Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1882-02-10
I Eelfrj : tOrg,
PERILOUS ADVENTURE.

| 1t was past noon when | started for
/ the home of my betruthed. But NV
horse was good. aud if | rode hard. |
might be at rreveSy hynight(sli, There
was "a sprinkle OF snow ou the ground.
and a fraihesly shower fell lightly
around me. Of which ! thought moth
/ ing till sunset. The short. dark lay
was over at five; aud al that hour =
sharp wind sprau1 up, and the snow
/ began falling thickly. II eitsosucu hat
bind and bewiidcrel oy the blE flakes.
ever, hylug downward and onHards,
lud around me Ike cold, patient
army, whose onslaught could never bc
STAYED or driven 5aca.
Still | pushed on. though the poor
beast | rode shook aud tremhlcd. and
stroye in his dumb way, Ia reason
against my heaistronE will. And uow
with some djsmay. suddenly per
ceived. BY the sinking of nay horse.
even 10 his hauks, IA heap,,i snow.
that bewlldered by the whiteuess, be
and | had les; the road. < w=-.h.ss ,
rough one at the best. Tor Was Ia =
Wild country, where mines were MANY.
and dwellings faw. Extrlcailmg my
poor st.ed from the dr;ncd snow
wherein he lounlrred. rested him a
moment, aud shouted aloud for help.
Again and again my cry came back to
me, following on the wings OF the cold
wind, but no other sound broke the
deaihlv stiffness OF tie night.
Oh, for saving light IN some
charitable window, but there was
none-only snow ana dlrSness. dark
ness aud suow all around. ihonght
It terrible; and set IN a little span OF
time from this | woald have deemed
it para llse to be lying lonely on the
heaped snow. upon this dreary moor.
put my horse 10 sharp cauter.
aud be went about fu:long hundly,
then stood still painting with terror.
| strovs 10 urged him on, bat he re-
fused To obey either whip or spur.
Seeing no reason for my horses fright
and stubborness spurred him sharply
and urged him with angry voice TO
obedience. His wonderful obsyinacy
compelled me at length 10 dIsmOumt,
and with nv drawn sword in my hand
prepared for highwayman or fcotpad,
/ | dragged him onwarls by the bride.
/ Upon this he made one hasty plunge
/ forward, then stopped and at the same
instant the earth went from beneath
my feet, and | fel!-fell | knew not
whittier, down, down, into deep dark
ness unfathomable, terrible as the
great pit. | can scarcely say what
| thought rs | fell, Vet | knew was
going to death-knew | was descend-
ing one of those unused shafts that lie
out on many Cornish moor-knew
that my bones would lie unthought OF
in its depths forever.
But even at that instant nv flight
was arrested, and hung in midair,
clinging by my hands. to what | knew
not. 1t was my sword, which had
forgotten that | held. BY "a miracle
it had thrust itself, as | fell, between
the earth and the rocks in the side of
the shaft; and there, jammed fast. it
held me up.
cannot explain how this occurred
i only know that it was so. As that
cry for mercy escaped my lips, the
mercy came. Ny sword caught in the
Iintersticcs of the rock, aud | was held
up my feet dangling over the ahyss.
my hands clinging TO the hilt of my
good blade. 1t was firm us wedge
could feel that, in spite of my tremb-
ling yet still my position was horri-
BILE. To remain thus, to hold on, was
torture unutterable; but to yield even
for moment was death. There was
no hope of release for hours-there
was no possibility of relief of posture.
| walted-I suffered prayed.
Morning broke at last, and hope
grew with it. At intervals | had called
aloud through all the night; but now,
with scarcely and intermssion, | rails
ed my voice in cries for help. did
this till weariness stopped me; then
rested in agonzed hope of Il voice in
reply. There was none. | called
/. again, again! hushed my voice.
drew my breath, and shouted with the
strength of despair. There was no an.
swer.
The sun travelled upwards, and
knew it was high noon, though to NE