Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1844-08-16

freeze their young blood He is too high, too
faint to ask for his father and MOTHER his brothers
and sisters to come and witness or avert his de-
structon. 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 upon his fathers hearth-stone.
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 boy hears the hum of new and numer-
Gus voices both above and below. He can just
distinguish the tones of his father, who is shout
ing with all the energy of despair, William! W.
banal Don't took dolOn! Your mother and Hen
ry, and Harriet are all here, praying for yOu!-
Don't look doocn! Keep your eye to,Cards the topP
Th~ boy dla't look dotga. H;s cy, is fixed like
flint towards Heaven, and his young heart on Him
who reigns there. lie graspS again his knife
He cuts another niche, and another foot is added
to the hundreds that remove him from the reach
of human help from below. How carefully he uses
his wasting blade! How anxiously he selects the
softest places in that vast pier How he avoids
every finty grain! How he economies his phys
ical powers resting a moment at each gam he
cuts. How every motion is watched from below
There stands his father, mother, brother and sis
ter the very spot where if he falls, he will not
| fall alone.
The sun is now halfway down the west. The
lad has made fifty additional inches in that mighty
wall, and now fluids himself directly under the mid
die of that vast arch of rocks, earth, and trees
He must cut his way in new direction to get from
under this over-hanging mountain. The inspira-
ton of hope is dying in his BOSOM its vital heat is
| fed by the increasing shouts of hundreds perched
upon cliffs and trees, and others who stand with
ropes in their hands OH the bridge above or with
ladders below. Fifty gaines more must be cut
before the longest rope 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 are leaning over the outer edge
of the bridge. TWosminutes more, and all will
be over That blade is worn to the last half inch
The boys head reels, his eyes are starting from
their sockets. His last hope is dying in his heart
his life must hang upon the next gain he cuts
That niche is his last.-At the last faint cash hi
makes, his knfe-that faithful knfe-fas from
; his little nerveless hand, and, ringing along tn
preclpice, falls al his mothers feet. An nvolun
tary groan of despair runs like death knell thro
the channel below, and all is still as the grave A
the height of nearly three hundred feet, the devo
ted boy lifts his hopeless heart and closing eyes t.
, commend his soul to God. IT'S but moment
there !-one foot swings of'!-he is reeng-trem
bling-toppllng over into eternity! Hank l.
shout falls on his ear from above! The ma
who is lying with half his length over the bridge
has caught glimpse of the boys head and shoul
ders. Quick as thought the noosed rope is with
in reach of the sinking youth. No one breathes
With faint, convulsve effort, the swooning bo
drops his arms into the moose. Darkness come
over him, and with the words, God! and Mother
whispered on his lips just loud enough to be hear
in heaven-thc tightening rope lifts him out Of hi
last shallow niche. Not lip moves while he is dat
n Cling over that fearful abyss; but when sturd
/ Virginian reaches down and draws up the laC
" and holds him up in his arms before the tearfu
breathless multitude, such shoutng-such eapm
g and weeping for joy-never greeted the ear of
s human being SO recovered from the yawning gulp
/ Of eternity. E. B.