The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1849-05-16
THE NERVOUS GENTLEMAN,s
STORY.

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In the fall Of 1896 I was travel
ling eastward in a stage coach from
Pittsburgh over the mountains. My
fellow passengers were two gentlemen
and lady. The elder gentleman's ap-
pearanco interested me exceedingly.
In years he seemed about thirty; in
air and manner he was calm, dignifsed
and polished; and the contour of his
features was singularly intellectual.
He conycrsed freely on general topics,
until the road became more abrupt and
precipitous; but on my directing his
attention to the great altitude of q pre-
cipice, on the verge of which our coach
wheels were leisurely rolling, there
came q marked change over his coun-
tenace. His eyes, so lately filed with
the light Of mild intelligence, beamed
wild, restless and anxious; the mouth
twiched spasmodically, and the fore.
head was beaded with cold perspira-
tion. With o sharp, conyulsiye shud-
der he turned his gaze from the giddy
height, and clutching my arm tightly
with both hands, he clung to me like
drowning man.
Use this cologne sa;d the lady,
handing me bottle, with the instinct
i've goodness of her sex.
sprinkled little on his face, and
he soon became somewhat more com.
| posed; but it was not until VIC had en-
tirely traversed the mountains and de-
seconded to the country beneath, that
his fine features relaxed from their
perturbed look, and assumed the pla.
cid, quiet dignity had first noticed.
i owe an apology to the lady, said
he with bland smile and gentle incli-
nation of head, to our fair companion,
Sand some explanation to my fellow
travellers also: and perhaps 1 cannot
better acquit myself of the double debt
than by recounting the cause Of my re-
cent agitation.
II may pain your feelings delicate
ly urged the lady.
'On the contrary, it will relieve
them,' was the respectful reply.
Having signiied our several desires
to hear more, tho traveller thus pro.
cceded:
sAt the age of eighteen, Twas light
of heart, and light Of foot, and, fear,
(herc he slniled,) light of head. A
fine property on the right bank of the
Ohio acknowledged me as sole owner.
!! was fastening home to enjoy it, and
delighted to get free from q college
life. The month was October, the air
bracing, and the mcde of conveyance a
stage coach like this, only mora cum
brous. The other passengers were few
but three in allan old gray-headcd
planter of Louisiana, his daughter, a
joyous, bewitching creature about sew
cntcen, and his son about ten years Of
age. They were just returning from
France, of which country the young
lady discourcd in terms 80 eloquent as
to absorb my entire attention.
'The father was taciturn, but the
daughter was vivacious by nature; and
we soon became so mutually pleased
with each other-shc as a listener
that it was not until sudden fash of
lighting and heavy dash Of rain against
the coach windows elected an exclama-
ton from my charming companion, that
noticed how night us. Presently
there was low rumbling sound, and
then several tremendous pcals of thun.
der, accompanied by successive flashes
of lightning. The rain descended in
torrents, and an angry wind began to
howl and moan by turns through the
forest trees.
4 looked from the window of our ve-
hicle. The night was dark as ebony,
but the Lightning revealed the danger
of our road. We were on the edge of
a frightful precipice. ! could see at
intervals, huge jutting rocks far away
down its side, and the sight made me
solicitous for the safety of my fair com.
panion. thought of the mere hairs.
breadth that were between us and
eternity; a single little rock in the
track of our coach-whecls- tiny billet
Of wood--a stray root of tempesttorn
trec--a rcstive horse, or careless
driver-any of these might hurl us
from our sublunary existence with the
speed of thought.
'Tis perfect tempest,' observed the
lady, as | withdrew my head from the
window. How I love a sudden storm!
there is something so grand about the
winds when fairly loose among the