Palladium Of Virginia And The Pacific Monitor

MISCELLANEOUS.

COURT OF DEATH.

Death, the king of Terrors, was determined to choose a prime minister: and his pale courtiers, the ghastly train of diseases, summoned to attend; when each preferred his claim to the honor of this illustrious office. Fever urged the number he destroyed; cold Palsy set forth his pretensions by shaking all his limbs; and Dropsy by his swelled unwieldy carcase. Gout hobbled up and alleged his great power in racking every joint; and Asthma's inability to speak, was a strong though silent argument in favour of his claim. Sad Cholic pleaded their violence. Plague his rapid progress in destruction, and Consumption, though slow, insisted that he was sure. In the midst of this contention, the court was disturbed by the noise of music, dancing, feasting and revelry: when immediately entered a lady, with a cold lascivious air, and flushed and jovial countenance: she was attended on the one hand by a troop of cooks and bacchanals, and on the other by a train of youths and damsels, who danced half naked, to the softest musical instruments. Her name was Intemperance. She waved her hand, and thus addressed the crowd of diseases--

Give way, ye sickly band of pretenders, nor dare to vie with my superior merits in the service of this great monarch. Am I not your parent? The author of your being? Do not ye derive the power of shortening human life, almost wholly from me? Who, then, so fit as myself for this important office? The grisly monarch grinned a smile of approbation, placed her at his right hand, and she immediately became his principal favorite and prime minister.