Juniata sentinel. [volume] (Mifflintown, Pa.) 1846-1873, 1866-02-07
NIFFLINT0WN JUNlATA COUNTY, PENN'A FEBRUARY T. 1866

teen. and his son, about ten years Of age
They were just returning from France, Of
which the young lady diseoursed in terms
SO eloquent, as to absorb my entire atten.
! ton
The father was taciturn, but the daugh.
ter was vlvacious by nature, and We soon
became so mutually pleased with each
other, she as talker, I as listener,
that it was not until a sudden flash of
lightning, and a heavy dash Of rain
against the coach windows ELECTED an ex-
clamation from my charming companion,
thot | noticed how ight passe d on
Presently there was low, rumbling
sound, and then several tremendous peals
eff thunder, accompanied by successive
flashes of lightning The rain descend
ed ia torrents, and an angry wind began
80 howl and moan through the forest
trees.
looked from the window of our We
hicle. The night was dark as ebony, but
the Lightning revealed the darkness or
cur road. We were oa the edge Of a
lrightlul precipice. | could see a: in
tervals huge jutting rocks far away down
on the sides, aud the sight made me So
l'ctous for the fate OF my fair companion.
| thought of the mere hair-breadths that
were between us and eternity; single
little roek in the track of our coach
wheels, tiny billet of wood, stray
limb of tempest torn tree, restive
horse, or careless driver-any of these
might hurl Us f.om our subluniary exis-
tence with the speed Of thought.
lis perfect tempest" said the old
lady, as l withdrew my head from the
window. How ! love sudden Storm
There is something SO graud among winds
when fairly loose among the hills |
never encounter night ike this, but By
ron's magnificent description of thunder
storm in the Jura Immediately recurs to
my mind. But are We or the mountains
yet ?"
"Yes, we have begun the ascent"
''Is it not said to be dangerous ?"
"By no means" | 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 ?"
And she covered her eyes from the
glare of sheet Of lightning that illumin-
ed the rugged mountain with brilliant in
tensty. Peal after peal of crashing thun-
der instantly succeeded there was a very
heavy volume of rain coming down at
each thunderburst and with the deep
moaning Of an animal, as if in dread
tul agony, breaking upon my ears, found
that the coach had come to a dead halt
Louise, my beautiful ow-traveler, be-
came pale as ashes. She fixed her search
ing eyes on mine with look Of anxious
dread, and turning to her father, hurridly
remarked ave are on the mountains I"
Il reckon So" was the unconcerned re-
ply.
With instant activity, | put my head
through the window, and called to the
driver, but the only answer was 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 a
jot. At that instant | felt a cold hand
on mine, and heard Louise's voice family
articulating in my ear the appalling
words:
"The coach is being moved back
wards ~
God in Heaven! never shall | forget
:he fierce agony with which l tugged at
the coach door, aud called on the driver
in tones that rivalled the force of the
blast, while the dreadful conviction was
burning in my brain that the coach was
being moved slowly backwards
What followed was of such swift oc.
currence, that 1t seems to me like fright.
full dream.
] 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 tie desperate plunges against
his traces, that it was one Of our horses.
Crash upon crash a heavy thunder rolled
over the mountain, and vivid sheets of
lightning played around our devoted car
riage, as if in glee at our misery. By
this light l could see for moment
only for moment-the old planter stand.
mo erect wirh his hands On b;s cop on