The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1893-06-10

pit, and the holy rite proceeded. Some
Of the younger ones in that semicircle
kept gazing down into the pool. In which
the whole scene was reflected, and now
and then, in spite Of the grave looks or
admonishing whispers Of their elders,
letting a pebble fall into the water that
they might judge Of its depth from the
length of time that elapsed before the
clear air bells lay sparkling on the agi-
tated surface
The rite was over, and the religious
service Of the day closed by a psalm.
The mighty rocks hemmed in the holy
sound and sent it in a more compacted
volume. clear. sweet and strong. up tc
l.e..sel4. When the psalm ceased, an
ccio ike q spirits voice was heard dying
away i.i:rh up among the magnificent
architecture of the cliffs, and once more
might be noticed in the silence the re-
viving voice of the waterfall.
Just Their a large stone fell from the
top Of the cliff into the pool, a loud
voice was heard, and a plaid hung over
on the point of a shepherds staff. Their
watchful sentinel had deserted danger,
and this was a warning. Forthwith the
congregation rose. There were paths
dangerous to unpracticed feet along the
lodges Of the rocks leading up to several
caves and places of concealment. The
more active and young assisted the elder
more especially the old pastor and the
women with the in~fants-and many min
utes had not elapsed till not a living
creature was visible in the channel Of
the stream, but all of them hidden. or
nearly SO in the clefts and caverns.
The shepherd who had given the alarm
had lain down again in his plaid instant
~ on the greensward upon the summit
of these precipices. A party Of soldiers
were Immediately Upon him and de-
manded what signals he had been max
ing and to whom, when one of them,
looking over the edge Of the cliff, TX
! claimed: '.See, see! Humphrey, we have
caught the whole tabernacle of the Lord
in a net at last. There they are prais-
ing God among the stones of the river
Mouss. These are the Garland craigs.
By my souls salvation. a noble cathe-
dralr'
Fling the lying sentinel over the
cliffs. Here is a canting Covenanter for
you, deceiving honest soldiers ON the
very Sabbath day. Over with him-out
Of the gallery into the pit" But the
shepherd had vanished like a shadow,
and mixing with the tall green broom
and bushes was making his unseen way
toward a wood. Satan has saved his
servant, but come, my lads-follow me.
I know the way down into the bed of
the stream and the steps up to Wallace's
cave. They are called the 'Kittle Nine
Stanes.' The hunts mp. Well be all
in at the death Halloo-my boys
halloor'
The soldiers dashed down q less pre-.
cipitous part of the wooded banks a lit.
tie below the "craigs" and hurried up
the channel. But when they reached
the altar where the old gray haired min
! lister had been seen standing, and the
rocks that had been covered with people,
all was silent and s~olitary-not a crea
ture was to be seen.
Here's a Bible dropped by some Of
them" cried a soldier, and with his foot
he spun it away into the pool. "A bon
meta bonnet" cried another, 'now fo1
the pretty sanctiied face that rolled it,
demnre eyes below it." But after a few
jests and oaths the soldiers stood still
ewing with a kind of mysterious dreat
the black and silent walls of the rocl
that hemmed them in, and hearing onl,
the small voice of the stream that sent
%profounder stiffness through the heart 0
that majestic solitude.
{ Curse these cowardly Covenanters
What if they tumble down upon GU
heads pieces Of rock from their hidin,
place? Advanced Or retreat?' Their
{ was no reply, for a slight fear was upol
every man. Musket or bayonet could b
9 Of little use to men obliged to clambe
mp rocks along slender paths, leadin
they knew not where, and they wer
aware that armed men nowadays wol
! SHIPPED God-men Of iron hearts, VIII
feared not the glitter of the soldier
b arms, neither barrel nor bayonet-me
; of long stride, firm step and broad ches'
r who on the open field would have over
thrown the marshaled line and gon
4 first and foremost if a city had to /
taken by storm.
As the soldiers were standing togethe
%irresolute. q noise came upon their cal
like distant thunder, but even more al
6 palling. and a light current of air, as
n propelled by it, passed whispering alon
the sweetbriers, and the broom, and tt
tresses of the birch trees. 1t came dee
ening and rolling and roaring on. an
the very Garland craigs shook to the
e foundation as if in an earthquake.
& THE Lord have mercy upon us-wh;
n is this?" And down fell many Of tt