American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1873-07-12

pCdlcN by the ttnOCS OF inc IiNlne, Us
| ccnded 10 our ears with Il noise like that
of cataract. On a large fragment of
rock, few yards from the brink, was
rudely carved date, and below it two
letters. They were the initials, so our
guide informed us, of the unfortunate
douaner who had there met his death
We had remained for half a minute or
so gazing down into the ravine, when
Ashley, who was on the right of the party,
broke silence.
"Pshaw" said he, stepping back from
the edge, that's no leap. Why, I'll jump
across it myself"
For heavens sake" cried Dora
''Ashleyr' | exclaimed, don't be
fool"
But it was too late. What impulse pos
sessed him | cannot say; but certain | am.
from my knowledge of his character that
it was no foolish bravado or school-boy
desire to show off that seduced him to so
wild Il freak. The fact was, hut for the
depth below, the leap did not look at all
formidable; not above four or five feet,
but in reality was deal wider. 1t was
probably this deceitful appearance, and
perhaps the feeling which Englishmen are
apt to entertain, that for feats of strength
and agility no men surpass them, that con
WINGED Walter of the ease with which he
could jump across. Before we could stop
him he took a short run and jumped.
a scream from Dora was echoed by an
exclamation of horror from NJ 'Dermot and
myself. Ashley had cleared the chasm
and alighted on the opposite edge but it
was shelving and slippery, and his feet
slipped from under him. For one mo-
ment it appeared as if he would be instant
ly dashed to pieces but in falling he man
aged to catch the edge of the rock, which
at that place formed an angle. There he
hung by his hands, his whole body in the
air, without a possibility of raising him
self; for below the edge the rock was
smooth and receding, and even could he
have reached it, he would have found no
foothold. One desperate effort he made to
grasp stunted and leatiess sapling that
grew in crevice at not more than Il foot
from the edge, but it failed, and nearly
caused his instant destruction. Desisting
from further effort, he hung motionless,
his hands convulsively cramped to the
ledge of the rock, which afforded so slip
perry and difficult a hold, that his sustain
ing himself by it at all seemed amiracle,
and could only be the result of uncom-
mon muscular powers. 1t was evident
that no human strength could possibly
maintain him for more than minute CT
two in that position; below was an abyss,
hundred or more feet deep-to all APP
pearances his last hour was come.
M'Dermot and l stood aghast and help
less, gazing with open mouths and strain
ed eyeballs at our unhappy friend. What
could we do? Were we to dare the leap,
which one more active and vigorous than
ourselves had unsuccessfully attempted?
1t would have been counting destruction,
without chance of saving Ashley. But
Dora put us to shame. One scream, and
only one she uttered, and then, gathering
up her habit, she sprang unaided from her
mule. Her check was pale as the whitest
-. but
impaired, and she seemed to gain courage
and decision in the moment of peril.
Your cravats, your handkerchiefs, ~
cried she, untastening- as she spoke, her
long cashmere scarf. Mechanically
M'Dermot and myself obcyed. With the
speed of light and a woman's dexterity
she knotted together her scarf, long silk
cravat which | gave her, MDcrmot's
handkerchief and mine, and securing
how, | know not-a stone at either eX-
tremity of the rope thus formed, she threw
one end of it, with sure aim and steady
hand, across the ravine and round the sap |
ling already referred to. Then leaning
forward till | feared she would fall into
the chasm and sprang forward to hold |
her back, she let go the other end Ash |
ley's hold was already growing feeble, his |
fingers were torn by the rock, the blood |
started from under his nails, and he turn
ed his face toward US with mute prayer |
for succor. At that moment the two ends |
of the shawl fell against him, and he in
stinctively grasped them. 1t was mo-
ment of fearful suspense. Would the |
knots SO hastily made resist the tension of |
his weight? They did so; he raised him
self by strength of wrist. The sapling |
bent and bowed, but his hand was now |
close to it. He grasped it; another pow
erful effort, the last effort of despair and |
he lay exhausted and almost senseless |
upon the rocky brink. At the same mo-
ment, with a cry of joy, Dora fell tainting |
into her brothers arms.
OF that days adventures little remains |
to tell \ walk of a mile brought Ashley |
to place where IA bridge, thrown over a |
ravine, enabled him to cross it. l omit |
his thanks to Dora, his apology for the |
alarm he had caused her, and his admir-
ing eulogy of her presence of mind. Her
manner of receiving them, and the look
she gave him when, on reJ0Inlng us, lie |
took her hand, and with Il natural and |
grateful courtesy that prevented the action
from appearing theatrical or unusual,
pressed it TO his lips, were anything but
gratifying to me, whatever they may have
been to him. She seemed no way dis
pleased at the freedom. | was most con
but that Walter did not seem
to observe.
The incident that had occurred and Do
ra's request, brought our excursion to an
abrupt termination, and we returned
1t appeared as if this were
doomed to be day of disagreablcs. On
reaching the inn, | found letter which,
thanks to my frequent change of place,
and to the dilatoriness of continental
post-otfices, had been chasing me from
town to town during the previous three
weeks. 1t was from a lawyer, informing
me of the death of relative, and compell-
ing me instantly to return to England to
some important business concern
ing Il disputed will. The sum at stake
was too considerable for me TO neglect the
and with the worst possible
grace prepared to depart. | made some
violent attempts to induce Ashley to fol-
low me, talked myself hoarse about fox
hunting and pheasant. shooting, and other
delights of the approaching season; but
all in vain. His passion for field sports
seemed entirely cooled; he snecred at
foxes, treated pheasants with contempt,
and professed to be as much in love with
the Pyrcnees as | began to fear he
with Dora. There was nothin" for it but
to set out alone, which | accordingly did,
having previously obtained from M'Dcr
mot the plan of their route and name of the
place where he and his sister thought of
| was determined, SO soon as |
had settled my affairs to return To the con
tinent and propose for Dora.
MAN proposes and God disposcs," says
the proverb. In my case | am prepared
to prove that the former part of the prov
erb lied abominably. Instead of fort
night in London being, as | had too san
boppJ sufficient for cpftlp |