National Republican., 1881-02-19
The World Coming to an End.

| bTtHeHJOT INC hcpuOtlcnH.
Something like fifty years ago Uncle
Eli and Aunt Ruth, good old couple jogging on
along life's downward way, retired 20 rest with no
thoughts concerning the end of the world in mind
to destroy sleep, or even trouble them during the
hours allotted to slumber. Aunt Ruth was de-
voted Episcopalian, Uncle Eli an equally deyout
| Methodist. II might have been midnight, When
| for some unaccountable reason, the female head
| of the house awoke. The bed stood facing two
windows looking out upon the village green, and
as her eyes unclosed she beheld sight that sent
thrill of fear quiyering through every fibre of her
being. The heavens were on fire. and the stars
were falling to earth like the waters Of an illu-
minated Niagara
Aunt Ruth slid from the bed TO her knees, while
with one hand she groped for her prayer-bOok, the
other being occupied with an attempt to awaken,
by a series of vigorous shakes, her consort, who
yet slept and snored unconscious of the impending
calamity.
Daddy daidyr' she cried; I" daddy, wake up;
the Day of Judgments come" The only response
to her appeal was succession of snores for which
Uncle Eli was famous, and an accession OF terror
on her part, lest the affair should happen before
the sleeper could be aroused.
"Oh, LOrdy! have mercy. Daddy! daddy" she
again shrieked, this time administering thor
ough shaking up: Daddy, the world is OH fire
coming to an end-pray, daddy, pray, the day of
judgments come!"
Ugh! eh?" grunted the old gentleman only
half awake. Ruth, what's the He neyeFfn-
ished that sentence, for just then he caught sight
of the celestial pyrotechnical display, and with
single bound, vauited over the head of his
alarmed partner, landing in the middle of the
apartment.
Ruth Ruth where's my breeches!" " he cried,
as he prunced about in his thin and by no means
voluminouS ATTIRE where's my breeches, say?"
Never mind your breeches daddy pray,
daddy pray" sobbed his terrified companion.
Torment you, Ruth yelled Uncle Eli awak
ening the children who slept on the next floor
above; =" torment you, Ruth, where's my brecches?'
Never mind your breeches, daddy" moaned
Aunt Ruth q never mind your breeches; but pray,
daddy pray-thc day of judgments come
But daddy did mind his breeches, and con-
tinued galloping about the room, oVerturning
chairs and tables barking his shins, and stumbling
over everything within his circuit hunting for
them.
Meantime .iun* Rlih remained upon her knees
praying, or attempting to pray, and beSceching
Uncle Eli to do likewise.
At length, just as he was passing her for the
twentieth time, she caught him by his scanty gar
ment and besought him: Pray, daddy, pray; the
day of Judgment
Torment you, Ruth" ne roared, rs he broke away
from her clutch; torment y0, Ruth, don't care If
the day ofjadgmea! has come. L amt dgOiag aCit0uL
any 6rcecheSr'
Nor did he. He found them about the time the
fireworks ceased, and the end of the world hadn't
come after all.
The good old souls :lave long since passed away,
but the story remains, and is told for The benefit of
the believers in Mother Shipton's prophecy. If it
has moral they will be sure to find it. S.