Perth Amboy evening news., 1903-12-01
The Earthquake at
Shutters Corners.
BY A L. VERMLYA.

nI rs comm; the signs is all right,
and it's surely comm. Wen all
be in eternity by this time tomorrow,
and the world, at least our part of it,
will be all jogglcd to pieces. This is
our last day on earth, and we'd ought
to reflect onto the future state" Mrs.
Potter creaked dismally back and
forth in her wooden rocker, as she
gazed with lack-luster eyes at some
half-grown chickens that were con-
tentedly scratching before the open
door.
Wal, l dunno" replied her husband
cheerfully, as he combed his scanty
locks before the small looking glass,
"p'r'aps We'll be here quite a spell
yet. Them prophet chaps don't know
it ALL" Mr.. Potter was a cheerful
soul, though his wife regarded his pres
ent optimism us nothing short of rank
sin. But he did not believe that any
serious cataclysm was impending, SO
he sat down to supper with his wonted
good spirits.
For a prophet had arisen at Shutters
Cornerstone Of those lank, sad eyed,
ignorant beings who are given to
dreams and visions, and who exert an
unacoountable Influence over the minds
OF country folk. This particular seer
bad been afflicted with a dolefully real
istic dream, iR which he had seen the
Corners" and the surrounding coun-
try swallowed up by a great earth
quake. yAThen an angel had appeared
to hiE in his sleep, and had told him
thatGt was an all-wool vision, and that
~the<things which he had seen would
surely come to pass, on the 9th day
OF the coming month, at exactly eight
o'clock in the morning. The destruc-
ton was to be complete. and after that
| date the world would know Shutters
| Corners no more. The prophet, it was
said, had eaten heartily of fresh pork
and fried onions on the eve of the
dream, which circumstance may have
had some connection with the VISION"
| though this is mere conjecture.
From the time of the vision, the
prophet had lone nothing but wander
about the little hamlet, 'warnin'" the
Inhabitants, many of whom, greatly
TO their discredit, believed the lanky
one, and were accordingly much de-
dressed. These believers were for
leaving the place at once, but as none
seemed to know just how far the earth
quake's destruction might extend, they
| changed their minds and concluded to
die at home. Besides. it was right in
| L. r,-o,t;nor two nn1 with - foint hnCo
that there might be some mistake in
regard to the coming of the advertised
calamity, these superstitious folk con-
tinued to gather in their crops, though
the work was done in a ~perfunctory
manner. Mr.. Potter and his son, John,
were quite unaffected by the prevailing
gloom; and the cheerfulness and en-
| orgy with which these two worked at
gathering in the harvest surprised and
annoyed the followers of the prophet.
| and caused the dyspeptic sOothsayer to
Geclaim loudly against the worthy
| farmers "ongodliness." But Mrs. Pot
ter was the only utterly hopeless II
IN the place. She looked forward with
absolute certainty to the coming of the
earthquake on scheduled time, the 9th
day of August. at eight o'clock. 1t
was now the evening of the 26th.
Mr.. Potter sat down at the table and
| began peeling a boiled potato. Anx-
iety for the morrow had not impaired
his appetite.
Come, Sairy," he said, cheerfully,
set up and hev some supper. Come
and hev a cup of tea and some of these
poached aigs. They're real good, the
way you cook EN-" Mr.. Potter had
always been |indulgent with his wife,
and now, though he was thoroughly
disguSted at her taking so strongly to
the popular delusion, he tried to cheer
her and to divert her mind from the
expected catastrophe.
wal" said Mrs. Potter. coming
YEARLY to the table, II s'pose I may
as well set down with you. though
| amt no stomach for eatin'. Mr.. Gar
ner says everybody ought to be pray
in, and prepar'n' for the end"
Dang Jabe Garner!" exclaimed her
husband, in a burst of just indigna-
ton. Hes a dun nuisance, and ought
TO be drove out of the Corners. If
he'd pay a little more attention tV his
business, anil try to raise something
on that weedy farm of hisn, or do bet
ter work at plasterin', when he tackles
that business, he wouldn't hev quite
so many pesky dreams. He's a plum
fraud" Mr.. Potter savagely speared
another potato from the dish, and be-
gan fiercely cutting it up with its skin
on.
20 Silas," said Mrs. Potter, with a
r%eproachful look at her husband, "how
can you speak SO ~onrespectful of Mr..
Hnrnnrh liz rnrrn lola a nnnl nrnuhA4