Volcano weekly ledger., 1856-09-06
Life or Death-a True Story of the Natural
Bridge of Virginia
BY ELIIIU BURRITT.

The scene opens with view Of the great
Natural Bridge in Virginia. There are three
or four lads standing in the channel below
The little piece of sky, spanning these meas
ureless piers, is full of stars though it is mid
day. 1t is almost five hundred feet from
where they stand, up these perpendicular bull
warks Of limestone, to the key rock of the
vast arch, which appears to them only the
size of a mans head. The silence of death
is rendered more impressive by the little
stream that runs from rock TO rock, down the
channel The sun is darkened, and the boys
have unconscionsy uncovered their heads, as
standing in the presence chamber of 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 lime stone 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 foot above those of a
hundred full grown men, who had been there
before them.
They are all satisfied with this feat of
physical exertion except one, whose example
illustrates perfectly the forgotten truth, that
there is a royal road to intellectual eminence
The ambitious youth sees name above his
reach--a name that shall be green in the
memory of the world, when those of Alexan-
der Cesar and Bonaparte, shall rot in OBJ
| livion Ii was the name of Washington.-
Before he marched with Braddock to the fatal
i field, he had been there and left his name
/ foot above all his predecessors. 1t was
| glorious thought of boy to write his name
side and side with that of the Father of his
Country. He grasps his knife with firmer
hold-and clinging to little jutting crag, be
cuts in the limestone about foot above where
he stands; but as he puts his feet and hands
into these gains, and finds himself foot
above every name encircled on that mighty
wall, he is still unsatisfed. While his com
panions are regarding him with concern and
admiration, he cuts his name in huge capitals,
large and deep into the ainty album. His
knife is still in his hand, and strength in his
sinews, and new created aspiration in his
heart.
Again he cuts another niche and again he
caryes his name in large capitals. This is
not enough. Needless of the entreaties of
his companions, he cuts and climbs again.
The graduation Of his ascending scale grows
wider apart. He measures his length at
every gain he cuts The voices of his friends
grow weaker, till their words are finally lost
upon his ear He now, for the first time
casts look beneath him. Had that glance
lasted moment, that moment would have
been his last. lie clings with O convusive
shudder to his little niche in the rock An
awful abyss awaits his almost certain fall
He is faint from severe exerton and trem-
bling from the sudden view of the dreadful
destruction to which he is exposed His
knife is worn half way to the haft. He can
hear the voices, but not the cries of terror
stricken companions below. What meagre
chance to escape destruction. There is no
retracing steps. 1t is impossible to put his
hands in the same niche with his feet, and re-
tain his hold moment His companions
instantly perceived this new and fearful dilem-
ma, and await his fall, with emotions that
freeze their young blood" He is too high
too faint to ask for his father and mother
his brothers and sisters, to come and witness
or avert his destruction But one of his
companions anticipated his desire. Swift as
the wind, he bounds down the channel, and
the fearful situation is told upon his fathers
hearthstone
Minutes of almost eternal length roll on
and there were hundreds standing ON the rocky
channel, and hundreds on the bridge above
all holding their breath and awaiting that
fearful catastrophe. The poor boy hears the
hum of numerous voices both above and be-
low. He can just distinguish the tones of
his fathers voice, who is shouting with all the
energy of despair: William Wiliaml don't
look down-your mother, and Henry, and
Harriet are all praying for you-keep your
eyes towards the top
The boy didn't look down-his ewes are
fixed like a flint towards heaven, and his
young heart on him who reigns there He
grasps his knife again. He cuts another
niche, and another niche is added to the hun
dreds that removed from human help below.
How carefully he uses his wasting bladel-
How anxiously he selects the softest place in
that pierg How he avoids every finty grainl
How he economises his physical powers-rest-
ing moment at each gain he cutsl How
every motion is watched from below! There
stands his father, mother brother, and sister,
and on the very spot, where, if he falls he
will not fall alone
The sun is half down the West. The lad
had made fifty additional inches in the 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 new direc-
ton to get over this overhanging mountain
The inspiration Of hope is dying in his
bosom. its vital feeling is fed by the increased
shouts of hundreds perched upon cliffs and
trees and Others who stand with rones in