Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1855-10-18
90 - LIFE OR DEATH ,rzsI 80
A TRUE STORY OF TIE NATURAL BRIDGE
$40 In VIRGINIA. p istra g,

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4 A TRUE sToRr OF THE NATURAL BRIDGE
I o IN VIRGINIA. p eigsra -
! srTELIHu IURHIf,
The scene opens with view ofths
great Natural Bridge in Virginia
There are three OF four lads standing in
the channel below, looking up with awe
to the vast arch of unhewn rocks, viii
the almighty bridge over these eyerlas'
ting abutments, when the morning star:
sang together. The little piece of sky
spanning those measureless piers, is full
Of stars although it is midday. til
Z almost FIVE hundred feet from where
they stand, upthese perpendicular bul
warks OF limestone, to the key rock o.
the vast arch, which appears to them
only the sise of MANS hand. The
silence of death is rendered moreim.
I pressive by the little stream that falls
from rock to rock down the channel
The sun is darkened, and the boys have
unconsciously uncovered their heads, as
if standing in the presence chamber oi
the Majesty of the whole earth. AT
last this feeling begins to wear away
they begin to look around them. They
see the names of hundreds cut in the
limestone abutments. A new feeling
comes over their hearts, and their knives
are in hand in an instant. What
man has done man can do" is the
watchword, while they draw themselves
up and carve their names a foot above
those of a hundred full grown men who
had been there before them. ~
They are satisfied with this feat of
physical exeriiun, except one, whose
example illustrates perfectly the forgot
ten truth, that there is no royal road to
intellectual eminence. This ambitious
youth sees name Just above his reach,
name that shall be green in the mem
ory of the world, when those of Alex
ander, Cesar, and Bonaparte, shall rot
in oblivion. Il was the name of Wash
ineton. Before he marched with Brad
dock to the fatal field, he had been there
and left his name foot above all his
predecessors. 1t was a glorious thought
Of a boy to write his name side by side
with that of the great father Of his
couutry! He gfasps his knife with a
firm hand-anl clinging TO little jut-
ting cra5s. he cuts into thei limestone,
about foo: above where he stands; but
as he puts his feet and hands into those
gains, and draws himself carefully to
his full length, lie finds himself foot
above every name chronieled in that
mighty wall. While his companions
are regarding him with concern and
admiration, he cuts his name in huge
capitals, large and deep into the flinty
album. . His knife is sill in his hand,
and strength in his sinews, and a new
created aspiration in his heart.
Again be cuts. another niche. and
again he carves his name in large capi-
tals.z This is not enough. Needless Of
the entreaties- of his companions, he
cuts AMI climbs again. The graduation
ofhis ascending scale grow wider apart.
He measures his length at every gain
he cuts. The voices Of his friends grow!
weaker, till their words are finally lost
on his ear. He now, for the first time,
cast look beneath him. Had that
glance lasted a moment, that moment
would have been his. last. He cliugs
with a convulsive shudder to this little
niche in the rock. An awful abyss
awaits his almost certain fall. He is
faint with severe exertion, and tremb-
ling from the sudden view of the dread
full destruction TO which he is exposed.
His knife is worn half way to the hat.
He can hear the voices but not the words
Of his terror-stricken companions below.
What meagre. chance to escape des-
truction. There is no retracing his steps.
1t is impossible to put his hands into
the same niche with his feet, and retain
his bold moment. His companions
instantly perceived this new and fearful
dilemma, and await his fall with emo
tionS that "freeze their young blood. y"
He is too high, too faint. to ask for his
father and mother, his brothers and SIS
tiers, to come and witness or avert his
destruction, But one of his conpan-
ions anticipate his desire. Swift as the
wind he bounds down the channel, and
the fatal situation is told upon his faith
er's hearth-stone. " ''eD
Minutes of almost eternal length roll
on, and there were hundreds standing
in the rocky channel. and hundreds on
the ridge above, all holding their breath
and awaiting that fearful catastrophe
Thepoor boy hears the hum of new
and numerous voices, both above and
below, ~ He can just distinguish the
tones of his fathers voice, who is shou-
ting with all the. energy of despair;-
"Williaml ,Williaml Don't look down.
Yeur mother, and Henry, and Harriet.
are all here praying for; you. Don't
look down 1l Keep your eyes toward low rd
the Top. ch sb fosls t.s1 a f.,..f lteg ah |
The boy didn't look down--his eyes
are fixed like flint toward heaven, and
his young heart on Him who reigns
there, He grasps again his knife. He !
cuts another niche, and another foot is |
added to the hundreds that remove him
from human help from below. How
carefully he uses his wasting blade!l
How anxiously he selects the softestI
place in that pierli How he avoidssey-I
cry fintv oraini u How. he econouTises