The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-08-05
AFTER IL O'CLOCK.
THE oaEwsoMeNsss OF THE VOICES
OF THE NIGHT.

r,r.t Faint Indications Of the Early
Morning
NIGHT in n great city is an impressive ana
svesome time. filed with strange and. 10 'he
nninitiated. unintellgible sounds, strange
sights and strange deeds. There is a pecuiiar'
,ndescribablc sense of something mysterious
in the air: the atmosphere rests in folds upon
the citv. and is heavy and almost palpabie 10
tho tonch. the sounds are acoustic etchings,
,ho charm outlines blurred and dinimed, but
the meaning and expression ihp'c',"s
clear distinct and mellow. values ana yer
spectiyes are either entirely ios' % s'o
tesnuely distorted Soft airs, unna'urai a'iu
gruesomely cool, steal in their currents
round the corners, with suggestion OF oiinP
vaults or still. black waters III their ''e'''"'
BAyIyG THE MOON.
II still. The silence is heavy and opp7es-
s;ve Get seems unnatural AL sorts OF gro
tesoue thoughts oLtrude themselves IN ais
connected and scnseless confusion A quick
,oo,foll startles the ear and echoes Sharply
hack from the tall brick walls You watcn
;r,entIv till n form is vaguely outlined IN
the black shadow Of the opposite wall atio
o., intensely disappointed because the eye
foils 20 make il out distinctly, and the imagi-
,,o,;o, Immediately busics itself in framing
all kinds of suggestions regarding hiih'
which ere suddenly broken oil oy 'hc sna'p
barking Of a dog. The barking continue
The animal is bayirs the moon oeoai''e- os,
cause he is dog and has 10 bu' why VIZ
Providence implant such an ABSURD useios9
and totally irrelevant necessity III "os
economy. This question begins 10 assume an
overwhelming and vital Importance ""e"
n is driven from the mind by sharp
rattle far Off up the street. "haV IL
that, The vehicle approaches, curiosity
ia keenly alert 1t approaches rapidiy' anu
masses with a din that irritates every nerve
in the body. 1t is only light carriage. con
tanning a tired man, who Is Fastening hoinc
IN he'd Gradually the sounds die away p".
moment later the silence is again desecfa'eu
nv heavy voices in maudlin dispute. Il
marty of roisterers are leaving salooh'
They stop on the corner and engage m long,
aimless and heated discussion over the most
trivial subject, but finally break up, WIN
shouts and protestations of mutual regard.
and the last car rolls slowly up the street
with two or three passengers whose SUMMERS
are rudedy broken 10y their NOISY entrance
A cool breeze steals up from the river, ana
LIGHT. scarcely visible opaline mist floats
over the streets like vail Strange. nan
articulate sounds issue from the bosom %
the night that mysteriously whisper Of "iero
deeds. vet leave the story half untold ana
stir the imagination TO wild flights
Far down the river the deep, full notes o.
,,or,o,'s whistle rise in mellow cadence
that rolls slowly along the sodden ar Up
nechboring street all Owl car Del iainul
i;ngles and d moment later the CLOCKS u
neiehboring church towers deliberately S'ilH'
tho waa sma' hour. Again there Is th'
sound of hurrying wheels far down III
street and soon the faint strokes OF gon;
ara beord All. a fire The sound increases
md then svells louder with a sudden burs
and there is flash OF hight ana ions ua'
of bright sparks trail out moment Oh III
air. and tine engine has passed lhefe = Il
second sound and the noise dies away. IL
Growing very late and the silence hecoil'
deepcr The moon rides high and her 20
ished beams play strange tricks with ;ainilia
objects.
BLIND, CHILDISH TERROR.
suddenly a startling impreSsion-H
,,o,h;ng ,nore-one of those strange, linpa
,ohIa noiseless voices of the nisht-chii
the blood. A cool breeze springs up, al
dies AWAY again All. what was that Inc
- q sbudder in the air, and the silence Is !
tense. What is 1t! Every nerve Is S''"ii'
20 HIGHEST tension. The breath Is stoppe
Objects before distinct and uhimpfe essII
take on weird and threatening shape
Is that straagc, ill-deiincd shape 20 the rls'
Surely it was not there before. see,
moyedl No-ycs-ah, then 1t moved! Il.
annroaching-no, it recedes. AGAIN u
awful immersion of something gri@l
nhantom seems ciutchins at one bach
flesh creeps A scream rises to the lips, l
dies unuttered There is wild desire to IL
hut the body is chained to the spot. Inc
chances warily around but not mus
moves On would give years to turn 81
denly around and confront the namel
specter standing there, but could not DO
were a life at stake. Reason is summoned
the rescue, but for time 1t cannot com
the blind, childish terror that has seized
soul: but the effort is O healthy one ana
struccle TO exert the faculties and cont
the mind abstract the thoughts from the
citing cause, and gradually the cause
fright gives way TO nervousness and
rounding objects assume their normal sha
A policeman turns the corner and pr
mast with measured tread, and he is ella
hailed. The presence of the Laws mil
brings instant assurance and calmneSs,
with a long breath, one enters into wea
wise conversation and accompanies the
ticer on his beat In a little while a Il
gray line makes visible the eastern hori
A butchers cart rattles down the street
the sleepy driver catching maps betty
crossings. The breeze freshens. Ano
wagon follows the first. Then the first
town car appears. - red eyed man com
the door OF saloon and gives the police
a tired salutation. Confused and jun
sounds ill the air. Vehicles Of all kinds
becoming more numerous, and several 1
leave their stand for an early trip 1
depots. A window on the opposite 81
the street is thrown up with bang, I
man with a frowsy head leans ut and
I'D at the sky and down the street. :
banks excitedly, and tugboat emits a
throated howl. The light increases, AM
noruing-St Louis Republic