The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1880-06-11

gular fatality the companion OF his return
quietly cropped the grass at his side.
An hour nearly passed away, and yet the
young man slept on. The light and heat
we're not glaring now; change had come
over the aspect of the scene. There were
signs of one of those sudden thunder-storms
that in our climate spring up and pass over
so quickly and so terribly. Masses Of Yapor
loomed up in the horizon, and dark shadow
settled on the woods and fields The leaves
of the great oak rustled together over the
youths head. Clouds fitted swiftly in the
sky, like bodies of armed men coming up to
battle at the call of their leaders trumpet
A thick raindrop fell now and then. while
occasionally hOarse mutterings of thunder
sounded in the distance vet the slumOerer
was not aroused. LO! thus in the world YOU
may see men stepped in Iethargy while a
mightier tempest gathers over them. Even
as the floods are about to burst-as the warn
ing caution is sent forth, they close their ewes,
and dream idly, and smile while they dream
Many thrOned potentate, many a proud
king, with his golden crown, will start wildly
in the midst of the thundercrash, and the
bright glaring Of the storm, and wonder that
he saw it not when it was coming.
1t was strange that the young man did not
awake. Perhaps his ocean life had taught
him to rest undisturbed amid the iarring Of
elements. The storm was now coming on in
its fury Black Nell had ceased grazing. and
stood by her sleeping master with ears erect,
and her long name and tail waving in the
wind. It seemed quite dark, so heavy were
the clouds. The blast came sweepingly, the
lightning flashed and the rain fell in torrents.
Crash after crash of thunder seemed 20 shake
the solid earth And Black Nell, she stood
now, an image of beautiful terror with her
fore feet thrust out. her neck arched and her
eyes glittering balls Of fear. At length, af-
ter dazzling and Iurid glare, there came a
peal-a deafenining crash-as if the great
axle was rent; it seemed to shiver the very
central foundations, and every object ap-
peared reeling like a drunken man. God Of
Spirits the startled mare sprang OFF like a
ship in an Ocean-stOrm-her eyes were blind
ed with terror-she dashed madly down the
hill, and plunge after plunge, e,-far, far away,
swift as an arrov,-dragging the hapless
body Of the sleeper behind her
/ In the low, Old-fashiOned dwelling Of the
farmer there was large family group. The
men and boys had gathered under shelter at
the approach of the storm, and the subject of
their talk was the return of the Iong-absent
son. The mother spoke of him too, and her
eyes frightened with pleasure as she spoke.
She had made all the little domestic prepara-
tions-cOozed his favorite disheS-and al
ranged for him his own bed in its own old
place As the tempest was at its fury they
I discussed the probability of his getting soak
ed by it, and the provident dame had already
selected some dry garments for change.
But the rain was soon over, and nature
smiled again in her invgorated beauty. The
sun shone out as it was dipping in the west.
Drops sparkled on the leaf-tips, ,-coolneSs
and clearness were in the air.
The gathering Of 4 horses hOOfs came to
. the ears Of those who were gathered there.
+ 1t was on the other side of the house that the
wagon road led, and they opened the door
and rushed through the adjoining room to
the porch. What sight it was that met
them there, Black Nell stood a few feet
from the door, with hcrneck crouched down;
she drew her breath long and deep, and va
. por rose from every part of herreeking body
And with eyes starting from their sockets,
and mouths agape in stupefying terror, they
4 beheld on the ground near her mangled,
hideous maSS-the rough semblance of n hu-
man formal battered and cut and bloody.
Attached to il was the fatal cord. dabbed
over with gore. Fearful and sickening was
the object And as the mother gazed-foT
she could not withdraw her eyes-and the
appalling truth came upon her mind. she
sank down, without shrek OF UtteTance, into
deep, deathly swOOn.