The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-11-30

we're raintr ~ fucuutvianN. WV" - m
ance; and ct length, IN climbing over u hne
OF confused broken psecss OF zee, s,lap
q bicb bound the skate to my right foot
snapped asunder. aud found every eh'
deayor TO repair il lru!tless.
Twas compelled then TO disemoafrass on.n
my feet. with the agreeable prospect OF ma
;sbinc nv exped,tion by waIking-an cxer.
cse ,,y which. even on terra frma, did not
ere 10 have thus unceremoniously thrust
mon me. but which now, hungry. faint,
fsligued, far from home, and on ice, was
peculiarly unpleasant MODE OF con,eyasoe'
Nv rh,griu was consdcrabl, enhanced. too,'
and some serious fears dashed across my
mind with A force which rendered all my
preyious troubles comparatively insIenin'
cant. on indlng that the ice was evidently
undergoing a thaw, It's surface being haii
an inch under water, which In some places
Iappearcd Of much greater depth. 10000
heavens - / exclaimed aloud, now truly
and Justly sarmed, "tbe ice Is breaking
up!"
I looked anxiously around. Not being
was TO be seen. No boat, OF course, OF any
description could penetrate here; no YES
sci was III my peighborbood, and II theTe
lad been, OF what use would II be 10 me ".
"a | now feared, the Ice was melting. i
examined the surface around me. III was
evidently yielding 10 the influence OF me
warmth OF O remarkably mild evening. and'
perhaps, the restless and powerful tides. In
many places more elevated 1t was still wet
and soft, aud at length, to my unutteraDle
horror aud despair, perceived that STOOD
upon mass which was almost ue'scDeu
from that above me, and swayed around
with a heavy, slow motion-a mere Island
about 10 n al of to sea. i shuddered with
cold horror. Ny heart beat quick. MY
ewes glanced wildly around IN frultless
search OF some means OF escape. L could
not swim, and not even plank appeared 10
| sight.
"Is it poSsiblei" at length thought.
elias my time at length arrived! Shall l
cease 20 exist before the Torning? Shall
never see The sun again Those dear friends
who are waiting for me now at home, can 1t
be that have parted from them forever
forever and ever?"
These thoughts rolled tumuliuously
through my mind, while / was striving
continually TO dash through the little sea
which began alreqdy to encompass me. l
tried I'm twenty places TO regain the main
field, which hoped might be yet attached
TO the shore: but wherever | advanced tbe
water spread around me, battling my en-
deayors, aud in several places ihe unstable
material on which stood bent feariu'ly be-
meath my tread. Once my foot broke
through, and the cold element chilled me
with feeling OF approaching death. Wet.
exhausted. hopeless, and desperate, / ielt
that il became me 10 collect my energies
and pcrsish-if ] must perish-with the
composure and dignity OF an honest man
and Christian.
addressed a prayer, therefore, to the
merciful Power which bad called me INTO
being, and then climbed up on a Dill OF
wet ice. several pieces OF which crumbed
at my touch. With the blood curdling IN
NV veins, | here saw the piece upon when
| had been encompassed gradually, and
with heavy crash, di>joined from the rest,
so tia. the food Of the river, swollen by a
Iong.restraincd current, gushed up upon
The fragment and almost flowed 10 my ieet.
"The God OF Heaven receive me-"
murmured, closing my eyes ana c'asplng
nv hands convulSively together as feit
myself in motion and saw the clear, co'd
water, now on every side OF me, Washing
against my fIai bark and sparkling III the
dim starlight. was aroused by voice.
rush of tumultuous hope poured in uDon
my soul. sprang up and shouted. Inc
voice replied:
"For Gods sake, who is there! am IN
dagger OF my life. Can you aid me
"Graclous heavens !" l exclaimed, tears
| OF anguish bursting from my eyes al tSis
| cruel disappointment. "We are both lost,
| then. I am drowning. We must perish
| together"
I heard groan Of horror and then dimlv
through the dark windows could discover
| a horseman dismounted.
"You have a horse" | said, hope OF
life again shooiin.. through my heart.
81 thought" replied the stranger ''ibat
| T could cross the river on horseback, but
am adrift." -,
"Leap into the water with your horse"
I said. I" he can carry us both to the Shore"
"He is already spent" replied the man,
Z" and dare not leap into the cold water;
| should freeze TO death or drown. May
Heaven have mercy on our souls for thls
is our last night"
"Do not die" shouted ], "without an
effort: your horse will carry us safely
across Try him, if you would ever see
daylight again -
| NV words aroused him. l saw Inn
mount the animal, who started as il him.
self folly sensible Of his danger.
| 81 will take the leap, FRIEND" he cried !:
.but should / perish, promise me, In case
OF your escape, TO go 10 -. ana INFORM
nv wife and children that | blessed them
| i'm my last moments. | bave seen many
nights of peril, but never before one IKE
this"
| After giving to me promise OF nature
| similar to that which he had exacied. he
dashed the rowels into the TANKS Of his al.
frightcd steed. who reared again. and
started back from the brink. At length, how
ever. deep. heavy plunge announced that
thev were committed 10 the flood. A groan
and shrek rose above the rush OF the water,
then for moment all was still. listened
| ip an agony OF suspense. There was again
splashag and smothered screams, bub'
bling, AS the waters closed around their
victim. heard no more, except the
measured strokes OF the steed and snort
ing and peculiar neighing, singularly ex-
pessive OF terror.
In little while this, too, ceased, aAd
everything was silent. l flung myself
down, and buried my face In my hands,
stunned. II was blessing that my senses
left me.
| I awoke with my dear mothers hama
upon my forehead. had been discovered
at dsybreak upon the fragment OF ice, which
had lodged near Governors Island, and
small boat had taken me off. For week |
had been raving and my life nearly given
over. ! heard, with curious feeling, my
mother subsequently remark upon my good
fortune in having escaped, as she learned
from The papers that man, on The same
night, had persisted 10 an attempt to cross
the river with horse.