The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1844-09-16
Youths Department.
From the Christian Citizen.
The Natural Bridge.
OR ONE NICHE THE IHGIEsT.

to that vast arch Of unhewn rocks, which the Al
mighty brdged those everlasting butments
"wben the morning stars sang together" The little
piece OF sky spanning those measureess piers, is full
of stars, though il mid day. 1t is almost five hun
dred feet from where they stand up those perpen-
dicular buwarks of limestone, TO the key rock Of
that Vost arch, which appears to them only the size
Of mans hand The silence of death is rendered
more impressive by the little stream that falls from
rock to rock down the channel. The is dark
ened, and Ehe boys have unconciously uncovered
their heads if standing in the presence Of the Maj
esty of the whole earth At last, this feeling begins
TO away; they begin to look around them; they
find that others have been there before them. They
see the names of hundreds cut in the limestone but
ments new feeling comes over their young hearts,
and their knives were in their hands in an instant.
"What man has done, man may do" is !heir watch
word, while Trey draw themselves up and carve their
names foot above those of hundred full.grown
men who have been there before them.
They all satisfied at this feat of physical exer
ton except one, whose example illustrates perfectly
the forgotten truth that there royal road 10 intel
ieciu1l eminence. This ambitious youth sees name
just above his rench name that will be green in
the memory Of the world, when those of Alexander,
Caesar, and Bonapnrte shall rot in oblivion. 1t was
the name Of Washington. Before he marched with
Braddock TO that fatal field, he had been there, and
leii his hnme foot above all his predecessors. It
glorious thought of the hoy, to write his name
foot above that ofthe great father of his country.
He grasps his knife with firm hand; and, clinging
10 little utng cragh cuts again into the limestone,
about foot above where he sands; he then reaches
mp s cuts another for his hands. IT'S dangerous adj
venture but he puts his feet and hands into those
gains, and draws himself up carefully to his full
length, he finds himself foot above every name
chronicled in that mighty wall While his compnn-
ions regarding him with much concern and admi-
ration, he cuts his name in rude capitals, large and
deep, into the linty album. iIs knife is still in his
hand, and strength in his snews; and created
aspiration in his heart Again he cuts another niche
and again he carves his name in large capitals.
This is not enough Needless of the entreates of
his companions, he cuts and climbs ugain The grad
uation Of his ascending scale is wider apart
He measures his length at every gain he cuts The
voices Of his friends weaker and weaker till
their words are finally lost 10 his ear He for
the first time casts look behind him. Had that
glance lasted a moment, that moment would have
been his last He clngs with convulsive shudder
TO his little niche in the rock. An awful abyss awaits
his almost certain fall. lie is fain with severe ex
erton, and trembling from the sudden view of the
dreadful destruction to which he is exposed His
knife is worn half way to the halt. He hear
the voices, but not the words, Of his terrorstricken
companions below. What a moment! What a
menger chance to escape destruction There is no
retracing his steps 1t is impossible TO put his hands
into the same niche with his feet, and retain his
slender hold a moment. His companions Instantly
perceive this and fearful dilemma, and await his
fall with emotions that "freeze their young blood.'
He Is too high, too faint, TO ask for his father and
mother, his brothers and sisters to como and Witness
Or avert his destruction. But one of his companions
anticipates his DESIRE Swift as the wind, he bounds
down the channel, and The situation of The fated boy
is told on his fathers hearlhstone
Minutes Of almost eternal length roll on and there
are hundreds standing in that rocky channel, and
hundreds on the bridge above, all holding their
breath, and awaiting the fearful catastrophe. The
poor hoy hears the hum of new and numerous voic-
es both above and below.-IIe can just distinguish
the tones of his father who is shouting with all the
energy Of despair "WHliann Uiiiiam ! DON'T
look down Your mother, and Henry, and Harriet
are all here praying for you! Don't ioot doDnt
Keep your eye totoards The topr' His eye is fixed
like flint towards Heaven, and his young heart on
him who reigns there. lie grasps again his knife
lie cuts another nche and another foot is added to
the hundreds that remove him from the reach of hu-
man help from below. How carefully he uses his
wasting blade ! How anxiously he selects the soft
est places in that vast pier How he avoids the fin
ty grain How he economises his physical pow ors
resting moment at each gain he cuts. How ev-
cry motion is watched from below There stands
his father, mother, brother and sister, on the very
spot where, if he falls, he will not fall alone.
The sun is now half way down the west. The
lad has made fifty additional, inches in that mighty
wall, and now finds himself directly under the mid
die of that vast arch OF rocks, earh and trees. He
must cut his way in direction, to get from I'M
der this overhanging mountain. The inspiration of
hope is dying in his bosom; its vital heart is fed by
the increasing shouts of hundreds perched upon cliffs
and trees, and others who stand with ropes in their
hands on the bridge above, with ladders below
Fifty gains must be cut before the longest rome can
reach him. His wasting blade strikes again into the
limestone. The boy is emerging painfully, foot BY
foot, from under that lofty arch Spced ropes are
ready in the hands Of those who leaning over the