The daily Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1855, 1854-09-23
ETNA.
A THRILLING TALE.

Can this all be pleasantly thought l. An
awful thought passed through me, which frozc
my hearts blood.
Pleasantly? There he stood, my wild COM
peniOn, his eyes blazing, fixed piercingly on
me, his hands clenched, his mouth foaming,
every sinew in his body working up. He stood.
screaming, laughing. God! | was alone
with a maniac!
"You are to 20 with me-"
'Wherc?'
There. have come to carry you to nv
home" lie pointed with cold snaky smile
down toward the untathomablc abyss whence
assembled the terrible column of inky and suffo-
eating smoke.
gazed at him for there was some element
OF fascination in his CLASSY stare, which forced
me, compelled me to gaze. There was cold
smile upon his lips, which were all bloodlcss,
and disclosed, as they parted, his mouth and
tightly-shut teeth.
"Thcre is my home there and l have come
to take you with me. liza. Ina! how happy
you will be! Gomez
Still l gazed ; while my heart throbbcd with
slow but terrible pusations
lie advanced one step towards me-
l looked all around. The spell was broken
which unclaimed .s gaze. looked all around
at the blue sky aD..>, 1T the scorched earth
around at the horn ,J.y ch;sm beneath. There
was no hope. Oh: could but leap the space
which separated me from the main cliff! Could
but do it-but could not. There was no
hope; 49,,
denly dashed into fury by my silence and
stamping his foot in frenzy upon the rock
"DO you not answer? Then must carry you
with mc!''
The maniac sprang towards me!
With all my energies reused into frantic
action; with every sincw braccd, and muscle
contracted, | planted my foot backward against
small, angular rock which projected above
the loose. sandy soil, and endeavOrcd to meet
the shock. With wild s. ream, which arose
thrillingly into the air, his eyes all bloodshot,
his mouth fOaming, Oh he came. He struck
me his arms surrounded me in fearful en-
brace his hot breath came burningly upon
my cheek. ! stood irm-for despair, and all
tho bitterness of DEATH had given no place to
fear and timidity, but had bestowed upon me
the GOODNESS Of one in an ordinary situation.
threw my left arm beneath his, my right l
passed over his neck and around upon his
back, thus seeking to press him to earth.
1t was q moment of horror, such as no NOR
tai tongue could ever tell. A struggle with
maniac! TO be on a small surface of rock
while three thousand feet beneath lay the abyss
OF untold horrors! At this hour my heart
beats more forciby even as think upon the
time.
Thus we stood, face to face, the mailman
and l, he with his arms cncircing me- seek
ing to save myself He pushed me toward the
edge OF the cliff. He plunged his feet deep in
the ground; he laughing mockingly, and scream
ing, as he tried to destroy me. But against
that rock my feet were firmly braced, and
held him tightly and sought to huri him from
me. Hurl him from me! as well might the
hungry tiger be hurled from his prey.
Oh! the agony of that struggle! l know
not how long it was but to me it seemed like
many hours. The wild eyes of the mailman
glarcd at mine all the time, and found it i'm
possible to look away. His awful face white,
CHASTITY, was upturncd toward me, as he shout
ed in his fendish, hooking laughter.
"Oh, Heaven! oh, hOrrorl Can this, will
this endure forever ?" cried I, in the agony Of
my fear. l felt that was growing weaker
But he was maniac and would he grow
weaker also? A thousand thoughts flashed
upon me.
Suddenly the maniac gave fearful plunge.
1t vas with the strength of giant that he
seized me. He took me off my feet. The rock
the saving rock-I had lost it, was gone
threw my arms high into the air, and my
yell of despair assembled in unison with the ma
MACS.
Down! down! to the bottomless pit! To
the home of fire and birthstone TO the end
less tortures of burning lakes !" he screamed,
as he gave one bound toward the edge Of the
cliff.
Inspired by sudden gift of superhuman
strength. bya partial possession of even mad
mans power. caught him by the throat, and
even on the very edge-eyen in sight of the
abyss-I sprang back pushed him back !;
! brought him to the ground. Falling heavily
upon bin, held his throat still in tight
grasp, while his own arms were wound closely
about my neck. and his legs locked in with
mine. l felt the hot breath from bis own
mouth, as my check lay pressed against bis face
i heard his teeth CRATE harshly and moved
my head away as he sought to seize me with
his teeth
In the frantic struggle upon the ground. We
tumbled wildly about, and the dust from sui
phur and PUN .,i.c-stOne asccndcd about us in
suffocating Clouds. l was half insane. / was
struggling for life. caught up handful OF
the fine choking DUST and rubbed it violently
over his open mouth. 1t went into his nose
and lungs. lie gave leap forward in agony.
Amid the clouds of dust, l could not see where
we were. lie still held me by the hair as he
was strainng there. Another moment, and
arose, while wild and high went up the yell o.
the maniac. as he fell -down--into the
yss-Kmek. for august.
The Harvest I'm Utah.
The St. Louis Republican has letter
from Salt Lake City, dated the I'd August
which gives the following information as t.