Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1866-03-30
4 GbriIlina Narratipe.
OVER THE ALLEGANIEs.

In the fall Of 1916 | was travelling
Eastward in q stage coach from Pitts
burg over the mountains. My fellow
passengers were two gentlemen and a
lady. The elder gentleman's appearance
interested me exceedingly. In years he
was about sixty, in air and manner he
was calm, dignitied and polished and
the contour of his features was singularly
intellectual He conversed freely on
general topics until the road became
more abrupt and PERCEPTIONS, but on my
directing his attention to. the great
altitude Of . precpice, on the verge Of
which our coach wheels we're lcisurely
rolling, there came n marked change
over his countenance His eyes SO
lately filled with the light of mild intel
ligcnce, became wild, restless and
anxious; the mouth twitched spas
medically, and the forehead beaded
with cold perspiration. With sharp,
convulsive shudder he turned his gaze
from the giddy height, and clutching my
arm tightly with both hands he chung to
me like a drowning man.
/" Use this cologne" said the lady,
handing me bottle with the instructive
goodness of her sex.
/ sprinkled little on his face, and he
soon became somewhat more composed !;
but it was not until he had traversed the
mountain and descended to the country
beneath that the fine features relaxed
their perturbed look, and assumed the
placid. quiet dignity had first noticed.
81 owe an apology to the lady" said
he with bland smile and gentle inclina-
ton of the head to our fair companion,
" and some explanation to my fellow
travellers also, and perhaps | cannot
better acquit myself of the double debt
than by recounting the cause of my
recent agitation"
. 1t may pain your feelings" direct
ly urged the lady.
"On the contrary, it will relieve
them" was the respectful reply
Having signifed our several desires
tie hear more, the traveller then pro-
ceeded:
=" At the age of eighteen was light
Of foot, and, l fear, (here he smiled
light of head A fine property on the
right bank of the Ohio acknowledged
me as sole owner. was Fastening home
to enjoy it, and delighted to get free
from college life. The month was
October. the air was bracing and the
mode Of conveyance was stage coach
like this, only more cumbrous. The
other passengers were few-but three in
allan old, grey headed planter of
Louisiana, his son, and his daughter, 4
joyous, bewitcbing creature, about if
teen years of age. They were just re-
turning from France, Of which the young
lady discoursed in terms SO eloquent as
to absorb my entire attention.
+" The father was taciturn, but the
daughter was vivacious by nature, and
we soon became so mutually pleased
with each other, she as talker, / as a
listener, that it was not until a sudden
fash Of lightning, and heavy dash of
rain against the coach window elicted an
exclamation from my charming COM
panion, that l noticed how the night
passed on. Presently there was low
rumbling sound, and then several tre-
mendous peals of thunder, accompanied
by successive flashes Of lightning. The
rain descended in torrents and an angry
wind began to howl aud moan through
the forest trees.
81 looked from the window Of our
vehicle. The night was dark as ebony,
but the Lightning revealed TIE darkness
of our road. We were on the edge of a
frightful prccipice. | could see it at in
tervals. huge jutting rocks far down on
the sides, and the sight made me solicit
tous for the fate of my fair companion.
l thought of the mere hair breadths that
were between US and eternity single
little rock in the track Of our coach
wheels; tiny billet of wood stray
limb Of tempest torn tree; a FESTIVE