The Ebensburg Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1865-1871, 1867-01-24

lore hlr. harrison cOuIO nave COuue dHu
wrapped me in a quilt and hugged me.
From that day forward, some oVerpow
ering influence was at work upon me. [
struggled hard after that cool manner IN
danger which Mr.. Harrison possessed In
so eminent degree. | even ventured,
Ia the pursuit of perfection, to ask how
h could do it..
teI suppose" said he, "it is because I
! naturally have such an extreme terror o.
/ danger IN every shape-such lively
sympathy with those in peril-that feel
4srY strangely the necessity for being
i calm when others are excited. | think
| thas whatever excuse lady may have for
I losing her wits--anG that Is, at best, very
| liltle-a man has no excuse whatever. l
always try 90 keep my wits about me"
s'To be calm, then" said /, with the
witilering irony common to girls Of from
fourteen to eighteen, "one only needs to
have his wits about him."
'sExactiy," said he; ''or, to change the
SEX. her wits about her.'
just so,'' I added; 'the secret of
wealth is to get money
"And to keep it, said ne.
On one thing I was fully determined
he should never hear me scream again.
! However, he left the school soon after
! and I did likewise in about six months.
/ I had effected great change in myself
before [ met him again.
It was in the summer of the year
| which saw me pass my twentieth birthday,
that we met at Niagara Fails. He was
! there with his cousin, my dear friend
Belle Harrison, and [ with my sister and
mother.
On certain day we were all taking
walk on Goat Island, when mother dropped
her parasol, and it sid down the bank
some fifteen or twenty feet, out of reach
Mr.. Harrison descended the bank after
it; but though he used proper caution,
his foot slipped on the tfeacherous soil,
as be was returning, and he slid very
rapidly down to the very edge Of the
preeipice.
[ expected nothing else but to see him
go over and be dashed to pieces on the
rocks hundred feet below; buG though
the three other ladies screamed loudly, L
didn You see, was pretty thoroughly
Drilled by this time. However, as mr.
Harrison neared the edge of the precipice,
he threw out his right hand-still hold
ing the parasol with his left and seized
the upturned roots of tree which leaned
over the chasm The tree shook 7io-
, lently under the sudden shock, and the
roots began to tear themselves out of the
. thin soil slowly and steadily, under the
influence of this superadded weight. In
, few minutes more it would give way,
: and then Mr.. Harrison would be killed.
| [ knew my face was pale, and l was ter
ribly frightened but ! leaned forward
and spoke to him :-"Tell NE what TO do
"Take all the ladies' shawls, skirts, and
any other articles of dress that you can
: spare AID which are strong; cut them in
wide, strong strips tie them firmly to-
7 gether and make rope"
[ obeyed as calmly as [ knew he would
have done, but pone the less expeditiously
on that account, be very sure. He con-
: tinued speaking at intervals while [ was
doins his bidding, and spoke deliberately
| as if he stood in safety by my side.
'EYour calmness is quite charming,
Miss Monroe" said he. "Be sure and
, make tie knots tight. I judge that this
$ tree may be relied on with perfect conf
/ dence FOR ten minutes yet. Your rope is
$ long enough now, [ think. Tie stone
g to the end. That's all. All right now.
? Do nothing but hold fast and stand still
: ladies, and [ will come up to you"
He drew himself up hand over hand
D with extreme caution, and was saved
Ny mothers parasol was restored to heI
with courtly bow, and he brushed the
, dust from his clothes and walked away
with us. I walked by his side, but he
Y maGe no reference to the perils through
; which he had just passed.
e That evening, however, as we sat on the
e piazza of our hotel, where it overlooks the
:, river-how well REMEMBER the rushing
t sound of the waters down below, he said
s eve are alone now, Miss Monroe, anC
r I can thank you for saving my life, with
n out ofense 10 the other ladies'"
1t was too dark out there for him II
see the blush of delight that went owe
|, my face at these words. How much the,
}, meant TO me
"I knew [ was as good as saved" sai(
:. he, "when 1 saw you standing with tight
J. ly clasped hand and your under lip presse,
It By your shining teeth, while Belle an
e the other ladies were trying TO drown tn
: roar of the old Niagara with their shrieks
}, / never saw one of your sex before VIII
[ had the control over herself which yo
/ manifested to-day. IF had seen such a
a exhibition anywhere, it would have ava
o kened my admiration; but when it har
e pened to be an exhibition In which m
d own life or death was concerned, you ma
imagine my feelings"
K The tone In which he uttered thes