The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1883-03-24
The World Coming to an End.

Something like fifty years ago Uncle
Eli and Aunt Ruth, good old couple
jogging on along life's downward way,
retired to rest with no thoughts con-
corning the end of the world in mind
to destroy sleep, or even trouble them
during the hours allotted to slumber.
Aunt Ruth was devout Episcopalian,
Uncle Eli an equally devout Methodist.
Lit might have been midnight, when,
for some unaccountable reason the fe-
male heftd of the house awoke. The
bed stood facing two windows, out upon
the village green, and as her eyes I'M
closed she beheld sight that sent
thrill OF fear quivering through every
fiber of her being. The heavens
were on fire, and the stars were
falling to earth like the waters of an IL
Illuminated Niagara.
Aunt Ruth slid from the bed to her
knees, while with one hand she CROPPED
for her prayer book, the other hand
being occupied with an attempt to
awaken, by series OF vigorous shakes
her consort, who yet slept and snored
unconscious Of the impending calamity.
Daddy! daddy" she cried daddy,
wake up; the day of Judgment is
come" The only response to her appeal
was succession of shores, 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.
ooh, Lordy; have mercy. Daddy
daddy" she again shrieked, this time
administering a thorough shaking up;
=" Daddy, the world is On fre-coming
to an end-pray, daddy, pray, the day
OF judgments come !''
"Ugh. eh?' grunted the only gentle
man, only half awake. Ruth, what's
the"-he never finished that sentence,
for just then he caught a sight of the
celestial predetermined display, and with
single bound vaulted over the head of
his alarmed partner, landing in The
middle Of the apartment.
"Ruth Ruth where's my breeches?"
he cried, as he pranced about in his
thin and by no means voluminous
attire; "where's my breeches, I say?"
'Never mind your brooches, daddy; |
pray, daddy, pray" sobbed his terrified
companion.
Torment you, Ruth" yelled Uncle
Eli, awakening the children who slept |
on the next floor above; " torment you, |
Ruth, where's my breeches?"
"Never mind your breeches, daddy ?'
moaned Aunt Ruth; "never mind your
breeches, but pray, daddy, pray-the |
day of judgments come"
But daddy did mind his breaches, |
and continued galloping about the |
room, overturning chairs and tables,
barking his snins and stumbling over
everything within his circuit, hunting
for them.
Meantime Aunt Ruth remained upon
her knees, praying, CT attempting to
pray, and beseeching Uncle Eli to do
likewise.
At length, just as he was passing her
for the twentieth time, she caught him
by. his scanty garment and besought
him: Pray, daddy, pray; the day of
"Torment you, Ruth" he roared, as
he broke away from her clutch; sstor-
ment YOU, Ruth, I don't care if the day
Of Judgment has come, amt agoing
without my breeches!"
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 have long since
passed away, but the story remains, and
s told for the benefit of believers in
Mother Symptoms prophecy. If it has
| moral they will be sure to find it.