Orangeburg news and times. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1875-1877, 1876-09-23

rocky; she knew Of shorter though
more dangerous path through lhc
other side Of the wild crnyon.
She had lcar,I the clock 1T Vain
wrlght's strike for haIEpast seven, rs
she left, and she was anxious to be :.t
home.
The brook must be los enough to
wade through" She thought, "and it
will save time"
She felt strangely, and longcd TO
set home; she VAS too healthy to think
Of dying, but as she hurried along The
dangerous path, where Il loose rock or
4 nisstcp would have been fatal, She
could not but think how mcrcirul
Cool would he if sho could fall, and
never open her eyes again.
She had reached the brook, taken
or her shoes and stockings, and wis
Just ready TO wade in when she heard
Il rumbling underneath her feet, us i
regiment Of cavalry were lramping
there.
"EarthIual, - she t1onght; she
had felt many Of them, and Was not
alarmed; she WAS, besides, in ,l;.zel,
wrctchcd condition when scarcely
anything would have alarmed her.
She started into The brock, although
she felt the ground rockin. beneath
her feet, and The great bowl,lers which
lay loosely OH tho sides Of the steep
hills began TO rel and jump with Il
dreadful noise; any one less unhappy
would have realized that she could
scarcely have been in Il more danger.
ous place. "lhcrc.' She though,
pau<ins half way through the water
TO look up around her, "it's over. |
hope Mrs. Mill is with poor mother"
But it WAS not over; it WAS but The
breathing sp,ll Of Il couple Of seconds
when the rca! carthlul':c commenced.
Margaret stood still, her bare feet
slipping OH the mo<sy stones Til"
strange noises, the great rocks tumb-
ling about her, the swaying trees,
bcwildcrcd AMI colt:,scl her: she
realized her danger, but dared nli,ncr
Il VANCE nor retreat.
She thought not o.! heaven ut chat
awful moment; neither Of The vcn.e-
cancc Eor The infinite mercy Of Cod
the Very remembrance OF her Sin and
| the knowledge that Sic must answer
for il seemed to have passed from her.
My God, my God" she cried
have mercy upon him! Father, l.t
not your morcy fail him"
"A gr at rock above her heal SPLIT
and fell with II terrible crash; the
earthquake lasted but forty seconds,
but TO Margaret il seemed hours;
great cracks we're opened in the earth;
springs bubbicI up in the bed Of the
creek, and the water rose rapidly;
another great bowldcr from The cliff
above her broke and fell; Margaret
saw it come with uazc.l terror; then
she knew 10 more.
The water rose III the c<loping banks
of Tie crccE aS high lis in the depths
Of water, and swept down The canyon
Il perfect torrent, bearing earth and
the branches Of trees and al things
before il; far, far down, below Last
Chance di"gings, tic miners litcd out
Of the muddy Hood, the next morn.
ing, poor human body, all bruised
an,i broken; Nargarct's friend, hcar,!
and came to look al ii; the fair. round
e, face was cut and bruised beyond
recognition, but they knew The rim .
on her iiugcr, the soft hair, the dress,
and they said il must be she.
II any guessed her secret, none
whispc'cd it; if Ralph Cranboarnc
was remembered, when the dry earth
fell above her, none spoke his name;
and up above, the angels Of Gol,
seeing clearer than We, surely must
have welcomed her as one worthy OF
the crown.
An cd Indian trader who furn-