The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1849-05-16

a.
BY no means. / replied in as easy
a tone as / could assume.
/ only wish it were daylight, that
we might enjoy the mountain scenery.
But Jesu Marie! what's that?' and she
covered her eyes from the glare Of d
sheet Of lightning that illuminated the
rugged mountain with brilliant intensii.
ty. Peal after peal Of crashing thun-
der Instantly succeeded; there was d
very volume of rain coming down at
each thunder-burst; and with the deep
moaning of an animal as if In dreadful
agony breaking upon my ears, I found
that the coach had come to q dead half.
Louise. my beautiful fellow traveller,
became as pale as ashes. She fixed her
searching eyes on mine with d look of
anxious dread and turning to her faith
er, hurliedly remarked
We are on the mountains?
i reckon 80, was the unconcerned
With instant activity I put my head
through the windows and called to the
driver, but the only answer was the
heavy moaning Of ar agonized animal
borne past me by the soft wings Of the
tempest. I seized the handle Of the
door and strained at vain; it would not
yield 3 jot. AT that instant I felt a
cold hand on mine, and heard Louise's
voice faintly articulating in my ear the
appalling words S
sIHecoac1sis being moved Jaczgdrds!i,'
God in Heaven! Never shall I for
get the fierce agony with whichI tug.
ged at that coach door and called on
the driver in tones that riyalled the
force of the blast, whilst the dreadful
conviction was burning my brain that the
coach acas being moved slotoly back
acardsi
'What followed was of such swift oc-
currence that it seems to me like q
frightful dream.
sI rushed against the door with all my
force, but it Knocked my utmost effort.
One side Of our vehicle was sensibly 90,
ing down, down, down. The moaning Of
the agonized animal became deeper and
deeper, and I knew from the desperate
plungcs against his traces that It was
one of our horses. Crash upon crash
of hoarsc thunder rolled over the noun
tain, and vivid sheets Of lightning play.
ed around our devoted carriage as if in
glec at our misery. BY its light / could
see for moment--only for moment
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. I could
sec Louise turn her ashy, cheeks and
superb eyes towards me us if imploring
my protection, and I could see tho bold
glance of the young boy flashing indig
nant defiance at tho descending carri
age, the war of elements, and the awful
danger that awaited him. There was a
roll.-a desperate plunge, as if of an AMI.
NAL in the last throes of dissolution "a
harsh, grading jar.--a sharp, piercing,
scream of mortal terror, and Ihad but
time to clasp Louise firmly with one
hand around the waist, and seized tho
leather fastcnings attached to the coach
roof with the other, when we were pre-.
cipatcd over the precipice.
] can distinctly recollect preserving
consciousness for q few seconds of time,
how rapidly my breath was being ex,
hausted; but Of that tremendous descent
I soon lent further individual knowledge
by q conclusion so violent that Iswas
instantly deprived of sense and motion
The traveller paused. His features
worked for minute or two as they did
while we we're on the mountain; he pres
sed his hand across his forehead as ifir
pain, and then resumed his interesting
story:
On a low couch, in an humble room
of q small country house, I next opened
my eyes in this world of light and shade,
and Joy and sorrow, ofmirth and mad
ness. Gentle hands smoothed my pill
low, gentle feet glided across my cham
Der, and q gentle voice hushed for a
timo all myiquestionings. + was kind.
ly tended by a fair young girl about fif
teen, who refused for several days to
hold any discourse with me. Atlength,
ono morning, finding myself sufficiently
recovered to sit up, / insisted on learn
ing the result of the accident.
"You were discovered said she, ssit,
ting on the edge of q rock, amidst the
branches Of shattered tree, clinging