Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1848-09-13

ing into my brain that the Coach WAS BE
ING MOVED SLOWLY BACKWARDS!
= What followed was Of such swift oc
currence that it seems TO me like fright
full dream.
/ l rushed against the door will, all m,
force; but it Knocked my utmost eforts.-
One side Of our vahicle was sensibly go
ing down, down, down. The moaning
and deeper; and knew from the tlesper
ate plunges against his traces that it wa:
one Of our horses. Crash upon crash 0
hoarse thunder rolled over the mountain
Vivid sheets Of lightning played around
our devoted carriage as il in glee at ouI
misery. BY its light could see for a mo-
ment-oidy for a noment-the old plan
ter, standing erect. with his hands Oh his
son and daughter, his eyes raised to heav-
en-, and his lips moving like those of one
in PRAYER; could see Louise turn her
ashv cheeks and superb eyes toward me
as if imploring my protection; and could
see the bold young glance of the boy
flashing Indignant defiance at the descend
/ ing carriage. the war Of elements and the
awful danger that awaited him. There
was a rol-a desperate plunge as if of an
animal in the last throes Of dissolution-a
harsh. grating jar-a sharp. piercing
scream of moral terror. and had but time
TO clasp Louise firmly with one hand round
the waist and seize the leather fastcnings
attached 20 the coach reef! with the other.
when we were precipita,ed over the pre-
cipice. = =,
can distinctly recOllect preserving
consciousness for few seconds OF time
of how rapidly my breath was being ex-
l,austetl: but Of that tremendous descent
] soon lost all further individual knowl-
edge, bv a conclusion SO violent that |
was instantly deprived Of sense and mo-
ton
I The traveller paused; his features work
ed for minute or two as they had work
ed while we were on the mountain: ne
pressed his hands across his forehead as
if in pain, and then resumed his interest
ing story.
ON a low couch. in an humble room of
eyes in this world of light and shade. OF
Joy and sorrow. Of mirth and madness
Gentle hands smocthcd my pillow. gen
tbc IttI HlficU dCTooS III thditIDci. stIIh u
gentle voice hushcd. for a time. all my
qucstoningS was kindly tended by a
fair young girl about fifteen. who refused
for several days TO hold any discourse
with me At length, one morning. find
ing myself sufficiently recovered 10 sit up,
insisted on learning the result Of the ac-
cdcnt.
you were discovered, said she, ION n
II. 81
shattercdtree clinging to part Of the roof
of your broken coach with one hand and
to the inscnsible form of the lady with the
other
And the ladv!' ! graspcd. scanning
the girls face with an carncstnc>s that
caused her to draw back and blush
She was saved, sir. by the same means
that saved yc.l--the friendly tree
/ And rcI. father and brotherl' | impa-
tiently demanded.
I Were both found crushed 70 pieces at
the. bottom of the precipice. great way
below the place where my father and un-
Gle Joe got you and the lady. We bur-
led their bodies in one grave. close by the
clover patch. do~nin our meadow ground
! Poor Louise! poor orphan! God pity
vou!' | mu,tcIed. in broken tones, utter
! " unconscious that had listener.
tod pity her. indeed. SIR said the
Young girl with gu>h Of heartfelt sym
pa,hv Would you like to see herr she
added.
Take me to her. replied.
! | found the orphan bathed in tears by
the grave Of her buried kindred She re-
ceivet. me with sorrowful sweetness of
manner. Twill not detan Your attention
by detailing the efforts ] made to win her
from her great grief; but briefly acpuaint
YOU that a. least succeeded in inducing
her 70 fcare he place; that accompanied
her 10 her forlorn home az the sunny
South and that twelve months after that
dreadful occurrence which have related.
we stood at The alter together as man and
wife. She still lives TO bless my home
with her smiles. and my children with her
good prcccpiS; but on the anniversary Of
that terrible night she secludes herself in
her room and devotes the hours Of dark
ness TO solitary prayer.
As for me- added the traveller. while
faint flush ,inged his noble brow at the
ayowal, las for inc-that accident has re-
duced me TO the condition ofphysicaFcows
ard at the 81 aht of mountain prescpice
'Dut tie Gii'cT. uTGeu our iaus PaSSeH-
ger. who had attended TO the recital Of the
story with much attention. what became
of the driver, or did you eyer learn the
reason of his deserving his post
Ills body was found on the road. with
1 in few steps Of the spot where the coach
went over. lie had been struck dead by
the same flash of lightning that blinded
the FESTIVE horse
4 The traveller here fell into amusing at
tenton as if al further alluson to the
! subject would he unpleasing to him
Shortly after this we reached the railroad
station. where | parted from the nervous
gentleman, with feeling. of profound es-
TEEN.
NTThe New York Tribune of Mon
day last saws.