The North-Carolina standard., 1850-02-13
THE NATURAL BR1DGE.

standing in the channel below, looking up with awe
to that vast arch Of unhewn rocks, which the Al
when the morning stars sang together.'' The lit
tie piece OF sky spanning those measureless piers, is
full of stars, although it is midday. 1t is almost
1--WE hundred feet from where they stand, up those
perpendicular bulwarks of limestone, the key rock
of that vast ach which appears them only the size
of mans hand. The silence of death is rendered
more impressive by the little stream that falls from
rock to rock down the channel. The sun is darkened
and the boys have unconsciously uncovered their
heads as if standing in the presence chamber of the
gins to wear away; they begin to look around them;
they find that others have been there before them.
They see the name of hundreds cut in the limestone
abutments. A new feeling comes over their young
hearts, and their knives in their hands in in
stant t'What man has done man can do'' is their
watch-word, while they draw themselves up and
carve their names foot above those of hundred full
grown men who have been there before them.
They are all satisfied with this feat of physical
erton except one, whose example illustrates perfectly
the forgotten truth that there is royal road intel
lectual eminence. This ambitious youth sees name
just above his reach, that will be green in the
memory of the world, when those of Alexander,
Cesar, and Bonaparte shall rot in oblivion. 1t
the name of Washington. Before he marched with
Braddock to that fatal field, he had been there and
left his name foot above his predecessor. 1t was
glorious thought of the boy, to write his name side
by side with that of the great father of his country.
He grasps his knife with frmer hand and clingng
to little utting crag, he cuts again into the lime
reaches up and cuts another for his hands. 'ris
dangerous adventure; but as he puts his feet and
hands into those grains and draws himself up care
fully to his full length he finds himself foot above
every name chronicled in that mighty WALL While
his companions are regarding him with concern and
admiration, he cuts his name in rude capitals, large
and Deep into that finty album. His knife is still
in his hand, and strength in his sinews, and new
created aspiration in his heart.
Again he cuts another niche, and again he carves
his name in large capitals. This is not enough
Needless of the entreaties of his companions he cuts
and climbs again. The gzadations Of his ascending
scale grow wider apart He measures his length at
every gain he cuts. The voices of his friends wax
weaker and weaker, till their words finally lost
on his ear. He now for the first time casts a look
beneath him: Had that glance lasted moment, that
moment would have been the last. He clings with
convulsive shudder his little niche in the rock.
An awful abyss awaits his almost certain fall. He
is faint with severe exertion and trembling from the
sudden view Of the destruction to which he is expos
ed. His knife is worn halfway to the haft He can
hear voices but not the words of his terror-srcken
| companions below. What a moment! What a
meagre chance to excape destruction! There is
no retracing his steps, 1t is impossible to put his
hands into the same niche with his feet and retain
ly see his and fearful dilemma, and await his
fall with emotions that freeze their own blood. He
too high, too faint, to ask for his father and moth
er his brothers and sisters, to come and witness
avert his destruction. But one of his companions
anticipates his desire. Swift the wind he bounds
down the channel, and the situation of the ated boy
is told upon the fathers hearth-stone.
Minutes of almost eternal length roll on, and there
are hundreds standing in that rocky channel, and
on the bridge above all holding heirbreath
hears the hum of and voices both above
and below. He can just distinguish the tones of
his father, who is shouting with all the energy of
despair, " William! William don't look down !!
Your mother and Henry and Harriet, are all here
praying for you Don't look down! Keep your eye
| towards the top!'' The boy didn't look down. His
eyes are fixed like flint towards Heaven, and his
young heart on Him who regns there. He grasps
again his knife. He another niche, and another
foot is added to the hundreds that him from
t ly he uses his wasting blade! How anxiousv he
selects the softest places in that vast per How he
| avoids every flinty grain! How he economises his
physical powers resting moment at each niche he
cuts. How every motion is watched from below !!
There stand his father, mother, brother and sister,
the very spot where if he falls, he will not fall alone.
The sun is down the west. The lad has
made fifty additional inches in that mighty wall and
now finds himself directly under the middle of that
vast arch of rocks, earth and trees. He must cut
his way in new direction to get from under this
overhanging mountain. The inspiration of hope is
dying in his bosom; its vital heart is fed by the in
creasng shouts of hundreds perched upon cliffs and
trees and others who stand with ropes in their hands
on the bridge above, or with ladders below. Fifty
gains more must be cut before the longest rope can
reach him. His wasting blade strikes again into the
limestone. The boy is emerging painfully, foot by
foot, from under that lofty arch. Spiced ropes
ready in the hands of those who leaning the
outer edge of the BRIDGE Two minutes more, and
all will be The blade is worn to the last half
inch. The boys head reels; his eyes are starting
/ frOnnf sir cEetS. IS asst iS vi
heart; his life must hang upon the next gain he cuts
That niche is his last At the last faint cash he
makes, his knife, his faithful knife, falls from his
nerveess hand, and ringing along the precpce falls
at his mothers feet. An involuntary groan oil des-
pair runs like death kuell through the channel be-
low and all is still the grave. At the height Of
nearly three hundred feet, the devoted boy lifts his
hopeless heart and closing eyes to commend his soul
to God. '1is bot moment-there !-one foot swings
off -he is -trembling-torpling over to e.
ternity! Hark "a shout falls on his ear from above
The man who is lying with half his length over the
bridge has caught glimpse of the boys head and
shoulders. Quick as thought the noosed rope is
within the reach Of the sinking youth. No one
breathes. With faint, convusive effort the ssSoon
ing boy drops his arm into the moose. Darkness:
comes over him, and with the words God and mo-
ther! whispered his lips just loud enough to b,
heard in heavcn the Tightening rope lifts him out o
the last shallow niche. Not lip moves while HI
is dangling that fearful abyss, but when
ldy Virginian reaches down and draws up the lad
and holds him up in his arms before the fearful
breathless multitude, such shouting, leaping ant
weeping for joy, never greeted the ear of human be
ing 30 recovered from the yawning gulf OF eternity
I -..s= t... -s.rs@ sf .anonynons.
A CANDIDATE FOR THE Presidency. A porto
of the Indiana Democracy has nominated Gen. Jo
seph Lane, of that State, candidate for the Pre-
sidency in 1852. Gen. Lane, it will be remember
ed, was appointed Governor of Oregon Territory b