Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1866-03-30

y
might hurl us from sublunary existence
with the speed of thought"
IT'S perfect tempest" said the
lady, as l withdrew my head from the
window :" How love sudden storm.
There is something so grand among the
winds when fairly loose among the hills.
never encounter a night like this, but
Byron's magnificent description of a
thunder storm. in the Jura Immediately
recurs to my mind. But are we on the
mountains yet?''
| =" Yes. we have begun the ascent"
1t is not said to be dangerous p
by no MEANS" l replied, in as easy
a tone as | could assume.
Il only wish it was daylight, that
we might enjoy the mountain scenery
But, Jesu Marie what's that Z"
And she covered her eyes from the
glare Of sheet oflightning thatillumed
the rugged mountain with brilliant in
tensity. Peal after peal of crashing
thunder instantly succeeded; there was
heavy volume of rain coming down at
each thunderburst, and with the deep
moaning of an animal, as if in dreadful
agony, breaking upon my ears, l found
that the coach had come to dead halt
Louise, my beautiful fellow traveller,
became as pale as ashes. She fixed her
searching eyes on mine with look of
anxious dread, and turning to her father
hurredly remarked q We are on the
mountains"
II reckon so,' was the unconcerned
reply.
With an instant activity, l put my
head through the window, and called to
the driver, but the only answer was the
heavy moaning Of an agonized animal
borne past me by the swift wings of the
tempest. | seized the handle of the
door, and strained at it in vain it would
not yield jot At that instant / felt
cold hand on mine, and heard Louise's
voice family articulatipg in my ear the
appalling words:
The coach is being moved back
wards God in heavenn' Never shall
| forget the fierce agony with which /
tugged at the coach door, and called on
the driver in tones that rivalled the force
of the blast, while the dreadful convic-
ton was burning in my brain that the
coach was being moved slowly back
ward
What followed was of such swift oc-
currence, that it seemed to me that it
must be frightful dream.
l rushed against the door with all my
force, but it Knocked my utmost efforts.
One side of our vehicle was sensibly
going down, down. The moaning Of the
agonized animal became deeper, and ]
knew from the desperate plunges against
his traces, that it was one of our horses.
Crash upon crash of heavy thunder rolled
over the mountain, and vivid sheets of
lightning played around our devoted
carriage, as If in glce at our misery. BY
this light | could see moment--only
for moment-the old planter standing
erect, with his hands on his son and
daughter, his eyes raised to Heaven,
and his lips moving like one in prayer.
could see Louise turn her ashy cheeks
and superb eyes towards me, as if i'm
plorng my protection; and ! could see
the bold glance of the young boy flashing
indignant defiance at the descending
carriage, the war Of elements, and the
awful danger that awaited him. There
was roll of thunder, desperate plunge
of an animal in the last tbroes Of dissolu-
ton, harsh grating jar, a sharp, pierre
ing scream of mortal terror, and ] had
but time to clasp Louise firmly with one
hand round the waist and seize the
leather fastenings attached to the coach
roof, with the other, when we were pre-
cipated over the precipice.
can distinctly recollect preserving
consciousness for few seconds of time,
but rapidly my breath was being exhaust
ed but of that tremendous descent, ]
soon lost all further individual knowledge
by conclusion so violent that / was
almost instantly deprived of sense and
motion.
On an humble couch in an humble
room of small country house, ] next
opened my eyes in this world Of light
and shade, ofjoy and sorrow, of mirth
and sadness ;sgentlc hands smoothed nay
pillow, gentle feet glided across my
chamber, and gentle voice hushed for
time all my questionings. / was kind
ly tended by a fair young girl about six
teen, who refused for several days to hold
any converse with me. At length one
morning, finding myself sufficiently
strong enough to sit up, insisted on
hearing the result Of the accident.
You were discovered" said she,
"sittiug ON ledge of rock, amidst the
branches of a shattered tree, cliDgiDg to
part of the roof Of your broken coach,
with one hand, and to the insensible
form of lady with the other"
And the lady 2" gasped, scanning
the girls face, with an carnestness that
caused her to draw back and blush
"She was saved, sir, by the same
means that saved you-the friendly
tree"
And her father and brotherl'' ]
impaticntly demanded.
I" Were both fo1nd crushed to pieces