Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1836-04-21
THRILLING ADVENTURE.


merchant who collected partv topather TO
give eclat to one Of those little family tes.
rivals which brighten tho dark track ofl;Ce
and cheer the human heart in every cline.
It was his daughters wedding day; crowds
OF her young acquaintance circled round
her, aud as the father gazed proudly on
the face of the young bride, he wished as
bright prospect might open for his other
children, who were gambolling merrily a-
mong the crowd. Passing through the
passage connecting the lower rooms. he
met the servant maid. an ignorant country
wcnSl'' who was carrying lighted tallow
candle III her hand without candlestick,
He blamed her for this dirty conduct, and
went into tho kitchen to make some ar
rangcments with his wife about the SUPPER
table the girl shortly returned with her
arms, full Of ale bottles, but without the
candle. The merchant Immediately rec
objected that several barrels Of gunpowder
had been placed in his cellar during the
day, aud that his foreman had opened one
of the barrels to select sample for a Gus
toner. Where is your candle T. he in
quired, in the utmost agitation. couldn't
bring it up with me, for my hands were
full" said the girl. Where did you leave
nr Well, I'd no candlestick, so + stuck
1t into some black sand that's there In one
Of the tubs The merchant dashed down
the cellar steps; the passage was long and
dark, and as he CROPPED his way his knees
threatened to give way under him, his
breath was choked, and his flesh seemed
suddenly to become dry and parched, as If
he already felt the suffocating blast Of
death. Al the extremity nf The passage,
in the front cellar, under the very room
where his children and their friends were
revealing in felicity, he discerned the open
powder barrel, full almost to the top-the
candle stuck lightly in the loose grains,
with longs and red snuff of burnt-oul wick
topping the small and gloomy flame. This
sight seemed to wither all his powers, and
the merry laugh of the youngsters above
struck upon his heart like the knell Of death.
He stood for some moments, gazing upon
the light, unable to advance. The fiddler
commenced lively jig, and the feet of the
dancers responded with increased vivacity
the floor shook with their exertions, and
the loose bottles in the cellar jingled with
the motion. He fancied the candle moved
was falling! with desperate energy he
dashed forward but how was he 10 re-
move it2 The slightest touch would cause
the small live coal Of wick TO fall into the
loose powder. With unequalled presence
or mind he placed hand on each side Of
the candle. with the open palms upward,
and the distended fingers pointed, towards
the object Of his care, which as his hands
gradually met, was secured in the claspine
or locking of his fingers, and safely ren'ov-
ed from the head ofthe barrel. When he
reached the head Of the stairs, the excite
ment was over; he smiled at the danger he
had conquered: but the reaction was too
powerful, and he fell into fits Of most vio-
lent and dreadful laughter. He was con-
veyed senseless to bed, and many weeks
elapsed ere his nerves recovered sufficient
tone to allow him to resume his habits oi
everyday life. -" sh
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