flames that burn upon the altar In .
onor OF his god. Not SO is It with the greedy I,
nd Unsuitable Moloch. god of the Phllistines :,
"A Dhoop{ntana Tina - u inns "a nfM n1.,b