The Literary echo, and Pawcatuck advertiser. [volume] (Westerly, R.I.) 1851-1854, 1852-08-19
WHOLE NUMBER 73

ISpyoo VI uOoph ouu Il 6aWs
marked everything; / saw the steed
with its burden dash from point to point
even noted the sparks which the hoofs
of the agonized brute struck from the
finty side of the ravine, and / distinctly
heard low but terribly clear shrek Of
mortal agony mingling with the sulled
crash, which told they had reached their
grave at the bottom.
The frenzy again came upon me I
I lost all thought, all fear; regardless of
the tremendous height, L swung myself
down by bush and stone, getting footing
and holding which, y no other circum-
stances l could ha ve found or availed
myself of. 1 heard confused murmur
of voices above me, the gradual dimin-
ishment of which was the only index to
my progress and at length, bruised
and breathless, but strong with fever
and madness, l reached the bottom.
At first I could discern nothing my
eye was bloodshot and dim-I was dizzy
too, and sick and faint /; for the first ex-
citation had begun to wear away. At
last saw something dark mingled with
white; it grew palmer and palmer like
the phantasmagorical scene of magic
lantern; my sight gradually regained its
wonted power--my reason and conscious
ness returned, and l saw what will haunt
me till the spirit hath parted with the
aesh-even longer, it may be.
1t was very terrible to be sitting there
in that wild fastness beside the dead,
who but minutes-moments, ay, had
been rioting in life, and health, and joy
and l had caused the change but for
me, they still had been tenants of this
glad and sunny earth, still felt the bless
ed freshness of the western breeze, which
now whirled the withcred oak leaves
around their unconscious forms. The
solitude was awful. l have been in the
wild battle, where death held his blood
lest carnival have been at sea when
the masts were sprung, and the breakers
ahead were already baptizing the bows
of the devoted ship-and l have been
in city whose walls were crumbling,
and whose palaces were sinking under
the tornado and earthquake at that
moment l would have rushed into the
whole of these united, if that could be,
as blessed refuge from the calm, still
quiet of death and desolation which that
lonely gulf now presented.
Helen Vere's face, by some chance,
was untouched, unmutilated; her head
resting on the side of the horse, she
seemed as if peacefully gazing at me, as
she was wont in by-gone years, when
|reposing with me on the sunny side of
some green gowan-decked hill. Icould
not believe that what had happened
was real-I spoke to her-I grasped her
hand yet warm with recent life-I
laughed, 1 upbraided her for her cold
apathy and neglect. "What! not one
word, Helen, after our long absence /?
Is this kind : 'Tis but to try, my love
Helen, speak but one word to
say that you are still my own little
black-haired laughing Heleu." My eye
glanced on the fearfully mutilated form
of my brother-the damning reality at
once pressed upon my brain-for an
instant | felt torments to which tho
severest bodily agony would be pleasure
md ease--but madness, blessed madness,
came to my relief; and awoke, as after
. long and troubled sleep, in the very
'oom where had slept when child.
A strange 'ancy struck me l thought
or moment that l was still boy, that
ny residence in India, the fearful crag,
md the lapse of fifteen long years, were
out the visionary creations of the erratic
lreams of single night and I almost
to hear the laughing voice of
Helen We're outside my chamber door
hiding me for lying so long a-bed, when
he sun had risen two hours before, and
he tame stock-doves would be wearying
or their accustomed food.
Two old withered hags, sick-nurses
presume, sat on each side Of my couch
n earnest converse, and I gently raised
nyself on my elbow to listen. "In
ruth" said one, "'tis an awful story;
bis lucky the old man died before he
new il was his son." "What strange
lncies he had, to be sure" quoth the
ther "because the bride was tiresome
nd did not like riding horseback, he
lust needs have the bridesmaid to take
er place: well, well, old folks will
ave their fancies; the laird was ever
,articular in keeping up the freaks Of
be family" l could hear no more.
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