 | The works of Washington Irving |  |
THE STORM-SHIP.
In the golden age of the province of
the New Netherlands, when it was under
the sway of Wouter Van Twiller, otherwise
called the Doubter, the people of the
Manhattoes were alarmed one sultry afternoon,
just about the time of the summer
solstice, by a tremendous storm of thunder
and lightning. The rain descended in
such torrents as absolutely to spatter up
and smoke along the ground. It seemed
as if the thunder rattled and rolled over
the very roofs of the houses; the lightning
was seen to play about the church
of St. Nicholas, and to strive three times,
in vain, to strike its weathercock. Garret
Van Horne's new chimney was split
almost from top to bottom; and Doffue
Mildeberger was struck speechless from
his baldfaced mare, just as he was riding
into town. In a word, it was one of
those unparalleled storms, that only
happen once within the memory of that
venerable personage, known in all towns
by the appellation of "the oldest inhabitant."
Great was the terror of the good old
women of the Manhattoes. They gathered
their children together, and took
refuge in the cellars; after having hung
a shoe on the iron point of every bed-post,
lest it should attract the lightning. At
length the storm abated; the thunder
sunk into a growl, and the setting sun,
breaking