Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1854-11-23

/ - -est s4la tue gentleman. seh
fearful f-and his Voice grew lez aud hol
iow-'a terrible fascination +
| was silent
4 Will tell you said he, sitting closelyb,
ny SIDE, and turning his eye full toward,
meal DO not wish You to inform any enc
Premise me that you viii net
Aad net noticed his eyes before. but ]
saw nov within their depths their gleamed
strange aud sinister light / promised
MN, and at the same time uneasily drew
back farther from the edve
We'll, then, signer, said he, L an king
herel rule Mount Etna Z
es, answered, little alarmed al his
words, and attempted to smile.
es, am king here. In me you ses the
being Who causes the lava ID nonr fourth
lfs@ net pr eEnsafies. The spirits q ire
deep obey me see
He leaped up from the ground. There
was fearful FIRE in his eye, his nostrils we're
dilated, his pale face became as white as
marble, as bloedless, save on either cheek
there glowed a deep red spot
See he shrieked wildly and loudly /.
spirits Of the deep, arise Ha yonder--see
them-they are eoming-in clouds-enTobed
in thunder-seer
leaped up from the ground I gazed at
him. He threw off his hat wildly, and it
fell far down in the abyss. He flung of his
coat and threw il away
'Signor,' said | ia hopes that mild tones
might make him calm-.Siguor, the wind
obey you Let as gor
Go Where 4 Is not this my home Is
not this my palace Saw you not my ser
vants2 You are my guest p
VIII you notfsit down ard tell me about
your home & said |, shuddering.
Nc, there are secrets that can never be
spoken Can you understand them Who
are yeu. mortal, that you dare to ask y
1 walked slowly towards the narrow pas
sage Of land, the bridge But lie saw me,
aud stood upen il I,oould not 90.
Can all this be pleasantly y thought l.
An awful thought passed through ne, which
froze my hearts blood
Pleasantly There he stood, my Wild COM
panion his eyes blazing fixed piercingly on
me, hiss hands clenehed, his mouth foaming;
every sinow in his body worked up. lie
stood, screaming laughing o Cod 1
was salone with maniac
You are to 90 with me-
'Where2
There, I have come to carry you to mr.
home He pointed, With cold snaky smile
down towards the unfathomable abyss whence
assembled the terrible column of iuky and
suifocating smoke
/ gazed at him, for there was some ele-
meut of fascination in his CLASSY stare which
forced me, compelled me, to gaze. There
was cold smile upon bis lips, which were
all bloodless, and disclosed, as they parted
his mouth aud tightly shut teeth
;ThA1A. il raF hnml.-.-thara and / .aAnaA
you Will be Come
Still gazed while my heart throbbed
with slow aud terrible quotations, He ad-
yanccd one step towards me. | looked a.
round The spell was broken which en-
chained my gaze. looked all around at
the scorcbed earth around. at the horrible
chasm beneath There was no hope Oh !
could | but leap the space which separated
me from the main cljEl Gould | but do it
but could not there was no hope.
What do you not answer p he cried,
suddenly dashed into fury By my silence,
and stamped his foot in frenzy upou the rock.
DO yen not answer? Then | must carry
you with me =
The mahiac sprang toward mel
With all my energies reused into frantic
action with every sinew braced and muscle
contracted, planted my foot backward a
gainst small angular rock which projected
above the loose sandy soil, and endeavored
to meet the shock With a wild scream,
which arose thrillingly into the air, his eyes
all bloodshot, his mouth foaming. on he came.
He struck me bis arms surrounded me in
a fearful embrace; his hot breath came burn
ing upon my cheek stood firm, for de-
spair, and all the bitterness Of death, had
given no place 10 fear and timidity, but had
bestowed upon me the GOODNESS Of one IN an
ordinary situation. | threw my left arm
beneath his, my right | passed over his neck
and around upon bis hack. thus seeking to
press him,te the Garth
Ii was q moment Of horror, such as no
mortal tongue can tell a struggle With a
maniac To be on small surface Of rock,
while three thousand feet beneath lay the
abvss of untold horrors Atthis hour my
heart beats mere forcibly even as l think
upon the time.
Thus We stood, breast to breast, face to
face. themadman and The With bis arms
encireling me, seeking o save myself
4 He plunged his feet deep int5 the ground
| he laughed aoekingly. and screamed as hs
1 tried to destroy me. But against that roel
my feetNere firmly braced, and | held bin
tightly, and sought to hurl him from me
Hurl him frcm ne as well might the hun
CRY tiger be hurlea from his prey.
Oh4he agony of that struggle know
not how long Twas, but to me il seemed
] like many hours. The Wild eyes Of tb'
mailman elared al miae all the timq. and
found ii Impossible TO look away His fear
full face, all white, all CHASTITY, was upturne'
towards me, IS he shouted to his fendish
mocking laughter !.
20. Heaven o, horror Can this, vii
this. endure forever p cried !, in the agon
Of nv fear. The maniac howled with do
risive shouts. felt that was GROWN
weaker. But be was a maniac was be grow
ing weaker also 4 thousand thoughts lie
through me
| Suddenly the maniac gaze one fearft
plunge It was with the strength Of a giar
that he seized me lie raised me from m
feet. The rock, the saving rock, | had To-
i'll was gone threw my hands big
into the air, and my scream Of terror a
cended in unison. With the manisc's mool
ing yell
Down I down to the bottomless pit 4
the home Of Ere and brimstcnes To 4
endless horrors Of burning lakes = he scran
ed as be gave bound forward to tie edl
Of the cliff
Inspired By sudden gift Of snperhuml
strength, By partial possession Of even
i. 4 - .