The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1855-07-28


) staining from looking into the dcpt! li,lov
clutchcd at the massive stones beyond me-.
lhe survey | thus obtained was useless: f.
own" to my being 50 slightly elevated ab,v
the wall, c"u. see only the more di,ia,
portions OF the country. 1t was now ne
sa:v 10 rctracc my steps. and without delay
nut d' unpleasant sensation crept over me- d
'h"h"ht o. the abvS>, narrow thOu"h it wa
over which leaned. have heard ot ira,
c:irr III Wales, who, intending 70 step over
deep but narrow fi>>urc in the Mountains. 20
one loot a"ros>. but on catching .lim;',c %
'hc gull beneath him. rem iincl III that awk
ward attitude. paralyzcl with terror, til Ia
was relieved Dy a pa>>cr-bv. Tir reader vii
please not to lmpute this sort 81. I,i!>,lannit'
to me. | {" / not look into the -alt. Im.r,.
" painted /; in my fancy. airl rciniinrl lean
ing on the wall TO collect NV though
wtS not likely that there would be any .,,>>
rr- by On ;Ac summit &c /, cont.!n,,,i!,c ruin
III dcpopuiited rountrv in thc gray o. tv:
hight; by no means likely. for as>rrc!lv .hcr,
was not another such too. ass, IDIOT. "a In
proved myself to be. in all creation. iml,
relieve mvSe!i-that i, what mus: bc dnlc
bat had l"ccoinr a little stiff in the limbs
my skin was Sonrwha; c'ItntIIy, and il wa,
with much >tran!nr cot N, nav breast from
Its support, when >nl,!rnlv the stones OF t..,
debris moved beneath my feet. ani hal o,.
~ ,me TO spring desperately upon ,..e w
before the portion on winch had >.o,I f..
with deep roar INTO the aby>>
PERHAPS ii will ne di,iiru, Tor some ,,"r>7n.
to enter into my feelings as | Iav prone oa
my back upon the wall IL 4. nm INV !in",.rs IN.
to It's crUmbliny Surfirr. t,n:vinr tii,; the
slightest motion would briu. il down. IN
conlHring before my minis eve the ahv>s on
either side. la this position. the qulii;v ot
mans nature was more >inkingv exhibited
than hsi ever known it before | was. in
tact. twn being, with different Interests and
tr"!in->-tiie one rcproachlns the other with
his madness, and the other listening with I'M
patience. an! even rae, br; to mach are
to retalIi:c. represented TO myself villa;
had tor>akcn-tilat quiet spence. placed on
the soii ground. 50 small that ii required
some ingenuity 10 pass between the h;:t
round table and the substantial hc,l,,cal: it,
two wooden chars It's chest ot drawers. If,
meal sack, iial ti.l! in the corner. anli;> print
from |f'TnuS pro5f-e>s. in black franz
with the glass broken. VIVA, could have temp
led me. urged up,E m,> >rlt, after 4 fair ,l,v'.
wtik. TO leave such shelter. to wanlcr aion !.
TIE brown barren hills. to Chamber far up IN
to the air-l could not tell how tar-onlv 10
roo>t az last u2on the ridge of a broken. ruin
ou> ani very lofty wall, with an alv>> on eth
H.. .,,1,,.,f, / I
OF. far more one who could moi put his head
out o. \ two-I,air window without turning I'D
DIV =: was gratiicd. dccrcd. bitterly
infinitely grAtiilcd-hv the fall ot the debris.
which had thus cut me of forever from the
living world nv folly had di<rra.cl.
But this bad tc-.in. between Us sub>;lc,
gradually. the common danger rrconci,lic us
when W. came TO think II. IRE calmly OF it. Bv
ani by, | vcntured i0 turn r!v head from ON,
side 10 the other. although not without som.
sinking Of the heart. As .av homeless distance
from The earth became manifest The ia;c-
rIor o the tort was now covered with >h :. i,w:
'Ht could >i!! see the >nu. In. 0: the herd
boy. and fancy il soft ani fragrant carI.ct ot
hcathcr. O;:>;.l", 'llc >la les q. cvcnin. were
rolling over the earth. filling the hpilowS. ris-
in2 up the heights, and thrcatcn.n! 10 Swal-
low the wlol" wor.l This threat they tai
ilic''. a. the light faded IN the west: anI
could a length see nothin. bat th. timy OUT
inc OF The mountains upon the dali sky That
>Nv was covered with >ombrc cloal>, through
winch. after a tine, IA, gliding moon threw
d 'wn pale. >ir~tra! li-ht upon the scene.
l''c ar became chill the l".r>piratio.!
seemed 10 freeze npon NV limbs. and these
became As >tiii IA, the limbs of "A cori>c. Il
was time To cNrr, mv>cit 10 DO something
ami began 10 shout at the cx.
tent OF my voice. There was bnt little
chance. know. o. nv benz heard in tins
desert r"Gion; int continued in ,.c>;,,rat on.
ii!l ceased iron mere exhaustion. The cx-
went further. With the exception
OF the short time in the hamlet had been
on loot >inrc sunrise. aui a, nv strength de
rlinct nav ewes hrCin 10 close When | was
'lr>t sensible "i tins, | gave start ot terror
winch thought for IN in>tan; would have
brought down The cru:n!.:u. walls. 10 >,ccp
there to SIR, ,'rrc!aarc-to i.u,v iny>clt
IN bed IN the spence. and to turn. aud,
wrc>tIrd desperately wiki the demon OF
sleep had ill how considered the an ,cl. and
threw my thoughts INTO ever, channel OF IN
frre>t could think OF. Ia the mi.l>t Of al
was aware do not know how-bat as sure
a am living man. was aware tllt | w,>
not alone upon the wall. | heard FOOTSTEPS
pass me-tIm, ,'lnca>urcd. slow, fearless foot
>'cp>-and | felt the stones shake al thu.
tread. 1t was sometime before dur>t o,;rn
my ewes. The sound passed me arain: i.
marched from end to end OF the wall, for
wards and backwards, and once felt tn,
hcaVv loot tread upon part of nv dress. 50
AS TO compass my chest. did look at last
but 10 speak was wholly unable. Nv ton
cue was tied. no sound came from my writh-
lns lips. and the mysterious fcurr, aranp,J
III cloak. and OWN. to the darkness. more
Ike shadow than !. human being. continued
10 pace uaIucstioncd.
lh'n there was distant sound uron ,l.e
ara sound from the surface of the Garth
IL came nearer and nearer. ana was resolved
'''o ,Nc tramp OF horses. the jingle %. arms.
ana the hoar>c vioccS of men. \ blast of
The horn rose from the approaching company.
ana thc shadowv warlcr stood still. and I
'o'''' see the glitter of a trumpet he took
from under his CLOAK. Suddenly he >tcI,,l
upon my chest put the instrument 70 his !;,.,.
ana the whole atmosphere viirafcI with the
lofty strain. was chOakcd for breath but
my arms could no more move from INV si,l.
than II they had been tcttcrch, and the war
dcr unconscious, probably. of the nature OF
ms footing, raised himself. upon his ,iptoes.
as ne >weiied til" note fuller and fuller.
felt as If tainted from the pain and
retaining. however, somehow a
Consciousness of life and when at lcnnth re-
lleNcd, was aware that numerous companv
had entered the quadrangle. and that they
were making merry with wine AID other re-
|reshmcnts. There were ladies' as we'll As men.
all handsomely dressed: and loud rouoh
Iai .,.in..l4..l