New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1858-10-18
All Awkward Fix.

An Awkward FIX.
Many years ago, when youngster, paid my
6Is4 visit TO Clinton. Ny mothers weak health con-
aned her to the house my father was frying himself
and his crew on the coast of Guinea for the supposed
benefit OF the negroes, and had lett one school and
20 oiher had been as yet decided on for me. What
more pFopiHnAs conjunction of the planets could
be desired by young gentleman of enterpisine
character IN rude healthi and with decided taste
Tor vagabonaizing. had soon thoroughly ex.
p9Fed the Downs, and being specially charged not
% 60 near the cliffs, they we're OF course the most
interesting and constantly visited portions of nv
Beighborhood with results more profitable to tie
Sailor and shoemaker than to my personal appearance
Though the cliffs by the observatory were nearer
home and more requented than was desirable II new
ertheless, in d very short time, discovered not far
from the pathway narrow ledge or shelf accessible
rom the top, and running the face of the cliffs
il the direction Of the Giants Cave.
Now to see the face Of the Giants Cave had often
desired but pocket money was too precious and The
passage through the Observatory TOD leqitiuate h
induce visit en- rsgte-here, however. was 4 chance
ot at once gratifying my curiosity Drawing risk
against which had been repeatedIv warned ana In
Vading desired territory by a forbidden path III ia
lance Of constituted authority was resolved to get
into the Giants Cave over the face Of the cl Same
considerable time elapsed, and many Reconnaissance
were made, before found the coast sllfeienIv jsar
Tor my proposed experiment. It was iate n fhe
autumn, rainy, gusty and uncomfortable morning
when lew sensible people thought Of peranbulatiny
ss oWn, lnas aFst found myself at the head of the
9lih with nobody in sight, and commenfpa ma da
seent The ledge down to which j scranblad Win.
out much difficulty is teefably wide Az arst hnt
Ropea outward and outward and being overprown
WIN weak slippery grass, was obliged 70 crawl Oh
all faurs. The wind was at nv hack eyd All ~
nInch incomnode me was not liable to ri6dineea
aad the ehasm at my right was sufficiently (arnai
% nave lost ITS effect on my nerves. in the inner.
teoty developed state il which schoolboys are qeEe
ally provided with these essentials
a GraVVied on laf11a uo..c,,o5
hare Of all but moss and lichens ut an ANGLE vghale
ane cliffs pointed towards the river and then rerefied
broke of abruptly. l orept to the verge. and
1oaa 1haI y continued again, beyond the projection
inequalities Of the rock could drag myself Fonnd to
~ STEADILY and carefully it was done the ledge was
nov very narrow erawled on again little further
ann IL ceased altogether; could see the onnnjne M
te cave but short distance ahead bit between me-
ana i was nothing but perpendicular piece Of stone
attnnuta hollow or projection to which coufd cling
II was perfectly evident that could 20 no further
ing mat Witho9t obtaining my object must turn
9aek-stafn 2ack4 The thought of doing so had
AeYer entered my brain till that moment INV ri0bt
d rested an The very edge of the preciuice sinjTg
Meer down three hundred feet to the ROADWAY below
white ny leit was pressed against therOGk which
fuss above me 20 turn on that tiny slippery shelf
was impossible, unless / eeald stand bolt nprigbt
made the attempt butmy head came In contact with
she rock, which projected SO far over that eanld
not even tise Qn my knees without toppling over. /
along the miserable little ledge which in the other
direction Eas 50 difficult and perilous sowly-oh!
hoE slowly, inch by iuehj I moved back making
carefully sure 81 the pant OF each knee before all
A0Hed nay weight to rest 0n it, until as passed back
one foo1, it gent over the edge tried file other
&ep5 eioas 70 shs Cliff. and cropping anxiousy but
sound notA3ng te rest / could not see bnt felt
aaa had g1t That salient angle of the cliff which
divides Che path again attempted to raise myself
9at IN Fan the path appeared to have been cut out
81 Bhe RefpendetaF face of the precipiGe which was
AIee teet above, and projects considerably over it, #
zslt thoroughly aud hopelessly beaten MY hands |
ahg E4aes were gfazed and sore; my limbs ached ; |
and lag down on my face helplessiy thought OF |
Dome, q my poor mother looking and listening |
sanIlouslY for my return, sickening with watching
and growing terrors while lay there, doomed 10 /
seftan aeath Dy starvation, or falling to sleep with
Neaflhea5, and rolling suddenly over into the gray
depths beside me- tried t0 pray but nv thougbts T
we're too confused and wandering to be controlled /
sndderly new idea inspired me at d point / had I
s.isu Jlss before, where the space just above was
highest. might find room to sit up without leaning
80 t9r over rs to lese my balance.
Aagath eiaWled small space forward Law down |
On my lett side and gripping the edge Of the cliff
alhty WIN my hands (for the slightest slip was in
slant death} and my back pressed against the rock
cautiously allowed first one leg and then the other
70 drop over the pfecipce and at the same time rose
slowly sideways into o sitting posture nv head /
pushed forward, my legs dangling over into the |
abyss midway between earth and heaven with fba /
gusty northwest wind brushing against NV face /
Ahen nrst became aware that was seem Far be. |
l98, on the opposite pathway, some people we're
ssAaaAg gazing, pointing at, and evidently talking
shout me. This was new cause Of alarm IN snifs
u Bne distance thought they must be pnintin9 mo
eae 70 she owner OF the cave and that shOnld he |
caught and carried off to some unimaginable nm
5llleas, pye9adeye when got to the top, and The
thought troubled me more than the real risty f aint
Y the bottom at once. However Ileaned earef1lIe |
42Wn on ny right elbow and again getting a Arm
a9ld VAIN my hands, lifted my legs iii tfe opnosite
direction aud ouce more found myssif IN pp95.Ve
aor forward progression. FN7lt'OA
Again reached the angle; the wind and gtaat
now onylng in binding squalls full in my face "a
Bat had 70 wait for lull before could aitennt ~
pass round. AT length, this peril too was passed
ana ttle easter part Of the ascent commenced When
A9it way up, heard people talking and a little
further caught sight of them leaning over to loo TN
me and thin oid gentleman in black, who m.
ksaTee IN nigh state OF nervous rritability when
same IA sight began an unntelligible yolley of
santonsi threats adiuratons and feproofs Istopped
And asked what he wanted with me and getting no
satisfactory reply lay down sullenlY in the belief
that the cid gentleman must be the owner Of the
e caught me,
They asked me why stopped, and some of them
4poke ot towering me rope. laughed and said
e9Aa. come well enough WITHOUT rope Then why
~ aoo IL, sad | would if they promised to let
~ w. 1he promise was given; and wet, dirty per.
spring. weary and sulkg, | efawed aB on the turf
was Immediately surrounded and beset with uues.
ss3us y maleu made no reply, but Unanswered to
~ ~ u atlas 5eaeh and then ran OFF fast as my
8aeo iltnes would carry me across the Down and by
clfenltous way, reached home. When visited the
spot shortly afterwards, some Workmen on q s,1s-
pended stage, were engaged in destroying the path
had attempted, and only the upper portion Of It now
remains.
IA Waggish husband recently cured his wife Of
alYers Ills IN this wise He kissed the servant girl
one morning and rot caught at IL Mrs r yyos p II,