The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1872-01-05
AN HOUR OF PERL.

1here sometimes happen during
our lives, incidents so strange and
startling in their character, and SO
deep and lasting in their impressions,
! that we can never think of them, even
/ after the. lapse OF long,. long years,
without an involuntary shudder and o
| reverent THANK God, it is all past p
Sometimes, indeed, We bear away as
legacy from scenes OF imminent
peril, something to serve through the
coming years as continual reminder
of the time when we stood helpless
and friendless upon the verge OF de-
struction; aud had not the arm Of
Him~who holds the world as water in
the hollow OF His hand, been out
stretched in our defense, we might
now be numbered among the things
of the past. sx1<t s.
Tonight as I sit before a ruddy
fire, indulging my infancy in walking
dreams, a flood of remembrances
comes sweeping DER me; and with 1t,
the recollection of an hour, the very
memory OF which is so painful, that l
turn from it with u shudder, and en-
deavor to forget it amid my books
'Tis all in vain. Owing to some
strange cause-a problem for meta.
physicians alone to solve-there are
certain times when the mind is wholly
unable to resist the intrusion of disa-
greeable reveries, but entcrta:ns in an
unwilling manner, that which it can
not DISMISS
Nearly twenty years have elapsed
since the event to which l alluded oc-
curred-an event which stamped its
impress so indclibly on my mind, that
it seems but yesterday since il trans
pired, and which left my hai, at TWEEN
ty-two white as Decembcr's snow. 1t
happened thus:
Walter Warner and l had been
bosom friends from our earliest
youth. Together we had spent the
happy hours of childhood; together
we searched for wild flowers in our
native woods; and, when older, we
had studied from the same books, and
finally graduated from the same calass
in-College. Ours was no ordina-
ry friendship. He was dearer to me
by far than a brother; for though
many years have rolled into eternity
since he died, I have never ceased to
mourn for him as one who met most
un,imely fate. aayss aai oe.
During our college life we had ap-
piled ourselves too closely TO study;
Tor there was a friendly rivalry be-
tween us as TO which should stand
the highest in the class, and the mid
night hour often found us still busily
pouring over our books. The conse-
quence was, that upon graduation, we
found ourselves wearied out, and
nearly broken down by incessant
labor. To remedy this, our family
physician and oft consulted friend.
advised a season of travel and recrea-
ton, as best calculated to rest and re-
cruit our over-tasked energies. To
follow his advice, was, of course, no
unpleasant task; and after a few
hasty preparations we turned our
backs upon our homes and started for
aWextended tour through the State OF
Texas. then a recently acquired
American territory, followed by the
kindly wishes of numerous friends
and many prayers for our safe return.
/ shall pass over ia silence the adven-
lures We encountered IN our travels,
simply saying, that at the expiration
of two months, We found ourselves,
not in Texas, but on the beautiful Ia
BILE lands of Mexico, and near the foot
of mount Or:zaba. sEs/ @dh'! ha'
1t had always been q wild and
strangely foolish desire of mine,
caused by reading books of travel and
adventures, to some day ascend TO
the summit of volcano and look in
to the hidden depths of region,
wierd and awful enough to be fit
| residence for the Prince of Darkness;
| and now with the opportunity at hand
of gratifying my wishes, even though
the undertaking was attended with a
great amount of danger, | was not
disposed to let it slip, but proposed
TO Walter that we should scale ORR
zaba, and then return to our native
State. To this he gave a ready as
sent; and, accordingly. procuring a
guide, an intelligent and Trustworthy
fellow named Pedro Rnna, we set
out for the peak one morning just as
the rays of the rising sun were gid
ing the eastern sky. The ascent was
task of greater difficulty than 1 had
immagined; and long ere we reached
the top, had it not been that l was
unwilling to acknowledge myself ia.
tigued, | would willingly have fore.
gone the pleasure I had promised my,
self, rather than to have completed
the journey. pressed on, however
and at last stood where mortal foot
has seldom trod, with the clouds roll
ing in silent grandeur far below us.
/ The view from our exalted position
was wild and beautiful in the extreme
Beneath us the country lay spread
out like map, and we could trace
each river from its source to it'
mouth; while far away to the south
west rose the cloud clapped summi
of Popocatapita, standing silent ent
lone, like giant sentinel placed ther'
by Gods own hand.
Abb had we been content to hav'
returned then without further adyen
ture, | should never have written thi
painful story. But young bloot
knows no reason; and in moment o
excitement Walter proposed that W
should descend into the crater of tn
volcano. v4,.s,. ....s.4.
"Senor,, Senior, for Gods sake don
think of such a thing!" exclaimed tn
guide hastily, and deyctedly crossin
himself. a'Tis only few years sine
that traveller miserably perishe