Nebraska advertiser., 1868-03-05

and left rose higha mountains, whose
peaks, now and then visible through the
clouds, seemed TO reach the heavens. The
whole of these mountains were clothed
with a perpetual verdure, while before
me was valley spreading out In grassy
slopes TO the edge of The sea.
| had never seen anything so truly
grand. / was fascinated for In no part
Of the world is the Imagination so power
fully affected by scenic effect as in the
tropics. The majestic grandeur Of the
mountains. the mingled beauty and VarI-
iety of the vegetation. and the deep and
sombre forests, were all new 10 me. Then
The strange couvolutions of the clouds,
which, pressed by the wind against the
opposite side of the sierra, came rolling
and Iumbling over the mountains, now
concealing and now disclosing some Of
the most romantic spots in nature, exciting
In me such lively and rapturOus interest
as could not be easily forgotten.
"AIassa no get 10 Paradise dis day if
him top looking at de mountains all &c
maaing,' said my Little guide.
Admonished by this / again started. I
had not proceeded much further when |
perceived that old Judy's p~rognostics
we're not without their significance, for a
brilliant though ominous scene presented
itself TO my view. A tremendous bank
Of blank clouds had risen up, as it were,
out of the bottom of the ocean, and hung
almost stationary on the distant horizon.
l was looking at this when all at once it
seemed moved as by a mighty wind, mass
after mass Of murky vapor rolled up, and
spread themselves aihwart the heavens.
Hurricane do come, massa, now for
true!" cried my little Cupid. ''Ole Judy
always right and massa no make haste
rain catch we."
did not heed what the boy said, for
it was a strange and magnificent sight
upon which / was gazing. One half of
the heavens was black as night, and the
other bright and radiant, the sky without
a cloud, Never, perhaps, did the eye Of
man rest upon a greater contrast, never
was a scene Of greater loveliness mingled
with one Of more appalling m~agnifcerce.
The contrast reached lis climax when
suddenly from ont the dark pail a fash of
lightning descended into the sea. and the
thunder, after gro%ling hOarsely. 10 the
distance, was echoed back by the noun.
tains, reverberating from cliff, and from
rock to rock, Il was Peace and War
p~ersonifed but alasI the blue sky, the
emblem of peace, was being fast swallow
ed up by the rolling cloud, which, in the
majesty Of angry nature, was Fastening
to blot out all that remained Of tranquil
ity and beauty.
At last l turned TO 60. Both my horse
and my guide seemed impressed with the
necessity Of exertion, and l fcuud myself,
as it were, racing with the storm but
before | could reach nay friends planta.
tion the clouds were flying over my head,
and the wind was bowling aloft as
though a gale was blowing /; though, be-
low, there was not a ripple rufled the
placid sea.
Paradise now appeared in view; and
it well deserved lis name, for a more
beautifully situated place l had never
seen. BY the time | reached the house
II began to rain, and, leaping from my
house, l dashed up the steps into the
hall | was warmly greeted by Mr.. Cor.
dan and his daughters for though Mary
was not quite so demon5traiive as Grace,
the glance of her eye and the rose Upon
her cheek told me that l was not unwel.
come;
Very glad you are come" said Mr..
Gordon, though we did not expect you.
But how is il colonel IS not with you!''
He would MOI come because Old Judy
prophesied we were going to have a
hurricane. I laughed at her at the time,
but l fancy | made a terrible mistake"
"No doubt Of it. The old woman is
always right; the glass has gone down
like a lump OF lead F.; SO let US get our
breakfast al once, or we shall be done
out of it. Here's Mrs. Seuter aud her
girls l think you know them"
Mrs. SeIter was a widow OF a Scotch
planter, very fat and very fusSy: but
with the remainder Of the party my story
has nothing to do. During breakfast
the wind increased 10 violence, and by The
time it was over the hurricane had com.
menced in good earnest.
Mr.. Carbon seeing this, Immediately
set about making preparations to with
stand it. Windows aud doors were hast
lily and strongly barricaded, and the most
portable articles of value, together with
a quantity Of provisions, were conveyed
down a !rap-door into a cellar, built on
purpose for safety during hurricanes.
This was scarcely accomplished when
the field hands and the whole population
of the village came hurryiug up to seek
for shelter and companionship with their
master and his family.
Mea,lme the whole sky had become as
black as night, the clouds as they advanc-
ed descending almost to the surface of
the sea, which was now dashed into the
widest fury by the gale. Every now
and then flashes of the most vivid lightn-
ing burst from the clouds, and descend
ing were Instantly engulfed in the sea,
the next moment they reappeared from
beneath the white foam, and apparently
ascending toward the sky were met by
masses lowering above
The thunder burst in appalling crashes
our heads, waking up the echoes of
the neighboring moupIains, and shaking
house TO its very foundation the rain,
descended in calaracts it seemed as
the hoOd-gates of heaven were
opened and the eternal waters were pour.
ng down upon US. To add to the awful
Of the scene, it gradually become j