Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1869-06-25


"'Tis perfect tempest" observed the
lady, as l withdrew my head from the
window. "How l love the sudden
storm! There is something grand about
the winds when fairly loose among the
hills. l never encountered night like
this, but Byron's magnificent description
of thunder storm in Jura occurs to my
mind. But are we on the mountains
yet?"
"Yes, we have begun the ascent"
as it not said to be dangerous?'
"By no MEANS" replied, in as easy
tone as l could assume.
81 only wish it was daylight, SO that
we might enjoy the mountain scennry.--
But what's that?" and she covered her
eyes from sheet of lightning that Illus
trated the rugged mountain with brilliant
intensity.
Peal after peal of thunder instantly
succeeded; there was a very volume of
rain coming down at each thunder burst,
and with the deeper moaning of an ami
NAL in dreadful agony, bursting on our
ears, found that the coach had come to
a dead halt.
Louise, my beautiful fellow traveller,
became pale as ashes. She fixed her
eyes on mine with a look of anxious
dread, and turning to her father, she
hurriedIy remarked:
ave are on the mountains"
~ reckon we are," was the unconcern
ed reply.
With instructive activity, / put my
head through the window and called to
the driver, but the only answer was the
moaning of an animal, borne past me by
the swift wings of the tempest. | seized
the handle of the door and strained in
yain--it would not yield. AT that in
slant l felt cold hand on mine, and
heard Louise family arIiculate in my ear
the following appalling words:
''The coach is moving backwards" +
Never shall / forget the fierce agony
with which l tugged at the coach door,
and called on the driver in tones that
rivaIled the fierst blast Of the tempest,
whilst the conviction was burning in my
brain that the coach was being slowly
moved backward.
What followed was of such swift oc
currence, that it seems to me like a
frightful dream.
l rushed against the door with all my
force, but it withstood my utmost efforts.
One side of our vehicle was sensibly
going down, down, down. The moaning
Of the agonizcd animal became deeper,
and knew from his desperate plunging
that it was one of our horses. Crash
upon crash of thunder rolled over the
mountain, and vivid flashes of lightning
played over our heads. BY its light |
could see for moment the old planter
standing erect, with his hands on his
son and daughter, his eyes raised to
heaven and his lips moving as if n pray
err. could see Louise turn her ashy
cheek toward me as if imploriDg assist
ance; and l could see the bold glance of
the boy flashing indignant defiance at
the war of elements. and the awful dan
ger that awaited him. There was a
roll, desperate plunge, harsh, graf
ing Jar, sharp, piercing scream of NOR,
tai terror, and l had but time to clasp
Louise firmly with one hand around her
waist and seize the fastenings attached
to the coach roof with the other, when
we were precipitated over the precipice.
l can distinctly reeollect preserving
consciousness for few seconds of time,
how rapidly my breath was being ex-
hausted, but of that tremendous descent
l soon all lost all further knowledge by
conclusion so violent that was in
stantly deprived of all sense and notion"
The traveller paused. His features
worked for a moment or two as they did
when we were on the mountain; be
passed his hand across his forehead as
| if in pain, and then resumed his thrilling
narrative.
"On low couch of humble room
of a small country house next opened
my eyes in this world of light and shade,
Joy and sorrow. Gentle hands soothed
my pillow, gentle feet glided ecross my
coamber, and gentle voice for time
hushed all my questionings. was
kindly tended by a fair young girl of
about sixteen, who refused for while to
hold any discourse with me. At length,
one morning, finding myself sufficiently
recovered to sit up. | insisted on knowing
the result of the accident. 81 t.r
"You were discovered" said she, sit
ting on a ledge of rocks, amidst the
branches of sha altered tree, clinging to
the roof of your broken coach with one
hand, and the insensible form of lady
with the other"
"And the lady," / gasped, scanning
the girls face with an earnestness that
made her draw back and blush.
"She was saved, sir, by the means that
saved vou--a friendly tree"
"And her father and brother!" I i'm
patiently demanded
"We found both crushed to death Mt
the bottom of the precipice, and we bur
led them in one grave by the clover
patch down in our meadow"
"Poor Louisel poor orphan! God
pity your | muttered in broken tones,
utterly unconscious that had listener.
''God pity her indeed, sir" said she,
with gush of HEARTFELT sympathy
"Would you like to see her? 2" she added.
/ found her bathed in tears for her
L Il II