The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1874-11-25

action, they could only await the
dreadful death or fearful mangling
and crushing that seemed inevitable,
and the torture Of. racking suspense,
more dreadful than the most terrible
certainty, oEly added horror to the
situation. Tue lenger, the sleeper.
the more dangerous the descent, the
mure maddeni.g became the shouts
and more frantic the gestures Of the
driver, aud the speed Of the hoi ses.
The coach swayed and swung along.
side the sheer descents aud frightful
precipices beside the road, or jerked
like plaything at their heels. When
crossing the numerous breakers il
would angriiy leap ike some ferocious
monster in pursuit Of its.fast-deeing
prey. The wild, heart-piercing shrieks
of the ladies soon subsided into a
piteous and hopeless moan. In some
their excess of terror bad mercifully
produced temporary oblivion, and
they happily were not restored from
these iainting fits until the danger
bad passed. Others more steady
nerved or stronger, were forced to
bear the keenest torture that hair
suspended death, an agonizing and
repulsive doom, could infict That
every conscious passenger suffered
more than hundred deaths during
that fearful ride is no exaggeration.
Fortunately but few are ever placed
in situations that would enable them
to realize. ever so family, their trying
situation-the terrific ordeal through
which they passed or seemed to be
wbirled rather, like the leaves driven
before the wbirlwind
A glimmer of consciousness, or the
iron force of habit, kept driver and
horses to the road. In their utterly
ffenzied condition, the most frightful
precipice or gloomiest gorge would
have offered an inviting leap. Gods
mercy was over them in their hour
of greatest trial, and preserved them
through The dimmed consciousness oi
the man and the habits Of the brutes
/ Alarm, wonder, blank consterna,
tion seized the people of Stoystowr
when, before the usual time, they saw
the coach and heard the shouts o.
the driver as they dashed into the
town. The terrific pace at which
they travelled heated his maddened
blood until it coursed through bi:
veins like quicksilver, and gave hin
frantic JOY and most horrifying ant
demoniac glee at their phantom-likt
rate of travel: his hair flying IN thr
wind, his long whip brandishipg ant
cracking round bis head, stamping OIL
the foot-board with fearful violence
and uttering the most frightful yell
and otths, the foam flying, from hi
! lips and fecking his clothesl
Such was the appearance of thu
maniac driver as the coach was whirl
: ed up to the hotel with the sweep of {
deluge The horses, ready to sinl
: with exhaustion and terror, stoppet
suddenly, and allowed the pale, ter
ror-stricken passengers to get thei
: first glimpse of safety, their frs
CLEAN of hope Many had to be as
sisted to alight, and were unable t
proceed further on their journey. AL
had received mental shocks that onl,
time and care could counterbalance
and that would haunt them to tbei
dying day. The team was ruined
The driver, after desperate resist
alce, was captured and confined.
The story soon lost its interest, an'
the man | first heard tell it was q
unmoved, as unexcited, as if detailing
the most commonplace event. Hi
bloodless way of telling it was suffi
cient to stir my imagination, and
never could forget it.
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