The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-09-29
a Few Reflections Unon NIGHT,

It was night A policeman awakes
with sudden start and moves around
the corner, having a secret fear at his
heart that he had slept through all night,
all next day, and far into tomorrow
night 1t is night in a great city.
ihe poker and faro rooms are in full
blast, 10000 loafers are holding down
street corners, and here and there an
intoxicated alderman can be seen max
ing his way to apolicy shop or a gather
ing OF the pavement ring. Under cover
OF darkness, first manufactured over
o,000 years ago, the hotel beat lowers
his duds from the fourth story window;
and all who have dead-head tickets start
LOT the opera house; hundreds of young
men SIT out to spark; reporters look
forward to fires, robberies and murders,
ana church choirs meet to rehearse and
wrangle and lay up clubs for each other.
It's night in the country. The stock
has been fed, the squeal of the pig is
hushed, and the tired horse munches at
his corn and wonders why his master
throws in so many cobs without kernel
on them. The watch dog sits at the
gate, perfectly willing to chew up any of
the neighbors for cent, and within the
farm house all is serene, or woald be if
John Henry could find the grease for his
boots, Mary Ann could find her novel,
the old man discover the hiding place OF
the boot-jack, and the mother solve the
mystery Of how some of her neighbors
managed to get dress costing two shil-
lings per yard while she had nothing but
calico.
IT'S night on the ocean The proud
steamer saas gallantly on, the captain
snoring in his berth, the mates playing
euchre, the lookouts asleep, and every
thing in readiness to swear, in case of
collision, that it was all the other YES
sells fault. Nothing is heard but the
steady beat of the propeller, the groans
OF the immigrants, and the voices of men
and women declaring that anybody who
plans an ocean voyage for pleasure ought
to be shot to death with Goldfish balls.
The sportive dolphin gambols away his
hard earnings, the whale rolls over for
another nap, and the business like shark
follows in the wake to pick up any OPP
portunities which may tumble over
board.
IT'S night on the prairie. The red
men gather about the camp fire to count
the scalps they have taken within the
last week, and to grumble at the govern
ment for not furnishing them port wine
and repeating rifles The white hunter
and trapper curls himself up to wonder
where he can find old bones for break
fast, and to realize what fool he has
made OF himself, and the gaunt vol
shoulders his empty stomach and sets
out in search of something to make life
worth living for.
Night grows apace. In the city the
weary wife takes her place in the hal
with club in hand. In the country the
old folks fall into bed aweary with the
work of the day, and the young people
spark and chew popcorn. On the ocean
the sea sickers continue to grow worse
and the songs OF the mermaids fall fiat
On the prairie the Indians finally decide
to make war in the spring, the hunter
falls asleep to dream of eating his boots
for dinner. aud the wolf meets a wildcat
and offers to toss up to see which shall
eat the other.-ETchaalge