The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1878-11-20

yet there was no hope Of escape- non g
1t was only q question OF moments how
long, with stiffening limbs, | could cling
to TINS rough beam, then plunge INTO
tue darkness.
Still / had time to think. What were
my thoughts2 A helpless sense OF cruelty,
of the horrible unfeelingness and malig-
nifty Of the hurting wind, OF the raging
waters. "A sad modification, too, and
sense Of injustice, that ! should loose my
life for nothing;a pleasant ramble turned
to sucl. an evil end. OF the pass I thought
nothing; it was nothing to me nova
tale that was told; that was all. OF the
future, nothing, either, excepting q dim
and awful wonder. But plainly, wildly
berore my eyes saw the figure OF my
wife, sitting at work by the tlre, waiting
and watching tor me-for me VINO meyer +
should come. That was the bitterness OF
1t: And yet Wlthai was not UNCONSCIOUS
OF q certain vague sense OF the numerous ls(l
OF myself thas shculd De thus stuck
up astrlde beam, IKE some lad at play,
sport tor the buftetlngs OF the elements.
Mltn ta1s' 100, an unspeaKaDle rage, q
KIND OF crushed dehance' revolt against
the doom wnlcn was lmm1nent--a revolt
"hlcn Ielc ltsel1 hopeless ana useless
from It's beginning.
While all this storm of conflicting
thoughts was whirling through my
brain, the turmoil outside was diminish
ing. The wind had hushed for awhile, and
across my face for q moment sort Of
ruddy glow, the last beams of the sun
setting rapidly into tho sea. The vapors
divided for moment the huge dark mass
OF a mountain trowned down upon me-ss,
for moment only-then the clouds en-
comprised me once more, the glow died
away, the awful gloom gray of night bea
gan to gather in upon me like vast
net. s....m. rs. f.. 1
Should drop into the sea and end it
all! To die in the dark would be more
horrible than anything else. Even on
the quietest and most resigned deathbeds
the loss of light is the most disouietine
trouble to the departing soul. Light
more light! is the last CIV of the spirit in
extremity. And now it seemed as though
nature had determined to spare me no
pang of all the gathering horrors Of nv
doom. Darkness and despair were set
Ting down upon nv soul.
Then came the storm once more with a
rush of gathered rain: a howl. a shnnt .
roar of triumph as the shrill wind trumn-
eted past, precursor of a more, fur;ons
blast. I could bear no more. A sapless
nerveless form I was. swept from the
beam like withered leaf from q branch.
and fell. CATCHING at some crossheams
as I fell. but LOSING nv hold in . moment
and dropping helnlesslv down Once
more consciousness returned. A vaone
silyerv LIGHT was diffused ahont me- above
were stars shining. huge balks of timber
glimmered overhead. I was stretched
upon a bed of wet sand. living On nv
back. looking rp into the skv. T was NOT
dead, then. No! Was I manned. crush
ed? / drew I'M one limb after another
fearing least sudden shout Of AGONY
should betrav some grieyous hurt. But
no! I was sound in limb; and as raised
myself and looked about 7 felt that ex-
cept in the dizziness and a wonderful
ringing that was ceaselesslv going IN n
nv head. I was ,lnhurt ). And r was
saved? That was as miphr hannen
When rose and stood mon INV, foot
looked around me-. and found that I
had fallen upon a little island. 4 narrow
spit of sand that had formed i, tia aadn
caused bv the pier of the bpiid}pe. a.
each side of it ran a strong and ranii
current. All this saw by the light Of
the moon, sometimes BRIGHT. somet;mes
obscure, as she parted her way among the
fast driving clouds. =
Distantly across the waters shone the
lights of the little town: saw in its t,as
lamps, which sparkled brilliantly ~ fhe
night, and from out Of the rocks wb;cb
showed against the sky line here and
there the soft light of a candle in q cot-
tage window CLEANED like a fairv lam !
On the other side Of the estuary there
were no liohts Int the c+ra;,,;no ~
might discern the gloom Of hiah hi]ls
that seemed, indeed. onlv like some dark'
some chasms in the sky: but 40 7 watched
saw tiny star that was GLIDING among
the rocks. Now seen. now loot T fellow
ed it with longing ewes. and listenine, in
tentlv heard the cjattar nc horsas, hanf0
and the murmur of wheo,s r;s;n, 80
falling as the road wound IN ana n,,t
amonS the rocks further or noarar r.
was some carriaoa ro]lino ran;dlv tnuor I'd :,
home-toward nv bnme and l,era 1uos T
a ooc+o-or - = 49, - -