The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1885-05-28

the loop. and drawing down a little slack,
wake off briskly. For fully quarter OF
mile the ledge ran along the cliffs face
almost as level and even in width as that
sidewalk. l remember fancying that 1t
sloped outward more than usual, but in
stantly dismissed the notion, though CATER
Pentreath, the oldest man in that country
side, used to tell US that we should not get
the use of that ledge always. 1t had been
as steady in our time as in his grand
fathers, and we only laughed at his
prophecies. Yet the place of an old filed
fissure was marked by line of grass, by
tufts of weeds and small bushes, stretching
almost as far as the ledge itself, and within
foot or so of the cliffs face.
Eggs were not so many as usual, and
went long piece from my rope before
turning back. Then | noticed the very
strange conduct of the hosts of sea-fowls
below. Usually there were hundreds, but
now there were millions on the wing, and
instead of darting forth in playful motions,
they seemed to be wildly excited, scream
ing shrilly, rushing out as in terror and
returning in masses as though to ahght,
only to wheel in dread, and keep the air in
vast clouds.
'.The weather was beautiful, the sea like
glass. At no great distance two large briggs,
and nearer a small yacht, lay becalmed,
heaving on the long pillows. l could look
down her cabin stairway almost, and it
seemed scarcely more than long leap to
her deck.
puzzled by the singular conduct of the
sea-birds, l soon stopped and set my back
against the cliff, to rest while watching
them. The day was deadly still and very
warm.
"Iremember. ia king off my cap and wiping
the sweat from my face and forehead
with my sleeve. While doing this, looked
down invOluntarily to the fissure at my
feet. Instantly my blood almost froZe with
horror! There was distinct crack be-
tween the inner edge of the fissure and the
hard packed, root threaded soil with which
it was filed! Forcibly pressed back, and
in a flash looked along the ledge. The
assure was widening under my eyes, the
rock before me seemed sinking outward,
and with a shudder and a groan and roar,
the whole long platform fell crashing to
the sea below! l stood on a margin of rock
scarce foot wide, at my back a perpen-
dicular cliff, and five hundred feet below
the ocean, now almost hidden by the vast
concourse of wheeling and affrighted birds.
''Can you believe that my first sensation
was one of relief? | stood safe! Even n
feeling OF interest held me for some mo-
mentS. Almost coolly l observed q long
and mighty wave roll out from beneath. 1t
went forth with a high, curling crest-a
solid wall of water. 1t struck the yacht
stern on, plunged down on her deck,
smashed through her swell of sail, and
swept her out of sight forever.
Not till then did my thoughts dwell en-
tirelv on my own position; not till then
did L comprehend its hopelessness! Now
my eyes closed convulSively to shut out
the abyss down which my glance had fall
en-; shuddering, l pressed hard against
the solid wall at my back; an appalling
cold slowly crept through me! My reason
struggled against wild desire to leap; all
the demons of despair whispered me to
make an instant end. In Imagination l
had leapedl | felt the swooning helpless
ness Of falling and the cold, upward rush
of airi"
"StiH 1 pressed hard back against the
wall OF rock, and though nearly faint from
terror, never forgot for an instant the
death at my feet, nor the utter danger of
the slightest motion. How long this weak
ness lasted | know not; only know that
the unspeakable horror of that first period
has come to me in waking dreams many
and many a day since; that l have long
nights of that deadly fear; that to think OF
the past is to stand again on that narrow
foot-hold, and to look around on the earth
is often to cry out with joy that it widens
away from my feet"
The old man paused long. CHANGING
sidewise at Jack, l saw that his face was
pallid. 1 myself had shuddered and
grown cold-so strongly had my magma
ton realized the awful experience that
Petherick described.
Suddenly" said the old man, "these
words flashed to my brain: 'Are not t,1o
SparrO,1S sold for a tarthiRg? And one Of
them shaH not fail on the ground ,githOut
your Father. Fecr not, therefore; ye are of
more UGtue than many SpdrrOlcs.' My facul-
ties so strained, l seemed to hear the words.
Indeed, often yet l think did truly hear a
voice utter them very near me-"
"Instantly hope arose, consciously des-
perate indeed, but became calm, resource
ful, capable, and feeling unaccountably
aided. Careful not to look down, opened
my eyes and gazed far away over the
bright sea. The rippled pillows told that
light outward breeze had sprung up. Slow
Iy. and somewhat more distant, the two
briggs moved toward the horizon. Turning
my head, could trace the narrow stone of
my footing to where my rope dangled, per-
haps three hundred yards distant.
at seemed to hang within easy reach of
the cliffs face, and instantly IreSolved and |
rs instantly proceeded to work toward it, |
No time remained for hesitation. Night
was coming on. | reasoned that my COM
rades thought me killed. They had prob
ably gone to view the new condition of the
precipice from lower station, and on their
return would haul up and carry of the
rope. l made move toward it. Try to
think of that Journey"
| nodded to him silently.
"Shutfing sidewise very carefully, had
not made five yards before l knew that |
could not continue to look out over that
abyss without CHANGING down, and that
could not glance down without losing my
senses. You have the brick line to keep
eyes on as you walk along the factory
wall; do you think you could move along
it erect, looking down as you would have
to? Yet it is only one hundred feet high.
Imagine five more such walls on top of tina.
and you trying to move sidewise-incapa-
BILE of closing your eyes, forced to look
down, from end to end, yes, three times
farther! Imagine you've got to go on or
jump off! Would you not in an ecstacy of
nervous agitation, fall to your knees, get
down face-frst at full length, clutch by
your hands and with shut eyes feel your
way? l longed to lie down and hold, but
of course that was impossible"
'Still there was a wall at your back"
Jack.
THAT made it worse! The cliff seemed
to press outward against me. 1t did, in
fact, incline very slightly outward. 1t
seemed to be thTusting me off. o, the
horror of that sensation! Your toes on the
edge of precipice, and the implacable,
calm mountain apparently weighing you
slowly forward"
DCduS VI omcdb bTOke OuU over MS WnlUo
face at the horror he had called before him.
Wiping his lips nervously with the back of
his hand, and looking askant, as at the
pathway, he paused long. l saw
its cruel edge and the dark CLEANS of it's
abvsmal water.
~ knew" he resumed, shat with my
back to the wall l could never reach the
rope. could not face towards il AMI ssAp
50 narrow was the ledge. Motion
was perhaps barely possible that way. bat
the breadth of my shoulders would have
forced me to lean somewhat more outward,
and this l dared not and could not do.
Also, to see a solid surface before me
became an irresistible desire. l resolved