Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1869-07-24
IN THE MOUNTAINS.
\ THRILLING ADyENTgRr


lady. The oldest gentieman's ap-
pearance interested me exceedingly
In years he seemed about iiltV: in
air and manner h- Ns8s calm, digni
fled and polished, and the contour OC
his features was singalarly III tellect
aal lie converSe,l freely OH differ
rnl topics. uatil the road becaine
more abrupt and lrccipii0as, bat, on
nv directing his attention to The
great altitude oI q f.rscipice, on the
verge of which our coaea " Wheeis
were leisuTely rolling, there came q
marked change on his couutenance.
His eyes, lately filled With the light
3F Intelligence, became wild, restless
ana anxious the mouth tWitched
spasm0dically, and the forehead was
beaded with u cold perspiration.
with sharp, c0nvuisive shudder,
lie turned his gaze from the giddy
height, and clutching my arm tight
IL with both hands, he Slung 10 me
like Il drowning man
I-Sc this cologne said the lady,
handing me abottie, with the instinct
ise goodness of her sex.
I sprinkied ? little on his face, and
lie became more composed; but it
was not until we had entirely trav-
ersed the mountain, and descended
into the country beneath, that his
ine features relaxed from their per
turbed look, and assumed the placid, i,
quiet dignity that | had at first
noticed.
Il owe an apology to the lady, 4"
said he, with Il bland smile and a
[ gentle inclination Of the head TO our
/ fair companion. land some explana-
/ ton, and to my fellow traveller also !;
and perhaps / cannot better acquit
myself of the double debt than by
/ Fec0untinC the cause of my recent
agitation
/ 1T may pain your feelings deli
cately urged the lady.
son the contrary, it will relieve
/ them was the respectful reply.
H@viuz s5-niGed our several de-
sires 10 hear more, the traveller thus
proceeded:
"At the age Of eighteen | was light
Of foot, and I fear he smiled) light
of head. y fine property on the
\ banks of the Ohio Acknowledged me
{ sole owner. ] was Fastening home
+ to enjoy it. ard delighted 70 get free
from college life. The month was
| october, the air bracing, and the
mode of conveyance, stage like
/ this, only more cumbroCs. The 9TH
/ er passengers were feW-UnIy three
;
I Of Louisiana, his daughter, q joyous,
/ bewitching creature, about seven
/ teen, and his son about ten years Of
age.
''They were just returning from
/ France, Of which country the young
/ lady discoursed in terms 50 eloquent
IS to absorb nay entire attention"
.sThe father was taciturn, but the
daughter was vivaciouS by nature,
and we soon became so mutually
| pleased with each other, that II was
not until a sudden flash Of lightning
and heavy dash OF rain against the
windows elicited an exclamation
/ from my charming companion, that
/ | knew how the night passed. Pres
/ entity there came Il low rumbling
/ sound, and then several tremendous
peals of thunder, accompanied by
| successive flashes of lightning. The
rain descended in torrents, and an
angry wind began 10 howl and moan
through the forest trees
II looked from the window OF our
! vehicle. The night was as dark aS
/ ebony. bat the lightning showed the
danger cf our road We were on the
edge Of . frightful proCipicP. ! could
f see at intervals huge, iUtting rocks,
far away down lis side, and the sight
! made me soliCitOus for my fair COM
pauiOn. l thought Of the mere hair
Jreadths that were between rs and
eternity. 81 single rock in the track
of oar coach wheels, = tiny billet Of
wood, stray root of q tempest torn
tree, reSIivo horses, or n careless dri-
ver-auv of these might hUrl IL from
our SuhlUUary existence with the
speed of thought,
{. It's a perfect tempest, " observed
tie 4aiE. n I withdrew my head
from tha window. How I love q
sudden storm There j. something
grand about the winds when fairly
+ loose among the hills. / never en-
Couutered night like this. but By
rOn'S magnificent description Of q
. thunder storm in .jura recurs to my
mind. Bus are we on the mountain
, Vet -
~ es We have begun the ascent =
lis ID not said tO be dangerous -
BY no meaus,H l replied, In as
: easy tone Is l could assume.
4 only wish It was daylight, so
that we might enjoy the mountain
scenery. But whst's thaten and she
covered her eyes from sheet OF
lightning that illustrated the rugged
mountain with brilliant intensity.
Peal after peal of thunder instant
y succeeded; there was a very vol
ume of rain coming down at each
thunder burst, and with the deeper
moaning OF q animal in dreadful!
agony, breaking upon our ears,
found that the coach had come To 2
dead halt"
Louise. my beautiful fellow trav-
-Irr. became pale as ashes. She
fixed her ewes ON mine with 2 look Oi
-Eiols dread and. tuning 20 her
.sther. she hUIriCdly remarked
eve are o0 tHc mountains
..f reckon -cg sre- was the UGr.-i.-
''---4r al~-rCtsye syEiviEy, I pur
uV iE-al tsrngEn the window a0l
called ro the driver, but the only an
~wer was the moaning oi an animal,
borne past me Uy the swift winds oi
.rae tempest I seized the handle o..
the desr and strained I'm valD-lt
would not yield. ~ that instant I
teI- Q cold hand IN mil q, and heard
Louise family aTticUlate in my ear
the following appalling words:
The coach IS moving backwards.
Never shall ] forget the fierce sE-
Cuy with q hlcu I tuCEeI al the
yoagh doCT, ami called ON the driver
iu tones that rivalied the iier-e blast
uf the tempest. whilst the conviction
was burning In my BRAIN that the
coach ws- being Slowl y moved back
ward
What followed was Of such swift
occurrence, that 70 seems 10 me ike
ri~h.fll dream.
"a -gsAe.. sga.Est The GcC- SItL II.
u r.s-