American telegraph. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1851-1851, 1851-09-27
WASHINGTON: SATURDAY AFTERNOON, SEPTEMBER 81,

."o uonk les attached, and verify they seemed
70 nave substantial load to draw, by the way
IN whtoh they lay to it, or, as John says
spread themselves;" and, in as short time
as .ie could manage, Joined the, party at the
s.ering, around which it was assembled Pre-
( sently the clear, sonorous notes of bugle-the
expected signal-rang back from the adjacent
wooded hills; shortly after, the first bar Of
Away, then, to the mountains" then
nothing was to be seen of the party but a cloud
| OF dust that obscured the hamlet--while the
| clattering of hoofs and swift rafting of wheels
came from the direction of the gap in the hills,
the first turn in the road to Golding Gorge.
CHAPTER IV.-SENEcA CHAsM.
On they dashed along the winding road-one
time on one side of the stream and, crossing
ford, occasionally with some small degree o
danger, when would be heard suppressed
"screech" or two, not from the carriage wheels
then upon the other side for few rods and
over again, MS singular and probably as plea
| SAINT, route as man ever travelled on they
went, now fast, now slow, until they arrived at
the foot of the bluff, where is the most perilous
ford on the journey. Luckily, the stream was
low, making the crossing comparatively easy
and, having all gone over they paused to view
the immense rocks heaped upon the summit of
the bluff, which distinctly and curiously resem
BILE a Running Deer and a Crouching Panther,
by which names they are called. Off they go
ENTHUSIASTICALLY hearty laugh ringing
above the sound of hoofs and wheels, or the
mellow blast of the bugle rebounding from the
rocky precipices around, and dying by inches
upon the water. Meantime, the q Fire Cliff
| slides, imperceptibly into view--its summit
blazing with a fierce red glare, and its incense
to the Internal One, black as his own dingy
majesty, rolling heavily away towards the lux
uriant forests adjacent. Now the laugh grew
| schooner; and many bright eye was fastened
upon the Fire Cliff with an obstinate feeling of
superstitious awe which the light sallies of their
male companions could not remove. In vain
the bugle pealed out
"Away with melancholy"
For Ned Berry hadn't got further than that,
ere Annie pinched him on the arm, and with
an attempt at a smile, bade him
''No doleful changes ringl"
| and Ned was obliged to do as Handy Andy did,
g bottle up his music" Almost in silence the
| short intervening distance was accomplished ;
even the horses seemed to participate in the
dread that appeared to have crept over the
hitherto noisy little party, and snorted and
snuffed inquisitivey as if they doubted but
there was birthstone in the breeze Presently
the party stopped at the mouth of Seneca
Chasm, and, dismounting, proceeded to explore
that fairy-lik and indescribable palace of ma
ture, glancing in all the gorgeous hues of the
rainbow. By degrees, familiarity with their
unusual situation wore off the awe that had
possessed the timid girls; and several were
heard to declare they would like to live in that
beautiful place, if they only thought the Witch
of Golding Gorge didn't come there to work
her charms, they said she did, when her
burnt-offering had gone out on the Fire Cliff
Just at the conclusion of these expressions,
such an unearthly sound reached their ears
now like the shrillest north wind through
key hole now like the rumbling sound pro-
duced by the wet finger on window pane
now like the finishing bray of an asthmatc
donkey: such a jumble of strange, disagreea-
BILE sounds invaded the hearing Of the wonder
ing party, that those of them most alive took to
their heels, excaming, 'The Witch, the Witch,
she's coming ~ while the rest were momenta-
riy rooted to the spot. When they emerged
from the Chasm, the laugh was long and loud,
at the discovery that their shock was produced
by the musical essays of Honest John Muddler,
with whom the bugle had been left for the call
to dinner. The Chasm had made the most of
its thousand echoes. Old John was leaning
against the trunk of a giant sycamore, both
legs spread out like pair Of diyiders the
bugle in his left hand, which he eyed compla-
Gently askance and wiping his face-purple
from his exertions--with an enormous yellow
silk handkerchief The table was luxuriously
spread under the shade; and knives and forks
ratified, and cider and soda- water and cham
pagne corks popped; and solos and Duets re-
sounded for one or two happy hours, when the
company again separated into groups to plea
sanity loiter away the afternoon.
END of chapter 4th.)