Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1861-05-31

exclamation of horror from narrower and
myself. Ashley had cleared the chasm
and alighted on the opposite edge, but it
was shelving and slippery, and his feet
slipped from under him. For one mo-
ment it appeared as if he woulu instantly
be dashed to pieces, but in fallinghe man
aged to catch the edge Of the rock, which,
at that place, formed an angle. There he
hung by his hands, his whole body in the
air, without possibility of raising him
self-for, below the edge, the rock was
smooth and receeding, and even could he
have reached it, he would have found no
foothold. One desperate effort he made to
grasp stunted and leafess sapling that
grew in crevice not more than foot
from the edge but it failed, and nearly
caused his instant destruction. Deslst-
ing from further effort, he hung motion
less, his hands convulsively cramped to
the edge of the rock, which afforded so
slippery and difficult hold, that his sus-
tanning himself by it at all seemed a
miracle, and could only be the result
of uncommon muscular power. IL was
evident that no human strength could pos
sibly retain him tor more than minute
or two in that position--below was an
abyss hundred or more feet deep-to all
appearance his last hour was come.
Jack and stood aghast and helpless,
gazing with open mouths and strained
eyeballs at our unhappy friend. What
could we do9 But Ellen put us to shame.
One scream and only one she uttered, and
then, gathering up her habit, she sprang
unaided from her horse. Her cheek was
pale as the whitest marble, but her pres
ence Of mind was unimpared, and she
seemed to gain courage and decision in
tne lnoilenI VI peril. .. ..i
, "Your cravats-your handkcrchiefs |!
cried she, .unfastening, as she spoke, hel
r long cashmere scarf. Mechanically, Har
rover and obeyed. With the speed Of
light and woman's dexterity, she knot
ted together her scarf a long silk crava
: which l gave her. Jacks handkerchie
: and mine, and securing stone at eithel
/ extremity of the rope thus formed sh,
threw one end of it, with sure aim and
steady hand across the ravine and rount
the sapling already referred to. The1
: leaning forward she let 60 the other end
Ashley's hold was already growing feeble
: his fingers were already torn by the rock
< and he turned his face towards us with
: mute prayer for succor. AT that momen
e the two ends Of the shawl fell against hin
: and he instinctively grasped them. l
was moment of fearful suspense, but h
S raised himself by strength of wrist. Th
t sapling bent and bowed, but his hand wa
n now close to it. He grasped it; anothe
: powerful effort, the last effort of despair
r and he lay exhausted and almost sense
s less on the rocky brink. At the sam
K moment, with cry of joy, Ellen sanl
e fainting in her brothers arms.
e Of that days adventure little remain
e to tell. A walk of a mile brought Ashle.
4 to place where bridge across the ravin
$ enabled him to join us. omit his thank
e to Ellen, his apologies for the alarm h
$ had caused her and his admiring eulog,
a of her presence of mind. Her manner o
e receiving them was anything but CRAFTY
e ing to me, whatever they may have beel
f for him. u ao& 1fal
i The day after this adventure wa
!. obliged to return to Boston. Six week
s afterwards / went back to the Crawfor
!, House. The first person saw as / 60
c off the stage was my friend Jack.
"Jack !" said l, 81 am delighted
r see you
i Same here, my boy was the rejoindel
:, I was wondering you did not ansNe
my last letter but | suppose you though
n to join us sooner. % 2s' '47s 'p' olAi
p "Your last letter |" ! exclaimed, I"
have written three times ha TO
"Thc Devil you have"" said Jack.
/" | did not want to hear another wore
I for at that moment appeard Ellen hersel