The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1871-09-13
"No, sir !"he answered.. .

occk, UuI lot un lnIeTpoSltiou. 1HlS
was Claribel, who was great favo-
rite with the putser.
"No oh no ~ cried the child cling
| ing TO her parents arm ;"do not-do
not strike him ! The bird did not
hurt me tiiuch, papa. It was more my
fhult than the bird'eW
| So wild, SO eager, 80 excited was
the little girl, hUw trembling all over
that she at once had the effect of cool
ing her parents rage. He knew ner
extreme sunsitivencss-knew that if
ho persisted in his purpose his child
would be thrown into delirium.
The hand-spiko dropped from his
hand.
"Promise me you won't punish
him at all 1" pleaded Claribol, still
excited.
There, there, I promise p said
Captain James, kissing her.
lie walked away, and she seemed
now confronted, smiling through her
tears upon Hurry Delfcr, tie young
Swiss.
Tho captain could not forbear Civ
ing him a parting shot.
"You havn't the spunk ola chickon
Mr.. Dolfer," said he ''I don't know
what you'd do if we were in much
peril"
Delfcr's eyes flashed, but he con-
trolle himself, for little Ciaribel was
tugging ut his knee, whispering,
"Never mind %
The wounded hand was we'll in
couple of days. Meanwhile Delfer's
refusa! to chop off the doves head was
by many of the sailors, looked upon
as proof Of his being decidedly ga
chicken.hoarted fellow"
The vessel was then at anchor.
One morning, about three days af-
ter the event recorded, q dove few
out Of the bin, and was, 5y tho wind
blowing freshly at the time, carried
some yards from the ship. 1t aligbt-
cd upon the edge of an iceberg, tow
ering to the height of our top. gallant
yard, and from thence to tho very
summit of the berg
With aquick cry, Claribel bounded
to the rail, and, getting over into the
main chains, she was, before any per
son could prevent her, upon tho foun-
dation Of the berg--a broad, circular
Jagged piece Of ice, upon which the
base of the frozen pinnacle was fixed.
The upper part Of the loftly mass
projected outward, like Il huge rocky
snelf, overhanging she foundation.
As it was supported by rather mar
row strip Of ice, and az it had been
heard to crack several times by those
aboard the vessel, We all expected to
see it give way at any moment.
Judge therefore Of our consterna-
tion WIDEN we saw Claribol, light as a
fairy, crawling up the rugged side Of
the ice-c!iff. 1t seemed to us that no
man, unless it was on experienced
climber, could mount that berg. His
4 weight would, we believe. cause him
to slip at every step. Caribel, how
ever owing to her lightness, went up
the procipice almost as easily as if she
wore going upstairs.
At this moment the vessel, caught
by puff of wind, swung round, 80
that, for several minutes, the little
climber was lost to our view.
Tho captain and the rest called to
her to come back, but the wind was
blowing against us, 50 that we doubt
cd if we were heard. .
At length there she stood upon that
huge overhangiDg mass of ice project
ing from tho sum nit of the lofty berg.
The dove had flown to "a little ledge
Of ice on the very edge of the mass,
and Clarihel stood looking down at it.
Not seeming to see or hear US, sho
suddenly stopped, and actually slid
to the lodge!
The .stoutost heert aboard ship
quailed at the little ones peril, es~
pecialy when loud crack was sud-
denly heard, and the strip supporting
the projecting ice-rock was seen to
yawn with wide crack !!
! The captain turned pale. Falling
from suoh height, Claribel
would be dashed to pieces on the Jag
ged ice, 6fty feet below, which, in
sharp points, projected on all sides !
oGlll there she was laughing uncOn.
scious of her poril, on tho sleppcry
ledge, reaching out for the dove.
| The berg was now osoillating with
the waves the cracking sound was
hoard again. ...
The captain sprung to tho quarter
boat. Half dozen men, among them
The young Swiss purser, Henry Del
fer, sprung in. . ..,.., ."
! Tho boat touched tho 10y founda.
tion. All The occupants at once
each man eager 10 DO tho one to save
the little cir! endeavorod to ascend
the slippery precipice, and failed ,
all but the young Switzer, once a
chamois.hunter, who steadily mounts
ed to the summit of tho berg. f.
a., He had snatohed q coil of rope from