Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1848-08-18


t. and dubbed, seeking passage, and crumbn
the barrier which mpeded their wav, dashe
I'd against it, and over it, in the mad endeavor /
i. rush onward. The persons seen few minute
~ before were driven up to the bluff; and they NJ
I. sooner reached there than Victor and myseli
Is struggling amid the breaking ice and the raisin.
d Hood, gained the shore; but in vain did we scel
|. spot upon the perpendicular sides Of the bluff
] where. for an instant, we could rest from tn,
l. struggle. We shouted to those above and the,
y hailed us with cheer. flashed their torches owe
h our heads-lnt they nd no power to aid us. fo
X the ground they stood upon was thirty feet above
n us. Even while we were thus struggling. ant
n with our arms outstretched toward heaven ian
u plorlng aid, the gorge, with sound like III,
e rumbng of an earthquake, broke away, ano
swept us along in IFS dreadful course. Now
; did 1t seem. indeed, as if we had been TENTED
with hope, only that we tight feel to its full ex.
) tent OF pognancy The bitterness of absolute des-
pair. yielded in hopeless inactivity 10 the cur
rent; my companion in the meantime, was sep.
r arated from me and | felt as if fate had singled
ont me, alone as the victim; bur, while thus
; yielding to dependency, Victor again appeared
, at my side, and held Inc within his powerful
grasp. lie seized me as ! was about TO sink
through exhaustion, and dragged me after him.
with superhuman strength he leaped across the
: daring the death that menaced us. We neared
the shore where it was low; and all at once,
: directly before us, shot up another beacon, and
dozen torches flashed up beside it, The river
again gorged below us and the accumulated
flood and ice bore forward full fifty feet evond
the rivers brink-as before the tide again swept
away the barrier, leaving us lying among the
fragments of ice deposited by the retreatng
food which dashed on its course. foaminr. and
roaring, and flashing in the light Of the blazing
beacon. Locked in each others arms. and ,rem-
bling with excitement, we lay collecting our
scattering senses, and endeavoring to divest us
OF the terrible though, that we were still at the
mercy of the flood. Our friends who had learn.
ed from the negroes the mad adventure we had
started upon, now gathered arounI, lifted us up
rom our PROSTATE position, and moved toward
fesson's mansion. Victor, who through the
whole struggle had lorne himself up with the
firInness which scorns to sink before danger,
now yielded and sunk nsensihe. The excite
ment was now at an end, and the strong man
lad become child. ], feeble in body, and lack
ing his energy in danger, now that the peril was
past, felt bnoyancy and strength which did
not possess at starting ont
My companion was lifted up and borne toward
his uncle's No music sounded upon the air
as we approached-no voice Of mirth escaped
from the portal, for all inside were hushed into
gref-that grief which anticipates loss, but
knows not the sum of it. Several who entered
the mansion first, and myself among the num-
Der, announced the coming Of Victor, who had
fallen in a tanting fit but they would not be-
lieve it-they supposed at once that we came
sSr snSe them From the .ds s and ec
with piercing cry, rushed toward the hall
: those bearing his body were at the moment en-.
tari fhn Il
chung to his inanimate FORM uttering the mos,
poignant cries of anguish. A few restoratives
brought Victor to consciousness, and swee
! were the accents of reproof which fell upon III.
ear with the first waking into life, for they be
trayed to him the tender feelings of love which
the fair Estelle had before concealed beneath
her cOquetry. While the tears of JOY were be
dewing her cheeks on finding her lover safe
he like skillful tacttan pursued the advantage
and in a mock attitude of desperation threaten
= ed rush out and cast himself amid the turbd
waters OF the lake, unless she at once promised
to terminate his suspense by fixing the day o
their marriage. The fair girl consented t(
throw around him, merely a. she said for hi.
preservation the gentle authority of a wife, ant
! at once offered to seal "quit claim" of IN,
pretensons upon her rosy lips, bu, she preferred
= having Victor act as my attorney in the matter
= and the negotiation was accordingly closed
After partaking of a fragrant cup of Mocha
: about the hour day was breaking, started fo
y home, and having arrived, plunged beneall
' the blankets to rest my wcarled body. Nea
! noon was awakened by the medical attendant
: feeling my pulse. On opening my eyes the tir,
> Impulse was to hide the neglected potons
which had careessly left exposed upon the IA
: BILE, but glance partially relieved my fear.
about its discovery, for had fortunately throw
{ my cravat over it and hid ii from view. A.
Victor predicted, the doctor attributed the heal
> thy state in which he found me entirely to hi.
:, prescriptions, and following up its suppose
), good effect, with repetition Of his advice t.
u keep quiet, he departed. could scarcely sup
u press smile in his presence. Little did hi
!, dream of the remedy which had binished m,
iever-cold baths and excitement had produced
;, an effect upon me for mere potent than drugs
1t either vegetable or mineral.
A month after the events here mentioned
y made one OF a gay assembly in that same ole
I mansion at the foot OF Lake st. Clair Ii wa,
Nictors wedding light, about to be consumma
e ted where the confession was first won, an,
while he sa, upon one side of the sofa holdin,
q his botrothed's hand, in all the joy of undispu
Q ted possession, on the other gave her descrip
= ton OF the winter spirits which hold their re,r
= upon the ice Of the lake. While she listcne,
IeT eye hlNuleu Win cXcltSUlcII. anu s'lt CIunl
e uncon-ciously and with conyulsiye shudde
y TO the person of her lover.
- "You are right, Estele," said |, hold hin
fast, or they will steal him away to their dee
y caves beneath the waters, where their dance is
TO mortal, dance of death.
!, Bidding me begone, for spitefu croaker
!" who was trying out of jealousy to mar her han
!! piness, she turned conidingly to the manly forn
: beside her and from the noble expression beam
!! ing from his eyes imbibed fire which delie
the whole spirt-world, so deep and so s,ron,
= was their assurance of devoted affection. Tn
u good priest now babe them stand up, and IN
7, words were spoken, and the benediction bes,ow
u ed the bride and groom congratulated, and
:, general JOY crcled the company round.
y, The causes which led to, and the incident,
~ which betel, a night on the ice,' have en-
~ deavored faithfully to rehearse, and now lr
~ ~ me add the pleasing sequel, Victor Druisse
folded in the embrace of beauty, now pillow
'J his head upon bosom as fond and true AS ev
~ er in It's wild pusations of coquetry made man
- manly heart to ache with doubt.
In lSi4 Mr. Clay wrote letters freely, and wa
: sneered at by the Locoiocos who styled him 'th
complete letter writer"
$ Nn,v tha s.n,a ,x,alIant ,raotn.o.