The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1891-01-13
THE END OF THE WORLD.

I stood on high cliff. Twenty feet
before me perpendicular wall of rock
went down, down, veritable jumping
off place." til it seemed one would have
to look twice to see the bottom, where
the waters of the harbor splashed against
the powders.
Today the bay was smooth as polished
rlass, save where the vessels coming in
from the sea through the strait opposite
the point where stood left ripple and
a line of foam behind, like flaw in the
crystal.
The great city lay to the left of the
strait The burning midsummer sun,
shining from cloudless sky, was reflect
ed by hundred thousand chimneys and
roof tops, and the images Of the high
buildings and the myriad vessels an
chored in the harbor made the scene
more like mirage than reality.
So far above the city was my point of
observation that not a sound, not even
murmur Of the hustle and noise attend
ant upon its activity, reached my ears,
though through the clear atmosphere |
could distinguish moving objects as in
camera obscura.
From the bay, too, although many
vessels-huge ocean steamers. ferryboats
and yaohts-wore moving about, heard
only one sound, the interminable ''puf-
puf-puf" of little tugboat which rapid
w threaded its aimless way among the
other craft So monotOnous indeed did
this sound become that turned my eyes
from the water and looked around at
nearer objects.
To my right was grove of naples.
In clear space in the midst of the trees
stood a white building, its gable toward
me. which reminded me at first glance
of nothing else so much as OF the Par
thenon as it used to be represented in the
classical dictionary. | had not noticed
this building before and as stood and
wondered troop of gayly dressed young
people came rushing out of the door and
arranged themselves in groups on the
messy circles surrounding the trees.
At this moment my companion, who
had Jagged behind me, came up, and to-
gether we went toward the gay throng
Our approach seemed unnoticed.
Scarcely had wesjoined the group,
when, raising my eyes, saw to right and
left dark thunder clouds rolling rapidly
toward the zenith. Broad flashes Of
lightning played about the horizon,
while i'll sharper, zigzag streaks the
electric spark cut its path through the
azure directly above our heads From.
the right low mutterings of distant
thunder were heard, and chilling wind
rising suddenly moaned among the pines
in the distance, and rustled the leaves of
the lindens under which we sat.
glanced toward the building, and on the
steps of the door which looked out upon
the city there stood an old man, wrinklad
and bent. A faded dressing gown was
corded about his waist, his feet were en-
cased in embroidered slippers, and his
right hand, which bore long oakeu
staff, gnarled and twisted, trembled as
the fierce blast struck him and tossed his
thin gray locks In shrill voice he
cried: Come in! Come in! We are
going to have terrible storm
Even as he spoke, and as if in corrob-
Grafton Of his words, the force of the
wind increased almost to gale and
large drops of rain began to fall, slowly
and gently at first, but with increasing
vigor till the patter on the leaves was
lost in one long drawn sound, almost q
roar, as the wind drove the water
through the trees.
Meanwhile the rest of the party had
sought shelter in the building but as
started to follow them my eyes rested OF
sight which compelled me involun
tarily to pause. Ahead Of me, beyond
the bay, beyond the city, beyond ever
the waters Of the ocean itself, a veil, u
shutter, of more than inky blacknes
rose perpendicularly from the horizon
Up to the very heavens it seemed t.
stretch, and to both sides as far as tht
eye could reach.
A sudden, undefnable fear came ovel
me and held me rooted to the earth
Nv horror increased as | saw that thi
horrible veil was moving toward me
how rapidly could not guess, but i
seemed to cover the thousand miles be
tween the horizon and the straits il
barely an iota of time. AS it drew neare
to me | saw that it had also another mo
ton, like that of a band saw or an end
less chain, as if a huge jack towel o
flexible blacllness had been swung owe
two rollers on the netherm0st bounds 0
the universe, and rapidly revolving wa
eating It's way deep into the very bowel
of the earth. for as this horrible engin
of destruction approached perceived
that it was cutting away the sea an'
the solid land, leaving a smooth. cleal
cut edge where these before had been
sit will stop" thought |, "before
reaches the city"
But no, the dreadful Thing, like a
insatiata monster, never paused o
swerved for an instant, and chill shoe
coursed through my veins as watches
first the points of land on either side @
: the strait, then the furthermost house
of the city, and then nearer objects fad
s into absolute nothingness.
The hage machine kept steadily press
) ing forward.
AS street after street of the city melte