The weekly Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1860-1863, 1863-02-19
Gbs 4mIfasttr Gasettf
Fry s. szss.sEER


Did you ever sit out With the driver Just
ns the summit WIS gained. and the stage
heean. 70 fatlle down the dizzy descent?
1oo laid tiehs hold. I'D warrant you, Of
ths side strap, and biaeed b6lh ycur feet
on the foot board, and IL YOU wore 4 little
inexperienced ID moubtaiA travel. you
said somewhat nsTyouslv, "Now diver.
90 carefully down here"
The drivsr smiles. changes his quld
aoolly 10 The other sido of his cheek rings
loud crack with his whip. and claps his
hsel on the break AZ much as 10 sly !Testi
ad lsnts, and away The coach sings down
the mountain. Presently the diver with
slight catcL 10 his breath, says, Il de.
clare II the rains on that of leader ain
broker Sure enough the lines are un-
looseJ from the Bit Of the gay, skiilisb
creature. and he ,ossss bis head with an
airy motion very suggestive ofa runaway.
Your FIRST impulse 10 10 scream to the in>
side passengers; your next ono is to make
break peck leap hem the box Of the
coach. Keep quiet, kesp quiet! says the
driver, and lh,n swings his long whip
around the legs Of TIE two dancing lead
ers. as II be too we're in the plot to send
the coach and i.s precious carge 10 Davy
Jones locker in the shortest possible time.
sDrivsr what do you mea,.Y Keep quiet.
he says with another touch OF the Whip
10 the l.adsr's white ft,lo k. ! know
what Tn about: those l. ad4rs are full
Of metile. anj want to make them think
thai / am giving them the loose rein if
they only knew they we're loose. they
would dash rs all into kindin wool in
less than 6vs minutes We try to be-
! lsve that Jshu is right. but secretly we
give up for lost. We look down at the
narrow thread oi the Hu son river wind
ing len miles beneath MS. and than across
to the distant Green Mountsins Of Yer
mont that glram 10 the October snn as
the Dslec,able Mountains CLEANED be
fore Bunyan's Pilgrim. II is astonishing
how yividly the mind seiz's objects when
10 great danger or when expecting death
A culpt listening tn his death sentence
noii,es each bu ton on juryman's coat.
With this intense study Of the scene
before us, and with our hand so numb
tha, We do not fsl the strap wo are grasp
ing, We wbirT down half milo Of the
declivity. Before US is slight rise in
the road Of four or five feet. Ju4t as the
leaders gallop up to it, the driver jumps
will bis whole weight on the break
gives tremendous pull on the rtins oI
wheel horses--shou's 'whOa' with STAR.
ling explosion---and 10 tho instant lh
the coach halls. hs Laps from the box
andsis at the leaders heads! II is al
done In twinkIing. And briora The
frightened inside passengers have time Ia
shout, .Wha, is the maIterf' tho quck'
wited driver, is fastening the rein buckle
again Into The Bit.
Now there was presence of mind Had
that driver been 'out Of his Wits W.
would probably have dashed himself Of
bis orach to be followed by tho coach
dashing itselfover the mountain side.
But be had his wits within reach, or wha
the old Glesl called uearless mind Al
the shrswd Doclor John Brown Of E1in
burg says iu one Of his essays, 1T is
curious condition Of mind that this 10
quires. It is like sleeping with your pis
tolls under your pillow. and the pistol OF
full cock; moment lost. and all may b.
lost. There is the very nick Of lime
Men. when they perform some signal fea
ofpresencs Of mind, II asked how the,
did II. do not very well know-lhey jus
dit il. |. was in fact done. and thel
thought Of; mol thought Of and then done
IL whiuh cass il would likely never hav
been done al ell, Il Is ono Of the highes
powers Of 10. nd thus to act; il 10 don
by an acquired instinct,
Tho presence OF mind is invaluable i
military commander Nearly eve,
battle turns on one or two rapid move
ments, executed amid whirl oe smoke an
thnnder OF guns thai jars tbs solid globe
Napoleon possessed this qualify beyon
any general Of modern timeo. Ilis min
asled like lightning; aud never with sue
prompt precision Az IN the moments q
greatest oonfuSi aud danger. Wis
confused others clarified him At Arcc
Ia he saw that the tide was turnin
against him; called up twenty-five hors,
men, gave them ca'h a trumpet. and mail
dashing chNgs that gave HIM the vic
tory. Al Monticello he computed wit
his eye the distance Of tho Austrian cay
AlEy, saw that Il would require quartz
Of al hour fcT them 10 come up, aud
those fifteen minutes executed maneuvT
that saved tho. day. 'Theso quarters I
an hour, he used TO say. generally dc
eide the fate OF battle. The Austrian
never know the value OF time A lltl
ofIbis Hapoleonio presence Of MUD .migh
have saved for us The battle Of Bull Rut
But Off efs and bClditis lost both; an
one half the whole army sol OF on viii
topsy .Iurvy chase afleE wis.
A good phySIcian nesds to have hi
mind .. bic fngor euds. Thsrs is a sud
den turn 10 the disease. or there must b
rapid SuTgisal movement. His book
are useless unless bic books are in HI
head. lie must grow cooler as his patier
or byStaudcEs grow mors frightened. Nn
poleon feared thai the physiOiau who va
attending upon the EuprssS At The bir'
oi the King II Roms would lose hi, sell
possession. Compose yourself said III
Emp.ror, and imagine that you are al
tending only poor gill IN shs FaObOar
81 .AntoiBe.'
The palpit dsbutani who sees his maj
uscripls swimming about the walls Of ii
ghufch that Ia awjmu,in0 loo--tha mani.