Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1882-11-10
THE COMET.
From the French Of Erkmann.Chatrian


From the French Of decentralization.
There was report last year Just before the
festival Of the Carnival that the world was
about to come to an end.
It was DR.. Zachariah Piper who first an
nounced this disagreeabe news; but it was
soon published in the Poor Pilgrim, the Per-
feet Christian and fifty other almanacs and
newspapers
1t seems that Master Piper had calculated
that a comet would fall upon the earth about
Shrove Tuesday, that it would have tail Of
thirty five millions Of leagues in length, COM
posed Of boiling water, which would envelope
the earth, melting the snow of the highest
mountains, destroying vegetation and annihi-
latng the whole human race.
IL is true Il worthy astronomer of Paris nam
ed Popinot replied TO this that a comet would
doubtless be seen about that time, but that its
tail would be composed Of vapor 10 extremely
ethereal that no one would experience the
least Inconvenience from it, and that every
one might attend to his ordinary business as
usual he would take the responsibility.
This assurance calmed the fears of many.
Unluckiy We had at Hunebourg an old spin
strr named Molly Finck, living in Porridge
Pot alley.
She was a little, pale, wrnkled old woman,
"AiOLL pbOIAt "Nib III tlb uhbiN VI NOIbullluB
on the knotty questions Of life. She dwelt
in little, low room, whose ceiling was hung
with eggs painted red and blue, gilded wal
nuts aud d thousand other oddities. She wore
a fantastic old fashioned dress, and lived up
on water cruel, which made her opinion up
on supernatural subjects of great weight.
Molly Finck, instead of approving the counsel
of Monsieur Popinot took sides with Zach
ariah Piper, warning every one to repentance
and devotion, for" cried she, ''the end is
nigh the end is at hand"
Molly Lad in her room representation OF
hell, toward which We might sec crowds de-
scending by a wide path scattered with flow
er5, dancing AID singing, some with bottles
IL their hands, others with ham or fts-
toon of sausagos A piper, his nat decorated
with streamers, played the claronet to light
en- the journey, and the careless wretches,
their arms about each others necks, gayly
approached the precipice, where one might
already discern the limbs of those who were
being swallowed up by the flames below.
One can imagine the reflection of q think
ing being on gazing upon this scene. People
are not so yirtuous but that each one must
have a certain number of sins upon his con
science, and no one can fatter himself that
he can seat himself at once unchallenged, up
on tho right, with the lambs. No; one must
be very conceited to imagine that things will
Oe managed after that fashion. 1t would be
tine sign of most objectionable pride. There
fore the most of the townspeople thought
mo; this year We will not keep the Carni-
val; We W pass Shrove Tuesday in fasting
and prayer
The like had never been seen. The adju-
tant and the captain of the place, as well as
all the sub-ofiicers Of the Sd, in garrison at
Hunebourg, were in despair. All the prepa-
rufioue for tho festival fba great hall Of the
town house which they had adorned with ev-
ergreons and trophies of arms, the platform
which they had raised for the orchestra, the
cakes and ale, " in short all the daintes they
had so avishly provided would be dead loss,
for not one OF the maideps would hear word
about dancing at such a serious time.
Il am not ill-natured," said Sergeant
Duchene, "but l would like to have Zschariah
Piper by the nape of the neck"
Amidst the general depression, none were
more cast down than Daniel Spitz, the town
clerk Jerome Berthe, the son of the post
master; Dujardin, the assistant tax gatherer
aud myself The week before we had made
a little excursion 10 Strasbourg to engage our
costumes. Uncle Tobias had given me ten
dollars that wo might do things handsome.
| ly. l had chosen costume at Madame
Dardenai's, at the little Arcadia kind of
shirt, very full, with long sleeves, trimmed
with buttons as large as ones fist, which fas-
| ten one up from the chin to the knees The
bead is decorated with fantastic cap, and
with the face well chalked, provided one has
| long nose, hollow cheeks aud staring eyes,
the effect is admirable
| Duiardin being somewhat corpulent had
chosen Turkish dress, embroidered at the
seams. Spitz was to appear as Punch, his
| suit made of a thousand patches of red, green
and yellow, hump before and behind, with
an enormous cooked hat. Nothing could be
! finer. Jerome was going as a South Ameri
can Indian, with a headdress of feathers. In
imagination, We saw all the prettiest girls
| quit the military beaux to hang upon oul
| arms.
And after having been to all this expense
and trouble, to see everything fall to the
ground on account of an old crazy witch, ol
a blockHead of Zachariah Piper, it waf
enough to give one grudge against the
whole human race.
But what can one do? The world hat
always been led by fools.
Shrove Tuesday arrived at last. The sky
was full Of snow. We peered anxiously a
the heavens not a sign of the comet. The
maidens appeared embarrassed and undecid
ed The Young fellows ran to and fro among
their cousins their aunts and godmothers, en-
treating them to lay aside their fears.
"You see plainly that Molly Finck is onl!
an old crazy woman. 1t is ridiculous to mine
her warnings. Do comets ever come in colC
weather Don't they always choose harves
time Come, come-deCide quickly, there i
yet time, etc, etc.
On their side, the subalterns divided them
selves among the cooks and walters, exhort
ing and entreating with such effect that a
last all began to take courage. The old folk
came imidly in, arm in arm, Just to see tn
hall with its decorations of tri-colored flag
and swords disposed on the walls like stars
Their apprehensons gave way-it is Shrov
Tuesdhy-we have gained the day. TIL
young girls drew their gayest dresses out o
the wardrobe aud began to polish their lttl
shoes.
At 10 o'clock the large hall was full not
pretty face was missing The clarionets, tn
trombones, the big drums echoed the loft
windows cast their radiance forth upon tn
night; the walters whirled like mad th
lads and lassies were in ecstasies of delight
and the elders seated comfortably along tn
walls laughed and chatted to their hearts con
tent Old Father Zimmer who furnished Ia
refreshments put handsome penny in hi
pocket that night
Out of doors the snow fell fast
Uncle Tobias had given me a key, with pei
mission to stay as late as pleased.
Until two O'Clock / did not miss one waltz
but then feeling that had had almost enough
and with my head toierably dizzy, descend
ed into the street. The fresh air relieved me
and l began to deliberate whether would 6
home, or go back for one more dance
l decided however, to go home and CON
menoed cropping my way along, making a
sorts of sage reflections, / advanced thus 10
ten minutes, and was about to turn the Col