The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1860-08-24
THE CALIFORNIAN.
Skating iGr Life.

The following fragment of thrilling mar
rative is taken from the American Unon.-
To understand the point, it is necessary to
premise that julius Oiier, halfcaste, had
barbarously murdered the brother of Mr..
Weatherelt Champneys, q rich Canadian, who
resolved upon deadly vengeance 1t is
this gentleman himself who nsrrates how he
sought for the accomplishment of his aim. !
Night after night lay concealed on the
border of the river Scugog, awaiting the
murderer. l was armed with pistols, ana
Wore skates. Skating was an amusement
which had excelled in when school-bo,
and facility in the art was Of the first impol-
lance to my scheme of rctribution. \,
length he came |, was an exquisite night :
the white expanse around sparkicG in tn,
sheen of a Canadian moon, which sailed
calmly through q cloudless sky. could have
shot the villain as he >kated by me within.
fifty yards but would not risk the chance:
and besides, my vengeance cried for stern
err fate than death by the pistol No sooner
was he past my hiding place, than with
shout Of exultation started on his track
Oer swerved a moment to see who his pur-
suer was a; then, quick as lightning, tried to
double up the river again. But had an,ic-
lpated this. and with a cooked pistol in either
hand. barred his passage. With cursehe
turned and sped swiftly down the ice.
And now the race for life began Mile az
ter mile We swept along in silence. An aw-
full portentous silence it YVES. through which
nothing broke save the hollow boom of the
swift steel cutting its way over the imp:ison-
ed Scusog. The moon lit NE MOLLY to my
vengeance. He could not escape lie. for
found with savage slee lat was mattel.
for even the most swiit-too;ed Indian. Oliel
became aware OF this, for ROW and again he
would skate close to the woods, looking IT,
vain for an aperture. Blu: 10 there was
but one outlet from this walled-in river, ana
that was over the falls
Faster and faster vet We skated toward the
cataract. 1t could not be far of; pictured
to myself what Oilers thoughts might be
Did he know WHITTIER he was fastening, on
had that awful light yet to flash on his guill>
mind ? The half-breed made answer to m,
thought. | saw him i'll the pale simmer start
con'ulsively, and throw lis arms in the air
but ne Cared not stop, and en- he DARED Il
gain with a yell Of despair, which echoed
weird-like up the channel. Another sounu
came to my ear, and knew what had caused
that cry of agony to burst from Olier i,
was the dull thunder of the falls ! Wewere
nearing them fast. Still the walls OF snoa
shut in my victim, and every moment lessen
ed his frail hopes Of escape. One chanc,
was left him-to distance me, and hide some
where IN the snow from my scrutiny. Nai, !
hope. The wing of the bird could scare, |
have saved him
Hoarser and louder grew :he noise of the
waters. Ii | thanked the Almighty in fran
tic prayer that the murderer was delivered in |
to my hand, humbly trust that it may be
forgiven me now. From the time had frs,
started on Oilers track. we maintained ex-
actly the same dista. &c between us-peshap. !
hundred or hundred and fifty yards. |
still srasped my loaded pistols, ready for any
stratagem On the part Of the murderer.
And now the crash Of the falls came lout
and ominous on the ear.
Another five minutes would decide tn,
hunt. Suddenly, Olier turned and stood "a,
bay. lie was not armed felt certain OF
that all along, for otherwise he would hav,
measured strength with me before. Withou,
abatins my pace, | skated down upon him.
holding pistol in each hand. Still my pur-
pose was fixed as ever only to shoot the vii
lain as a last resource. When | was within
twenty yards Of him, the coward faltered,and
again turned swiftly down the river. With
yelling laugh pursued him, pressing still!
more hotly on his track.
Deatenins was the roar OF the cataract
high into the pale SKY assembled the mist of
the spray, through which the sp.intered lines
of the moonlight darted in rainbow-;inteu
beauty. l could see directly the jagged line
of the ice, where it was broken by the rap
ids Immediately above the cataract and be-
yOnd l could trace the dark volume of the
Scugog, as it emerged from its prison of
snow and ice. For an instant the half breed
turned his face toward me as pressed with
concentrated hate on his footsteps. Never
shall forget the horrible despair that di>tor-
ted the villains features. 1t was a mercy
that the sulen roar of the falls drowned his
curses-l knew that he was Shrieking culses
on me-for they would have haunted me in
after years.
With the courage that is begotten of dark
est despair, he dashed on to the brink of the
rapids, and the next moment | was aone on
the ice gazed with stern joy on The dark
flood, which had seized in its resisties, l...u>
the shedder of blood, and was hurrying him
over the falls. For moment thought
could perceive the murderer struggling in
the eddies but the illusion, if it were one
could live only for an instant. The cataract