The weekly Butte record. [volume] (Oroville [Calif.]) 1858-1864, 1862-08-16
A Thrilling Incident.

lecture OF Genius, delivered BY the celebrated
Elihu Barritt, the learned Blacksmith
The scene opens with view Of the Great
Natural Bridge in Virginia There are three
or four lads standing in the channel below,
looking up with awe to The vast arch of un-
hewn rocks which the Almighty bridged over
these everlasting abatments. =" when the morn-
ing stars sang together" The little piece OF
sky spanning these measureless peirs, is full of
stars, although it is midday. 1t is almost five
hundred feet from where they stand, up those
perpendicular bulwarks of limestone to the
key-rock of that vast arch, which appears to
them only the size of mans hand. The 81
by the little stream that falls from rock to rock
down the channel The sun is darkened, and
the boys have unconsciously uncovered their
heads, as standing in the presence chamber of
the Majesty of the whole earth. At last, this
feeling began 10 wear away, they began to look
around them. They see the names of hundreds
ing comes over their young hearts, and their
knives are in hand in an instant What man
has done, man can DO is their watch-word.
while they draw themselves up, and carve their
names foot above those of full grown men,
who had been there before them.
They are all satisfied with this feat of physi-
cal exertion, except one, whose example illus
trates perfectly the forgotten truth, that there
is no royal road to intellectual eminence. This
ambitious youth sees q name just above his
reach-a name that will be green in the memo
ry of the world, when those of Alexander,
Cesar and Boneparte, shall rot in oblivion
1t was the name of Washington. Before be
marched with Braddock to that fatal field, be
had been there, and left his name above all his
predecessors 1t was glorious thought of
the boy to write his name side by side with
that of the father of his country. He grasps
his knife with frmer hand; and, clnging to
the little jutting crag, he cuts again into the
limestone about foot above where be is
standing he then reaches up and cuts another
for bis hands. 1t is dangerous adventure
but as he puts his feet aud hands into those
grains, and draws himself carefully to his full
length he finds himself foot above every
name cbronicled on that mighty wall. While
his companions are regarding him with concern
and admiration, be cuts his name in rude capi-
tails, large and deep, into that finty album
His knife is still in his hand, and strength in
his sinews, and a new created aspiration in his
heart
Again he cuts another niche, and again he
carves his name in capitals. This is not
enough. Needless of the entreaties of his
companions, he cuts and climbs again. The
gradations of his ascending scale grew wider
apart. He measures his length at every grain
he cuts. The voice of his friends wakes weak
now for the first time casts a look beneath him.
Had that glance lasted q moment, that moment
would have been his last. He clings with a
convulsive shudder TO his niche in the rock
An awful abbyss awaits his almost certain fall
He is faint with severe exertion, and trembling
from the sudden view of the dreadful destruc-
ton to which he was exposed. His knife is
worn half way to the haft. He can hear the
voices, bnt not the words of his terror-s stricken
companions below. What a moment What
a meagre chance to escape destruction There
is no retracing his steps. 1t is impossible TO
put his hands into the same hole with his
feet and retain his slender hold moment
HIS companions instantly perceive this new
and fearful dilamma, and await his fall with
emotions that freeze their young blood
He is too high, too faint, to ask for his father
and mother, and brothers and sisters, to come
and avert his destruction. But one of his
companions anticipated his desires. Swift as
the wind he bounds down the channel and the
situation of the fated boy is told upon his
fathers hearthston
Minutes of almost eternal length roll on, and
there are hundreds standing in that rocky
channel, and hundreds on the bridge above, all
holding their breath and awaiting the fearful
catastrophe. The poor boy hears the hum of
the new and numerous voices both below and
above. He can just distinguish the tones of
his father, who is shouting with all the energy
of despair" William William don't look
down. Your mother and Henry, and Harriet,
are all praying for you. Don't look down
Keep your eye on the top" The boy didn't
look down. His eye is like fixed flint towards
Heaven, and his young heart on Him who
reigns there. He grasps again bis knife. He
cuts another niche, and another foot is added
to the hundreds that remove him from the
reach of human help from below. How care.
fully he uses bis wasting blade! How anxious
ly he selects the softest place in that vast pier
How he avoids every hiury grain How be
economises his physical resting mo-
ment at each grain he cuts. How every