The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1881-12-29

In spite OF all tier attentions my
pains rapidly augmented, and in a short
time was again lost in the unconscious
delirium of fever. In my vague dream
ings was again on the narrow bridge,
bending every effort and stTaining every
nerve to remove the piece of wood that
bound me there. Again L was chained
to the hinge rock, in which unconscious
laborers were drilling holes which thsy
filed with powder TO blow the unscoInly
mass to atoms. Fiends, shapalCss and
hideous, few about me, chattcring IL
plee-demons danced on the sharp ed%es
of the rock, chucGing again like the
measured puff of the engine and at IA
tervals they stopped to bind the cham
closer. until the links festered into tho
very flesh. pnh turned my blood To gatl
with the poison in which they had h en-
dipped. Cavrrns yawled on e'ery side
to receive me. All at once was heard
the long shrili whistle of the engine, and
voice., that seemed the very agony OF
despair, screamed on every side ol nae,
The train the train y
But all this passed away. was we'll
again, and could walk about the house
with the aid of q crutch, for I had left
one foot suspended IN the bridge wnorr
| had so miraculously escaped death.
Lucy had treasured me Of her love. aot
indeed by words, but by her actions.
Long and patiently she had watched by
my side and To her more than any eth
er do L owe the preservation VI nay hic.
No words had passed between Us IL re.
lation to tho subject which he'd 50 nearly
separated us, yet there seemed t. be :
tacit acknowledgment of the error on my
part, and n cheerful forgiveness on horS
But one dav. when we CHANGED t. be
alone, REQUIRED to tho folly Of which
had been guilty, and more formally a ked
her forgiveness.
"Freely do 1 forgive you, " she said,
eff indeed you have been guilty of any
act which would seem to require It,
You doubtless acted according to yoU
earnest inclination, which L would not
wish to oppose. 1 supposed your ONLY
object was to secure the hand OF another
| in leaving me, ana that ---
"Lucy, Lucy p exclaimed, cit was
not SOL was mad / was fool ! be-
| lieved too rashly, but now 1 will believe
nothing. I will not even credit what
see. But tell me. Lucy, how 1t hap
pened that on one or two occasions, after
excusing yourself from accompanying
me to an evenings visit or party,
should afterward meet you returning
home in company with Mr.. WesleyY
"Still Jealous, / see, ;" said Lucy.
"No, no. replied "but-
"I,isten then" she said, interrupting
me. "and 1 will explain all which
might have done sooner had YOU re
ouested it, I was anxious to improve
nv singing, and, as this was probably
the only opportunity 1 should ever have
I had engaged to take private lessons o
Mr., Wesley. I did not think it neces
sary to tell every one why was so oftel
seen in the company of that gentleman
who. ! must assure you, Is not only
very amiable young man, but Is engages
to nv cousin. with whom no 1nducemen
could cause him to break his compact.
but why DID he delay SO long t
come to my asEi Jtance, when was abou
to be crushed by the train p
che did, indeed, make all the hast
in his power" replied Lucy; but, l
company with my brother, arrived
moment too late, when it would hay
been madness to have gone ON tn
bridge. In the dim light they saw 20
fall into the water, which, fortunately
was deep and rapid and consequent
free from ice. They hastened to tn
bank of the stream, and in a few me
ments succeeded in rescuing you fro
this second danger and bore you to II
house." -,
"Friends, thank God; all friends i
could not help uttering after listening
Lucy's explanation of ill that had tran
) pired. 1 was happy again, thong
, manned for life, fact which Lucy ge.
erously seemed to quite overlook, ~ a
, did not hesitate to become Mrs. Wort
ington in less than month after n
rarfAct cOnYnlescence.