The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1893-03-17
A TERRIBLE MOMENT.
Experience in the Land of the Mid
night Sun.
Thirty Seconds of ACCOMPLISHING
Down the Mountain Behind Two
DemonS--A Chicago Family'S Mar
row Escape From Most Horrible
Death.

Death.
There occurs in the life of every human
being a supremacy critical experience
which leaves its mark on the memory
clear and distinct through all coming
time.
Such a sensation came to me in Norway
during the summer of 1892. III which what
seemed a long period of mental agony
was compressed into thirty seconds of in
tense horror. l was at the time travelling
with my wife and daughter through the
Land of the Midnight Sum-" enjoying
every hour in the bracing atmosphere
amid the majestic scenery-cloud-cap capped
mountains, superb cascades, lovely lakes
and dashing rivers-and approaching The
quiet and unceasing hospitality Of its hon
est inhabitants.
We had already spent two or three
weeks on the lovcliest OF all waters, the
charming Hardanger Fjord, stopping
some days at Oede, Eide, NoSsevangan
Stalheim, passing through the sublime
N9ordal, visiting Gudvagen, Balhome
and LProdalsoren on the Sognia tjord.
We left the latter place on Monday morn
=
to ChrisIiana, a distance of 2l5 miles.
In order to render my wife and daugh-
ter more comfortable on this long journey
l discarded the old-time crowded dill
gence and chartered exclusively for their
use roomy landau with a pair of Nor
wegian horses, driven by steady man
the same horses to make the entire trip,
not going over thirty-tive miles day.
| For myself | secured one of Cook u Sons
new and comfortable carrioles very SINH
| lar to an American sulky), with seat for
one person only, which l occupied and
drove myself My horse, as is the rule OF
the country, was TO be exchanged for
fresh one at every posting station about
ten miles apart.
BEAUTIFUL DRIVE.
We had already proceeded III this de-
! llghtful manner for two days. when, on
| Tuesday evening, July 10Th, we arrived
at the village OF Grindaheim, where we
remained at the hotel until the next day.
ON Wednesday morning at $3.50 we left
Grindaheim, intending to reach Eager
ness, about thlrty-siX miles distant, the
| same evening,
The route to the first posting station
| mine miles, was a descent all the way
| from the top of the mountain to the base.
| rode short distance behind their car
! riage for the first mile, then passed them
! and went on to the next station, where /
changed my horse. | then proceeded
! down a lane, about 800 leet to where il
! Joined the main road. intending to wait
| there until my family came up. The
roads here have no superior III the world
| being as smooth as floor and as hard as
| flint. All the way along this hill on one
! side was a decllviJy from 50U TO 500 feet
! down to the lake; on the other q solid
| wall of rock, clean cut from out the
mountain side. While waiting on the
post road seated IN my carriole about
twenty feet below the lane mentioned
| drinking in great draughtS of eXhilarat-
| ing ozone and enjoying every moment Of
| the time, | suddenly heard the gathering
! OF hoofs and on looking up beheld to
my horror, half Il mile away, the carriage
with my wife and daughter in it, with
! out a driver, rushing down the hill with
! fearful speed; the horses in a wild rum
maddened, rs it were, by fear, their
mouths toaming, their nostrils sending
! forth in quick spurts their steaming
| breath, their eyes starting from their
sockets ana all afiame with terror. The
impression which the spectacle left on
my mind enabled me afterward to realize
tierome's celebrated picture Of the "Char-
lot Race"
THE CRISIS.
eapt out of my carriage to the ground
and in an instant was i'll the middle of the
! road, cap in hand, waving them back. |
saw my wife and daughter, with arms en-
twined, a look of despair upon their faces,
yet calmly awaiting their fate. May God
spare me another sight SO pitiable, and
them such an awful experienced | cast
my eyes behind me, and was in a slight
measure relieved by seeing long hill
which they would have to ascend.
Knowing it would be certain death to
me to attempt to stay the horses in their
terrible flight, and feeling assured they
would stop ere they reached the top of the
10 aSpaDf hafnrp thapn I
to step aside, when on they came like
whirlwind, and, instead of passing me,
! they suddenly turned as swift as thought
up the lane down which had come. The
angle was exceedingly sharp, and in an
! instant the carriage was overturned and
my wife and daughter were dashed out
with terrible force at my feet. My blood
stood still-everything for moment APP
peared dark, and | thought my life had
gone out, but 1t was only for moment;
! the next l was kneehng by my wife.
! Raising her senseless form got her head
upon my knee. How pale she looked 1t
! seemed as if she were about entering the
dark valley of the shadow Daughter was
| thrown clear over fence into field of
/ heavy waving grain, ready for the har-
vest, which broke her fall and saved her
life.
My wife fell on broken turf on the side
of the fence nearest the carriage, with her
head within three or four inches of
heavy upright post.
ONE DANGER SUCCEEDS ANOTHER.
In few minutes they both revived and
each asked after the other, both fearing
the worst, but, marvellous TO relate. there
were no bones broken, nor were their
faces or bodies lacerated or cut. Raising
my wife to an upright position l found
| she could not move her feet or take a
single step. l managed, however, with