Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1855-12-26

some awful precipice; all of which dangers
my terrific imagination magniied IN a ten-fold
degree
In this state of feverish anxiety, while to
proceed was to encounter more imminent per-
Il, determined to stop my horse and remain
in nv then situation, either till the violence
of the storm was abated, or the light of re-
turning dawn should enable me to guide him
back to the high road Accordingly, I turned
him with his head facing the opposite direc-
ton from that which the wind proceeded, pull
ed my cloak more closely around me, and
called to my aid all the philosophy | was
master of, remained anxiously waiting un-
til could pursue my journey with less dan
ger.
Being now in state of inaction, began
to feel more and more sensibly the bitter in
tensity of the cold, which SO strongly affected
my hands and feet, that doubted whether 1t
had not actually pinched them from my body:
The snow, which adhered to my hair, and
the brim of my hat. was speedily transformed
into icicles, my cloak was frozen so stiff that
it became utterly useless to me, and hung
from nv back as though it had been board,
and at length SO perfectly benumned was my
whole body, as to be almost wholly insensible
of feeling.
All the while the horse stood motionless as
statute, seemingly as incapable of exertion
as its rider But although the use of my
bodily powers were denied me, felt-ay, felt
bitterly-that the passions within me were
not dormant that the power of thinking re-
maincd, that the mental faculties were unim-
pared. Hope, fear, grief. rage, terror, des-
pair alternately rent my bosom, each urging
me on to something impracticable. or hurting
me to the lowest abyss of gloom and despon-
dency calling up feelings of anger and
threatening, now filling me with terrible ap-
prehensions, and now overwhelming me with
horror. In vain strove to give vent to my
feelings; in vain [ strove to shrek aloud the
angry strife of conflicting passions choked my
Inference; / wept, it is true; but my tears
fell no farther than my eyelashes, where they
CONCEALED and entirely deprived me of sight.
Terrible and torturing as was this state OF
| fearful agitation, the intervals of reflections,
brief though they were, visited me, with far
| more excruciating anguish. l thought OF
home, of friends. of those linked to my heart
by the dearest, the closest ties OF affinity and
affection, of her to whom had plighted my
troth to the alter, her unbounded tenderness,
her constancy, her love! of the sweet pledges
of our union their happy looks, their enga-
ging prattle, their artless smiles. of the anx-
i9ty with which all these beloved ones were
Awaiting my return; then came the most ago
nizing pang of all, the dread that we were
separated forever, without having been per-
mitted the one last embrace, or to utter one
sad, one mournful farewell. Oh the bitter
ness, the intense agony of that one thought
is beyond description.
Every moment as it Jagged on its leaden
footsteps, seemed an age. A thousand wild
vagaries thronged my Imagination. Ifa.,cied
that my body was immoveably fixed upon tha
dreary and desolate spot, and changed into 9
marble prison, in which my spirit was doomed
to remain pent up until the end of all things
should come ;-and 1 cursed the cruelty q
fate which had entailed on me so barbarous a
destiny-nay more, 1 even dared to call in
question the DEGREES of the justice of heaven
and once, horrid thought. in the height o
my frenzied desperation. / was on the point
of imprecating its wrath but there was q
monitor within me which cried out-not in
the still small voice Of conscience, but in
| thunder-tones, that shook my inmost soul
!" Forbear"
Again my restless Imagination conjured up
fresh objects Of terror. l fancicd that the
last days had arrived, that the end of time
was at hand; that the spirits of darkness, lei
| loose upon the earth, were lowering around
me; forms too hideous for description, a thou
sand times blacker than the darkness which
clouded my bodily vision, were fitting before
me, exulting in my suferings. and making a
cruel mockery of my woe; and that from this
state of misery there was 20 mode of escaping
until the great last confagration when | should
share the terrible fate that awaits the whole
creation. Oh, how l wished that hour was
come.
At length the fury of the storm abated, the
snow ceased to fall, the bowling of the wind
was silenced. l felt the ice which had closed
up my eyes begin to melt, and in a few min.
utes more my sight was restored.
The sudden change, from the dark forebo.
dings of despair, to the animating influences
of hope. was like an electric shock to my
frame. I felt my blood. which till now seem
ed CONCEALED, rushing with new yigor through
every vein, and restoring to my half-frozer
limbs their lost animation
Reused to exertion by the prospect of de-
liverance, endeavored to put my horse il
motion; but, oh . what pain, what agitation
did that first effort cost me.
Had been stretched upon the rack, I coulc
not have experienced more excruciating suf
fering; but the hope of preservation enabled
me to persevere, and at length succeeded il
| urging my steed into motion.
The clouds, which heretofore veiled IT,.
face of heaven, had vanished and the din
! trembling rays of few of its myrird lamps
which were visible. enlightened the drearines
of the scene, and, combined with the ligh
emitted from the snow, which covered tn,
surface of the savage wilderness, enabled m,
once more TO look around me.
Although was wholly at loss in which
direction ought to proceed, determined t
keep moving onward, in the hope that shoult
shortly find mY way back 20 the high road