Loudon free press. (Loudon, Tenn.) 1852-1855, 1854-04-18
THE NATURAL BRIDG;
OR, ONE NICHE THE HIGHEST

The scene opens with view Ofhe grea
Natural Bridge in Virginia. There re three
or four lads standing in the chanrtl below
lowking up with awe to that vast arm Of M
hewn rocks, which the Almighty bridge owe
those everlasting abutments "when the mort
ing stars sang together" The little pieces
sky spanning those measureless piers are II
of stars, although it is mid day. 1t is almt
five hundred feet from where they stand,
those perpendicular bulwarks of limestone, 70
the key rock Of that vast arch, which apes
to them only of the size Of a mans hand. be
silence of death is rendered more impressiYy
the little stream that falls from rock to Ick
down the channel. The sun is darkenednd
the boys have uncOnsciously uncovered helr
heads as if standing in the presence chhber
of the Majesty of the whole earth. a last
this feeling begins to wear away; they en- to
look around them; they find that other have
been there before them. They see theames
of hundreds cut in the limestone abuents.
A new feeling comes over their heas, A1d
their knives are in their hands in an i1ant.-
''What man has done man can dos their
watchword, while they draw themselveFp and
carve their names a foot above those hun
dred full grown men who had been lere be-
fore them.
It was glorious thought of the b to write
his name side by side with that ofhe great
father of his country. He graspshis knife
with firmer hand; and clinging to little jut-
ting crag he cuts again into thsimestone,
about foot above where he stand he then
reaches up and cuts another for bis Lnds. lis
dangerous adventure; but as he pIs his feet
and hands into those grains, and drws up rare
fully to his full length, he finds hnself foot
above every name chronicled in hat mighty
wall. While his companions ae regarding
him with great concern and admiration, he
cuts his name in rude capitals, lfge anddeep,
into that hinty aIbum.-His knit is stillin his
hand and strength in his sinews and new
created aspiration in his heart.
Again he cuts another niche, and apin he
carves his name in large capitas. ThiIis not
enough. Needless of the entreaties of lis COM
panions,he cuts and climbs agan. TIL grada-
tons of his ascending scale grow widf apart.
He measures his length at every nichale cuts.
The voices of his friends are weaker I'D weak
err, till their words are finally lost in Is ear
He now for the first time casts loo beneath
him. Had that glance lasted moifnt, that
moment would have been the last. He clings
with convulsive shudder to his ttle niche
in the rock. An awful abyss awaits is almost
certain fall. He is faint with severe exertion,
and trembling from the sudden vieYof the de-
struction TO which he was exposed. His knife
is worn half way to the hilt. Fl can hear
voices, but not the words Of his terpr stricken
companions below Whist a mopent! What
a meagre chance to escape destrueionl There
is no retracing his steps 1t is impossible to
put his hands into to the same nihe with his
feet and retain his slender hold moment
His companions Instantly see thisnew dilemma,
and await his fall with emotions that freeze
their own blood"
He is too high, too faint, to ask for his father
and mother his brother and SISTERS, to come
and witness or avert MS destruction. But one
of his companions anticipates lis desire. Swift
as the wind he bourds down he channel, and
the situation of the fated boy told upon the
fathers hearthstone
Minutes of almoIt eternal length ron on, and
there are hundreds sanding that rocky channel,
and hundreds on tie bridge above, all holding
their breath, and waiting the fearfnl catostro-
phe. The poor by hears the hum OF the new
and numerous oices above and below. He
can just distinguish the tones of his father,
who is shoutingKith all his energy of derpair,
"Williaml William don't look DOWN. Your
mother and Htnry and Harriet are all here
praying for ydl Keep your eye toward the
top!" The by didn't look down. His eyes
were fixed Ii he a flint towards Heaven and his
young heart on him who reigns there He
grasps againhis knife. He cuts another niche,
and another foot is added to the many hun
dreds that rtmove him from the reach of hui
man help blow. How carefully he uses his
wasted bladl How anxiously he selects the
softest plate in that vast pierl How he avoids
every fi4y grainl How he economists his
physical bowers-restirg moment at each
niche he euts. How every motion is watched
from beltw. There stands his father, mother,
brother and sister, on the very spot where If
he falls. he will not fall alone. The sun IS now
down in the West. The lad has made fifty adj
ditional inches in thai 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 another direction to get
from under this owrhanging mountain. The
inspiration of hopeis dying in his bosom; its