Art Young

“ Hunt learns the fate of deceptive land agents.
These men who urged poor people to migrate to a barren country under the impression that it was a paradise, and advertised beautiful homes in ideal locations which turned out to be the reverse of the printed descriptions, are lifted high in the car of an observation elevator with promises of a fine view of the surrounding country and choice of cool corner lots. When at a great height a Demon pulls a lever, a trap-door opens and the agent falls into a furnace of brimstone fire. ”

“ Hunt thanks Satan for his hospitality and continues his journey. He takes an incline car and arrives at the department where flatterers are punished.
He studies the list of victims in his guide book. The most harmful kind, "those who attach themselves to a man the instant he makes a success in life and fill him with exaggerated notions of his greatness and importance," are seen in stocks, and their bare feet are being tickled by delighted imps. ”

“ Hunt tells the Demons that a great majority of the civilized world think Hell only a bugaboo dream, they are convulsed with laughter.
The banquet over, Hiprah Hunt bids farewell to Satan and his colleagues. The Arch-Fiend asks him to come again, and Mr. Hunt promises to do so if he recovers from the exploration just ended.
Taking an ascending car back to the American entrance he climbs out into the upper world, through the same wild forest he had passed six weeks before. Under a star-lit sky he makes his way home with proofs that Hell really is ”

“ Overhead a ghostly night wind ploughs through the tree tops and wails and sobs like a lost spirit. Amidst a whizzing of invisible bats and the hoots of melancholy owls, he struggles to his feet. Combing the gravel out of his long locks he sets forth in a southeasterly direction. ”

“ Hunt makes his way to the district where he sees the conscience-thumping machines at work, an illustration of which is in his guide book.
A manufacturer who has taken the invention of a poor man and made a fortune out of it, without compensating the inventor, is found bound to the platform of one of these machines underneatn a trip-hammer that plays an eternal tattoo on his sinful old head. ”

“ CANTO XXI.
The poet relates the punishment of such as were too suspicious.
Here he finds the man who suspects that everybody is trying to cheat him, and also the man who thinks that every philanthropist has pecuniary reasons for his good deeds.
These and many others are turned into a rocky region to be chased and tormented by strange animals called Bunklefrights and Snoopflaps. These animals have large, piercing eyes, and sharp-pointed tails and toe nails with which they prick their victims, laughing the while with a peculiar sound that reminds Mr. Hunt of a violent bronchial cough. ”

“ Despite “higher criticism” he continually and earnestly advocates the justice of future punishment, and for this reason is known in the town where he lives as “Hell-fire Hunt.”
Not unlikely his belief in a Demon-haunted Hell ruled over by a personal Devil is in part due to atavism, for Mr. Hunt is a descendant of the illustrious Hunts who lent their aid to the extermination of witches in that part of New England where witchcraft once flourished.
As President of a Dante Club he collected many books on the subject of future retribution. ”

“ Finally, he comes to a projecting precipice from which he peers and discerns a dim light through the sluggishly rising smoke. As he crawls lower he hears voices, and a great commotion. An odor of burning brimstone fills the air. He swings out from an overhanging rock and allows himself to drop. ”

“ Through the flickering red light that pervades this region the explorer makes his way to the next district.
THE BUCKET-SHOP GAMBLERS.
CANTO XLII.
In what is called the Carousal of Hell, Mr. Hunt sees the long-legged devils.
Some of these have legs thirty feet long. They hop about, chasing victims, in a game of tag. The feature of the game that makes it interesting for the devils is that they are never "it."
People who "jump at conclusions" are some of the unfortunates who are kept dodging and guessing in this department. ”

“ CANTO XXXV. In the twelfth district most of the brimstone mines of the region are located.
Here confined to hard labor are many kinds of culprits. Among them Mr. Hunt thinks he recognizes an old neighbor who was too lazy to shovel the snow from his sidewalk.
While watching these laborers a Demon overseer calls his attention to a brood of spirits leaping and tumbling amongst the distant crags.
They are embezzlers, carrying heavy bags of stones and being pursued by swift-winged devils. ”

“ Through an almost interminable cavern the explorer now comes out into a vast mountainous region called the "Devil's Hunting Ground."
Corrupt men in public office, who combined and threw the blame of their guilt on one man are found in this region transformed into wild animals, for the amusement of Satan's sharp-shooting devils. ”

“ Hunt shows no evidence of having died, the goblin custodian who watches the entrance will not allow him to pass. Mr. Hunt does not deny that he is alive, but explains that he is about the only prominent champion of future punishment living and deserves special consideration. ”

“ If he has illuminated the dark and serious subject with a suspicion of fun—it is meant to convey the hope he feels for all sinners like himself, that some relief of a slightly humorous nature may be found even in Hell.
A. Y.
There are many portraits of Dante giving a more soulfully poetic cast to his countenance and which are much more pleasing for admirers of the great Florentine, to look upon, than the one reproduced here ”

“ Under the escort of a Demon overseer, Mr. Hunt is directed into a department where he witnesses the punishment of a man who on earth wore fine clothes, while his wife and children went about in shabby attire. ”

“ CANTO IV.
Hiprah Hunt is at the American entrance to Hell. He stands amidst a throng of Demons, sinners and employees of the realm. Crowds of men are getting overcoats checked and buying fans. He buys one himself, and also secures a guide book, locating the different sections and departments. ”

“ CANTO XX. Mr. Hunt crosses an aqueduct and finds himself in a district where people are tormented who have defrauded or abused others by the use of hypnotic power. It appears that the Demons have the power of hypnotism themselves and treat their victims as the latter treated others while on earth. ”

“ Although overcome by hunger, every eatable thing evades them or is snatched away by little imps that skip gleefully about with squeaks of merriment.
THE PENALTY FOR CAT-STARVING.
CANTO LIII.
Hiprah Hunt holds discourse with Beelzebub, who is general superintendent of the whole lower section of Hell.
He learns from this distinguished personage that Satan makes a tour of his region every month on a special train. From the platform of his private car he gives instructions to his employees. ”

“ CANTO XXIII. Remounting by the same path which led to the department spoken of in the preceding Canto, the explorer now passes over into the sixth section.
His guide book tells him that here the bores are punished.
He takes note of the penalty that follows the man who continually talks about himself, and others of the bore species ”