Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1850-11-01
i MISCELLAN Y.
CROSSING THE ALLEGHANIEs.

III tie Iall OF 1910, i was travelling east
! ward il stage coach from Pittsburg over
the mountains. Ny fellow passengers were
| two gentlemen anda lady The elder gen,
| tleman's appearance interested me exceed
ingly. In years, be was calm, diguiied and
| polished, and the contour Of his features was
| sin2ulariy intellectual He conversed free
| ly on different topics until the road became
more abrupt and PERCEPTIONS; but on my
directing bis attention to the great altitude
of aprecipice on the verge Of which our coach
wheels were leisurely rolling, there came y
marked change over hi, countepancel
His eyes filed lately With the light of iii
telligence beamed wild, restless. and anxious
the mouth twitched spasmodically and the
forehead was beaded with cola perspiration
With sharp conyulsiys shudder, he turned
bis gaze from the giddy height, and clutch,n &
my arm tightly with both hands, he hun Z
to me like drowning man.
$ Use this eologue" said the lady, handing
me bottle with the instructive goodness Of
her sex
sprinkled 4 little OH hi face, and he soon.
became more Icomposed-but it was not un,
til he had entirely traversed the mountain,
t ock ana assamed ts RaeeatA that
that had at frat noticed. I
:. | owe an apology to the lady" said he
with bland smile, and a geatle inclination
Of the head to our fair companion 9 and
some explanatiouto my fcllowStrayeller, also !
and perhaps cannot better acquit myself Of
the double debt, than by recounting the
cause Of my recent agitation
!, It may pain yours feelings" delicately
urged the lady
:. On tile co.trary it will relieve them, =
was the respectful reply.
Having siglifed our desires to hear more
be thus proceeded
/" AT tie age of eighteen, | was light Of
heart light off foot and | fear lhe suiledD
| light of head A fine property on the bank
Of the Ohio acknowledged me sole owner
/ was fastening home to enjoy it, and de-
lighted to get free from college life, The
month Of October, the air bracing, the mode
of conveyance, stage coach like this, only
more cumbrous The other passengers were
fev-onEy three in all-one, an old gray
headed planter Of Louisiana, his daughter, I
joyous, bewitching creature about seventeen
and son about ten years fage.
They were just returning from France
Of which country the young lady discoursed
in terms so eloquent as to absorb my WHOLE
attention,
The father was taciturn. but the daughtel
was viyacious By nature, we soon became 81
mutually pleased with eachiother- she as
talker, and l as istener-that it was no
until sudden fashof lightning and heavJ
dash of rain against the windows ELECTED al
exclamation from my charming companion
that knew how the night passed us Pre-
sently there was low rumbling sound, aht
then several peals Of thunder, accompanied
BY successive flashes Of lightning The raa
descended in torrents, and an angry wins
began to moan through the forest trees
Il looked from tie window of our vehicle
The night was dark as ebony, but the ligh;
ming showed the danger Of our road w
were on the edge Of a frightful precipice.
could see at intervals, huge jutting rocks ia
away down the side, and the sight made N
solicitous for the safety Of my fair compaI
ion l thought Of the hair breadths tina
were between us and eternity single Ii
tie rock in the track Of our coach wheel
tiny little billet of Wood-a stray root Of
tempest torn tFee-restiye horses, or car,
less drirer-any Of these might hurl US fror
our sublunary existence with the speed (
thought
lis a perfect tempest observed th
lady, as drew my head from the window
g How love q sudden storm there is som
thing so grand among the winds when fairl
let loose among the hills | never eucoul
tered night Ike this, but Byron's magnil
: cent description Of thunder Storm in ii
Iura recurs to my mind But are We Q
the mountain yet2p
: sYes, we have begun the ascent
: sis ii not said to Be dangerous 2"
aBy no means replied in as easy
tone as could assume
4 / only wish il was daylight that '
might enjoy the mountain scenery. b
: what's that n and she covered her eyes fro
!, the glare Of sheet Of lightning that illun
mated heIrugged mountain With brilliant i
. teusity. Peal after peal Of crashing thu
der instantly succeeded there was hea,
volume of rain coming 1t each thunder bur
I and with the deep moanipg Of an animal
dreadful agony breaking upon our ears.
{ found the coach bad come to dead halt
Louisa. my beautiful fellow traveller,
came 4 pale as ashes She fixed her scare
o ing eyes 0n mine, with look of anxio
Il dread and turning 70 her father hurried
+ remarked:
NV. -. nm, The mountains ~