Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1858-01-08

resisted all our efforts, and renamed obstinate
ly imnlovable. What should be deuel In
halt an hour the train would be due--wouid
there be time to 60 for assistance TO bring an
axe to Iiberate my foot? He would try.
sFor Gods sake Mr.. Wesley said |, as he
started 10 co. be expeditions. 1t is tco horrible
to be obliged to sit here and face death ur-
willingly.
was alone again. The winds sighed mourn
fully about me, but felt relief. even forgot
my danger, aud turned my attention once more
to the thoughts with which had been occupied
wheu | unwlttingy stumbled into my present
dilemma.
Nevertheless, | was appreheEsive that he
might be delayed until the train should pass.
La fact, had no assurance, he had tiule to go
10 Mr.. Ames' and return before it would be too
late. Another thought rushed upon my frantic
blain. Had he deceived me? Would he not
be only too happy to be thus easily rid of my
uuwelcome presence? knew be would never
come to me again---he would leave he to the
mercy of such cruel death.
Heavens There is 40 mistakng tha, sound
the whistle at the P--Station only five
miles distant.
How we'll do remember the thoughts that
passed through my mind, as patiently awaited
the return of Arthur Wesley; for, although /
had every reason to believe he would not come
sill iustincnyely awaited him, apd hoped,
oh, htw hoped he would return. Hour after
hour had sat there all day, aud row | was
still waiting and vibrating between, tue hope of
delivery and almost certain conviction Of
destruction. The fearful chill of despair was
creeping over Inc: my trembling limbs already
announced that NV nerves were siLking i'll ex-
haustion. AT every moment kept u watch
Cor his returning footsteps, but no welcome
sound fell on my ear.
Hark il is the train The low, distant
thunder cannot deceive me now. It will be
here in few minutes.
Help help"
The wailing cry faded away, and there was
no answer Louder aud louder came the thur
der nearer aud nearer came the train. The
! rising moon disclosed TO me the white column
Of smoke aud steam, rising above the bill be-
] you'd the curve and bow Ihe regularly beatiug
/ puff ard cough Of the engine struck my ear,
/ like the gloating chuckle of some terrible mon
ster regarding his victim. How like irenzy
+ the thought came on me that II now to late
4 for assistance No human being woul3 ven
ture on the bridge when the tram was within
hearing distance, when il was TOO dark 10 dis
,nguisn objects in time TO stop tue impetuous
frehorse; and vet, furious and frantic at the
thought of such death, stretched my tremb-
ling limbs to their utmost, and shrieked again
and again until grew hoarse, and the thun-
dering train drowned the effort Of my voice
And now delirium seized me. fan ,iei some
giant fend held down the plank which vain
ly tried To wrench from its firm position
could hear the chuckle OF satisfaction that il
gave him to think it had ne there sufels III its
power.
The loud roar that now reached my ear an
nounced that the train had struck The bridge
there came all end to hope-oh, Rod, NC
power on earth could avert the death that
stared me in the face? For. an instant l saw
countless demons lowering through tbs air.
Fire aud smoke enveloped me- there. was a
crushing blow, a convul>ion, a aim recollection
of keen pains shooting through my imprisoned
limb, aud all was darkness. | knew no more
When ! returned again to consciousness
was lying on an easy eonch in room diirly
lighted, but neatly and tidily furnished
While ! lay, wondering where l was, and try
lug te recall what had passed, the door wa
slowly opened, and Lucy Ames entered th,
room Ia moment she was by my bedside
watching the motions aud the expressions OF IN,
countenance, doubtless Imagining that / wa
, still delirious.
sfLucy--Miss Ames !"
! She started back as Iuttered the name, a
though unwilling that should discover he
real thoughts; but, in moment reeoSerin
her self-posses>ion, she looked calmly towar
me, aud asked, with tone Of affected in
, difference.
sDo you feel easier nowa'
: s.Iudced, scarce know how feel" re
: Piled, abut there is pain aud soreness in N
: head, and in fact, in all my limbs. l mus
( have been badly hurt"
had T. dim recollection of the occurrenc
narrated; and / surely felt surprise that saoul
e have again awakened 10 lfe The pain which
felt, on regaining my reason, increased now mt
luentarily. physician was at hand, aud even
: effort was made by him, as we'll as the membeI
: of Mf. Ames family tin whose house was the
: Iylng,l in which, also, Lucy and Dir Wesie
joined to alleviate my sutferings.
Iu spite of all their attentions, nay pain raj
d idly augmented, and in short time, was aga
lost in the unconscious delirium of fever. In II
vague dreamugs, was again on the narro
c bridge, bending every effort. aud straining e.
> cry nerve, to remove the piece of wood tn
't bound me there. Again was chained to hu!
g rock, in which unconscious laborers were dri
IS ling holes, which they 6lied with powder,
'r blast the unseenly mass to atoms. Fiends, ,skap
IS legs aud hideous, few about ,nc, chatter;ng
gloe--demons dsucud on the sharp edges of q
= rock, chuckling again like the measured pull
an engine; and, at intervals, they stopped
70 bind the chains closer, until the links !ester'
It into the very nerve, aud turned my blood
y gall with the poison in which they had bo'
dipped. Caverus yawned on every side TO r
l. cieye me. All at once was heard the lol
LII ..L.alia &c tho cnnine nud VOICES IN