The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1867-01-02
Or horrible fear overwhelmed mr.

"a
Was he dead1 No, that could not be. for
his breathing was audible even in the midst
of the mockings and shouting Of the storm.
But what sort Of 4 respiration vas that
II was like q man in profound s'nmbcr.
Was il possible that he could sleep in the
whirI and passion Of night like that
Yes he was asleep, and unless some Kind
Providence would intcrpose, his slumber
would bc everlasting | shook him again
and again, and still that stcntorious breath :
ing, prophetic Of death, was the only re-
snonse, Good God What must | do :
What possiblc salvation is there for rs
Nv friend is dying, and am poWCricSS TO
relieve him. Is there no h1pc' None
leaned back in the sleigh, nnd gave
wav 10 an emotion Of irrepressible agony.
The lines fell from my stiTtned hShds, and
the horses ind liberty IN 60 whittier they
pleased. Thrills Of pain shot like bolts Of
ice through my heart. In one minute were
compressed the mental and physical suffer
ings Of lifetime. How acute were those
pangs which seemed TO take hold Of tie
elements Of life, and drag he through q
region Of horrors into the dominion Of
death. Ny mind was more vigorous than
it ever had been before, but the body
seemed dead. ! remember well, that be-
lieying | could find tie road ~ seeking Il
afoot cSsayed to get out Of the sleigh;
but | lad not the ability 10 move. The
muscles would not obey the will. | specu-
lated on the separation Of soul and body,
and verify believed, from the numbncss
and dcadnrss which overwhelmed me, that
the earthly part Of my being was cold IN
death, and that the spirit was remaining
but little while with it to sympathise IN
the midst of that awful desolation
Ten thousand thoughts, varying and SIN
yuIar. passed through my mind in the
course of very brief time. A soul III
torment sinks rapidly. at length hccoih9
conscious that the horses had started, ana
were moving cautiously through the snow.
7 rccoIlpct that half inStinctiyeiy tired 10
nick ND the lines, but the sense OF ieeiihS,
- we'll q. the ability To lift up hand, was
cone Alive, and yet dead. Fun oil
fhonght and vet paralysed a living
oorrsa, g. Who shall deliver me from tue
body of this death :"
A. Icngtb-and believe L vast hut snort
.;,no-tLa whole current Of my feelings
oh IL
o,nr. but in A momcnt-quick, indeed, as
the flash from the thunder ci"ud-liiefe
WAS transition from condition OF "oSo-
ute happiness. | felt no PAIN. Ihere was
no sense Of numhncSs, although paralysis
remained. A warmth gathered about the
rr1ion of my heart, and was ylvlied with
a feeling Of comfort. Ny thoughts were
No longer treighted with unuttcrablc woe,
lint they were invested with c4lmnc>S
aud ucaccfulncSS with which they had
never been familiar at any other period OF
my life. believe, too, that | was dying,
vet this belief, instead OF being appalling,
was measurable. Never before, and never
since, have | experienced such glow 81
conscious happiness as that which came To
soothe me and encourage me in NY struggle
with death on the prairie.
wrote awhile ugo about the instinct of
the horse: aud we'll it had been for us II |
lad properly appreciated this element OF
intelligence in the inferior animals. Just
As | was beginning II lose NIL conscious
ness. and was sinking into region OF men
tai chaos and death, the bark Of a watch
dog broke upon my ear. 1t startled me.
Il appplrcd tor y moment to transfer new
III, INTO NE. All mt once, Hope, like an
avalanche, rushed on ne.
I'm the midst oru rejection, | was able to
lift my head, and saw the gallant horses
had brought rs to the gate Of some dwell
Iin-. \ cheerful tight came to the windows.
BEc,, God, Here il salvation. The noise
Of our auproJch had startled the inmates.
Thtv opened Tie door, came ont, and car
- ga. w ~