Burlington hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1845-185?, 1849-08-02
! rushed against the door with all nv

rushed against the door with all nv
force, but it withstood my utmost efforts.
One side Of our vehicle was sensibly CO.
ing down, down, down. The moaning of
the agonized animal became deeper and
deeper, and knew from the desperate
plunges against the traces, that it was one
Of our horses. Crash upon crash Of
coarse thunder rolled over the mountain,
and vivid sheets oflightning played around
our devoted carriage as if in glee at our
misery. BY its light could see for mo-
ment-the old planter standing erect, with
his hands on his son and daughter, his
eyes raised to heaven, and his lips moving
like those Of one in prayer. | could see
Louise turn her ashy cheeks and superb
eyes towards me, as if imploring protec-
ton, and could see the bold glance Of the
young boy flashing indignant defiance at
the descending carriage, the war Of ele-
ments, and the awful danger that awaited
him. There was a roll--a desperate
plunge, as Of an animal in the last throes
of dissolution--a harsh grating jar-a
sharp piercing scream Of mortal terror,
and | had but time to clasp Louise firmly
with one hand around her waist, and seize
the leather fastenings attached to the coach
roof with the other, when we were pre-
cipitated over the precipice.
lean distinctly recollect preserving con-
sciousness for few seconds of time, how
rapidly my breath was being exhausted,
but Of that tremendous descent / soon lost
all further knowledge by conclusion SO
violent that | was instantly deprived Of
sense and motion.
The traveller paused. His features
worked for minute or two as they did
when we were on the mountain !; he press
ed his hand across his forehead, as If in
pain, and then resumed his interesting mar
rative:
On low couch in an humble rootti Of a
small country house, next opened my
eyes in this world o: light and shade, and
JOY and sorrow, Of mirth and Madness
Gentle hands soothed my pillow, gentle
feet glided across my chamber, and a gen
tie voice hushed for time all my ques-
tionings. was kindly tended by a fair
voting girl, about fifteen, who refused for
several days to hold any discourse with
me. At length one morning, finding my
self sufficiently recovered 10 sit up, i'm
sisted on learning the result ofthe accident.
"You were discovered" said she, "sit-
ting OH ledge Of rocks, amidst the branch
es of a shattered tree, clinging to the root
Of your broken coach with one hand, and
to the insensible form of lady with the
| other"
"And the lady," gasped, scanning the
girls face with an earnes,ness that caused
her to draw back and blush.
"She was saved, sir, by the same means
that saved you-the frienaIytree."
"And her father and bro,her?" i'm
patiently demanded.
1--WE found both crushed to pieces, at
The bottom Of the precipice, great way
below the place where my father and uhI-
Gle Joe found you and the lady. We bur-
led their bodies in one grave. close by the
clover patch down in our meadow ground"
"Poor Louise! poor orphan! God pity
you'll" | muttered in broken tones, utterly
unconscious that had listener.
"God pity her indeed, sir" said the
young girl, with gush of heartfelt SYM
pathy. Would you like to see her % she
added.
"Take me to her." l replied.
found the orphan bathed in tears, by
the grave OF her buried kindred. She re-
ceived me with sorrowful sweetness Of
manner. l need not detain your attention
by detailing the efforts made to win her
from her grief but briefly acquaint you,
that at last l succeeded in inducing her to
leave her .orlorn home in the sunny South,
and that twelve months after the dreadful
occurrence which have related, we stood
al the altar as man and wife. She still
lives to bless my love with her smiles, and
my children with her good precepts, but on
the anniversary Of that terrible night she
secludcs herself in her room. and devotes
the hours of darkness to solitary prayer.
As for me, added the traveller, while the
faint flush tinged his noble brow at the
avowal, sas for me, that accident has re-
duced me 10 the condition of a physical
coward at the sight Of mountain precipice.
But the driver, asked our lady passeH-
ger, who had attended 10 the recital Of the
story with much attention, what became
of the driver? or did you ever learn the
reason Of his deserving his post.
His body was found Oh the road, with
in few steps of the spot where the coach
went over. He had been struck dead by
the same flash Of lightning that blinded the
FESTIVE horses.