The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1874-06-24

; i miracle.
i soul-strango thing; but you
would have said that the cannon
had one alSo-a soul filled with
rage and hatred. This blindness
appeared TO have eyes. The mon
ster had the air Of Watching the
man. There was-onc might have
l;tucicd 80 ut lcasI-cunning in this
n;t>S. II also chose its moment.
! 1t became some gigantic insect Of
metal, having, or seeming to have,
the will of demon. Sometimes
This colossal grasshoppcr would
strike the low ceiling Of the gun
deck, then fall back on its four
whccis like tiger upon its four
claws, and dprt anew on the man.
Hc-supplc, agile, adroit-would
glide away like ! snake from the
reach OF these lightninglikc move
mcnts. lie avoided the encoun-
tcrS but the blows which he
escaped fell Hpon the vessel ond
continued the havoc
An end Of broken chain re-
manned attached to the cannonade.
This chain had twisted itself, one
could not tell how, about the screw
Of the brccch- button. One cX.
trcmity Of the chain was fastened
TO the carriage. The other, hang.
ing loose, whirIed wildly about the
gun, and added to the danger Of
its blows.
The screw held it like 4 clinch-
cd hand, and the chain, multiply
ing the strokes or the battering-
ram by its strokes Of i thong,
made i fearful whirlwind about
the cannon-a whip Of iron in a
fist Of brass. This chain compli-
Gated the battle.
Nevertheless the man fought
Sometimes, even, it was the man
who attacked the cannon. lie
crept along the side, bar and rope
in hand, and the cannon had the
air Of understanding, and fled rs
fit perceive! u snare. The man
pursued it. formidabIc, fearless.
Sach Il duel couIi not IaSt long.
The unn seemed suddenly to Say
to itself. "Come. we must make an
end !" and it panscI. Onc felt the
approach Of the crisis. The cam
non, us II i'll suspense, appeared to
have. or had--becansc it seemed
to all 4 Scntient hcing--a furious
prcmcdltatlon. 1t spranS uncX-
pccIedI5 upon the gunner. lie
jumped aside, let II pass, and cried
out with laugh, "Try ayaln!" !"
The gun, rs if in 4 fury: broke 4
carronale to larboard then seized
anew by the invisible sling which
held it. was flung to starboard tc-
ward the man, who escaped.
Three carronades gave way un-
der the blows Of the gan; then as
if blind, and no longer conscious
Of what it was doing, 1t turned It's
back on the man, rolled from the
stern to the bow, brnlslng the
stem and making 4 breach in the
plaukinps Of the prov. The gun
ncr had taken refuge ut the foot
of the stairs q few steps from the
ole! man, who was watching.
The Gunner held his handspiIic
in rest. The cannon seemed to
perceive him. and without taking
the trouble to turn itself, backed
upon him with the quickncss Of an
axe stroke. The gunner, if driven
back against the side, was lost
| The crew uttered a simultaneous
cry.
Bat the old passenger. until now
;mmovable, made 4 spring more
rapid than all those wild whirls.
lie seized bale Of the false rs.
signats, aud at the risk Of being
crushed. succeeded in tlinging it
between the wheels OF the carrOn-
ade.
The bale had the effect Of 4 llng.
A pebble may stop log: 4 tree
branch turn an avalanche. The
carronade stumbled. The gunner,
IN his tArn' seizlhg THIS terrible
| .l,,, ii I,nn h,