Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1880-12-30

out Of existence. I should like to
Scientists tell u that fixed
laws govern the universe, and regulate
terrestrial movements with unfiilins
precision; but science has never yet
related What became Of the many
bright bodies that have Shons For past
generations, but do not for ouFs.
And, speaking Of the end Of the
world, l have been reading, recently,
a sketch entitled "The Wonders Of
the Heavens" BY . French writer,
who alludes to strange and extrSOr-
binary phenomena recorded in the
past, and which on various occasions
caused predictions Of she end Of time,
and iears which could not be stiAed.
Indeed, ~ long IS tho world lasts,
there are people who will believe in
its dissolution at some unexpected
period.
"A prediction vas made nearly
three hundred years ago, which is one
of the most memorable extant. II
announced in Latin verse: This
8Sth year from one thousand Eve hun
dred, after the conception Of the Vir-
gin, will be strange and full Of dread.
it will bring with it sad d~iStresseH. II
in this terrible year the perversG
world does not fall into dust; il th,
earth and ssas are not annihilsted. al
the empires OF the world will be over
thrown, and affection will Cypress the
human race
Naturally so thrilling an announce
ment creltea a -eusAtion at the timc.
but the people lived through
it, as they nave though many otheri
Of a similar Char Ger An .atrologeI
named Stifier gave out, once upon :
time, that oo the 10Th Of Februs,y
1874, 4 con: laetion IT certain plsnet,
would produce Il universal deluxe
Many people Of the lac believed II
this prophecy; even savants. phil0so.
piers and learned men bad faith 10 it
and the com mon herd, OF course, fol.
lowed in COUNTLESS numbers, thu
sinister pess travelling rapidly 10 81
parts Of the civil zed world Tn
result was, a strange fright pervadeC
che minds Of vast commun tics. TIT
records state ttat may living alon.
maFshy nv r. IN view # the anticl
pa ed inandstiou. removed Z, highe
places and made prOyi ion for a lOuI
wet spell. There we're religious pro
oessiOns, public prayers aud calls upol
the Almighty to avert the dire disas
ter and pity the poor people. Som
sold their property st a sacrifice alOnI
river aud sen shores to persons VIII
we're skepiical. In the south o
France another No.h built an ark an
took his ii nds, with a few aDimals
aboard. Others did tho same at vari
Gus places, an fear was 50 gre { tina
churches would not oOntsin those VII,
sought refuge therein, even though j
was preached over and over again tbs
God long since gave out, the worl'
should not be again drowned out
Even in our own generation We hav,
like predictions, aud believers are al
ways to DO found, despite the fact tina
the appointed time passes and give
each prediction positive denial"
"And now, as our earth move
along iu 8 rather wild sort o
way, over $4,000 miles
minute, what it is to hinder it iron
flying the track, I'd like to know, anC
falling over into sOae other world'I
line Of travel, where it will be knock.
ed into meteoric PARTICLES in less thar
no time, If Mother Symptoms pre-.
diction is to come to pass, aud we are
all to perish, it would be well for PEG.
pie to begin to make their wills and
fix for their dissolution as soon az
possible"
By this time a crowd bad gathered
around the exhorter, who had become
quite eloquent in his description. a
friend stepped up, touched the orator
on the shoulder, suggested fresh Chri-t-
mas eggnog 1t the White house, and
the party slid quietly up the back
alley to take a SOL nip