Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1833-07-18


took my seat. II was perhap. 10 en-.
courage me. that he said, a. he let me
OIL a Tar heavier man than you gaed
down yesterday Then he strained
the rope cried I (; but il was too late
to return, and after all I got sale dow n /.
The sun shone brightly, and made
every intricacy in the deep crater. clear
and open 10 the eye The loor nigh,
allow q hundred and fifty people 10
stand on IL at once and consists Of a
line sand that sparkl.s with pebbles,
which have dropped from the surround.
ing and impending rocks. The face
OF these rocks is also gemmed by thou
sands OF the same sort that glittsred
beautifully in the sunbeams, all Of
which has naturally suggested the idea
OF work Of enchantment, for il is
called the Fairy's Palace. But I cor.
fess, though . palace. il had few at.
fractions for me; for besides the dis.
heartenings the Highlander filled me
with, ere my descent, my friend, now
that l was down, without any mis-.
ch'evous intent, crowded my fears,
by giving with startling effect, the fol.
lowing narrative: "A young man once
ascended from this. but when he came
To the top, he incautiousiy stood bold.
upright In the cradle, and the moment
ere 1t was landed, being inpatient to
get out OF II, he made an adventurous
leap for the breast Of the rock. But
the cradle being still pendant in the
AIR, without a stay, fed back on the
impulse OF his spring, and fearful to
think, let him fall between il and the
landing place. Horrible! most hor-
rible!' was my most natural excIama-
ton. But continued my friend,
keep ye your seat in the cradle till il
be firmly landed on the rock, and all
will be SAFE lie assembled, and | pre-
pared to follow.
thought of the young mans leap
and fall ; / figured TO myself the spo,
where he alighted, and the rebound he
made when he met the ground, never
more TO rise. And as l took my seat,
my limbs smote one another, and my
teeth chartered with terror. When
had descended, I kept my eyes ben,
dOwuwards, and was encouraged the
nearer l got to the bottom. But on
ON my ascent, though l looked all the
while upwards, was tremblIngly alive
to the fact that was ever getting into
higher danger. held the spread cords
as with the grip Of death, never moving
my eyes from the blackened creaking
main rope. There! there il goesv
gasped the words; for did l not see
one ply of the triple twisted line snap
asunder as ithappened to touch point
ed piece Of granite And when once
cut and liberated, did the ply no,
untwist and curl away from its coils
Did not see another ply Immediately
follow In the same manner; leaving IN y
LIE to the last brittle thread, which al 50
began TO grow attenuated, and now to
draw so fine, that il could not long
have borne its own weight: was
speeches.; the world whlrled round
became sightless, aud when within
one foot Of being landed, I fell into the
grasp Of my friend, who seeing me q.
bout TO tumble out Of the cradle from
the stePor, opPoftunely snaiehed and
swung cradle and all upon the rock. -
When strength returned. ran from
the edge Of the preeipice, still in the
utmost Notwithstanding fearfuily
and giving unintelligible Utterance "a
the agony of my awe.struck soul. And
II my hair did not undergo an immedi
ate change Of color, I was not wilhou,
such an apprehension /; for certainly u
stood on end during my ascen. from
the floor Of the Fairy'S Palace.