The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1896-04-01
sAuaersau gwteIIfgemees.
IN THE MOUNTAINS.
a Thrilling and Remarkable
Story.

In the fall of 1876 I was travelling
eastward in a stage-coach from Pitts
burg over the mountains. My fellow
travellers were two gentlemen and a
lady. The oldest gentleman's ap-
pearance interested me exceedingly.
In years he seemed about so in air and
manner he was calm, dignifed and
polished, and the contour Of his fea,
lures were singularly intellectual. He
conversed freely on different topics,
until the road became more abrupt and
precipitous but on my directing his
attention to the great altitude of a
precipice, on the verge Of which our
coach wheels were leisurely rolling,
there came a marked change or his
countenance. His eyes, lately filled
with the light Of intelligence, became
| wild, restless and anxious-the mouth
twitched systematically, and the fore
head was beaded with a cold p%erspira-
ton. With a sharp, convulsive shud-
der, he turned his gaze from the giddy
height, and clutching my arm tightly
with both hands, he chung to me like
a drowning nan
"Use this cologne" said the lady,
handing me a bottle, with the instinc-
tive goodness of her sex.
I sprinkled a little on his face, and
he became more composed but it was
not until we had entirely traversed
the mountain, and descended into the
country beneath that his fine features
relaxed from their perturbed look, and
assumed the placid, quiet dignity that
I had first noticed.
81 owe an apology to the lady, said
he with a bland smile and a gentle
inclination of the head to our fair
companion, ''and some explanation,
and to my fellow-traveler also and
perhaps I cannot better acquit myself
of the double debt than by recounting
the cause of my recent agitation
cit may pain your feelings deli
cately urged the, lady.
"On the contrary, it will relieve
them," was the respectful reply.
Having signifed our several desires
to hear more, the traveller proceeded !:
"At the age Of Is I was light of foot
and I fear Che smiled) light Of head.
A fine property on the banks Of the
Ohio acknowledged me sole owner.
I was Fastening home TO enjoy it, and
delighted to get free from college life.
The month was October, the air brac-
ing, and the mode of conveyance a
stage like this, only more cumbrous.
The other passengers were few-only
three in alone old gray-headed
planter of Louisiana, his daughter, a
Joyous, be%witching creature, about
II years old, and his son, about 10
years Of age.
"They were just returning from
France, Of which country the young
lady Giscoursed in terms so eloquent
as to absorb my entire attention.
"The father was taciturn but the
daughter was vivacious by nature,
and we soon became 80 mutually
pleased with each other, that it was
not until o sudden fash Of tightening
and a heavy, dash Of rain against the
windows excited an exclamation from
my charming companion, that | knew
how the night passed. Presently
there came q low rumbling sound, and
then several tremendous peals of
thunder, accompanied by successive
flashes Of tightening. The rain de-
scended in torrents, and an angry
wind began to howl and moan through
the forest trees.
II looked from the window Of our
vehicle. The night was as dark. as
ebony but the tightening showed the
danger of our road. We were on the
edge Of a frightfal precipice. I could
see at intervals, huge, jutting rocks,
far away down its side, and the sight
made me solicitious for my fair COM
panion. I thought Of the mere hair
breadths that were between us and
eternity ; a single little rock in the
track of our coach wheels, a tiny billet
Of wood, a stray root Of q tempest-torn
tree, FESTIVE horses, or a careless driver.
Any Of these might hurl us from our
sublunary existence with the speed Of
thought.
"s'Tis a perfect tempest observed
the lady, as l withdrew my head from
the window. How I love a sudden
storm There is something grand
about the winds when fairly loose
among the hills. Inever encountered
a night like this, but Byron's mag
nifcent description of a thunderstorm
in Jura recurs to my mind. But are
we on the mountain yet
"'Yes we have begun the ascent
sis it not said to be dangerous?'
"sBy no Means I replied, in as
easy a tone as I could assume.
81 only wish it was daylight, so that
we might enjoy the mountain scenery.
But what that ? and she covered her
eyes from a sheet Of tightening that
illustrated the rugged mountains with
brilliant intensity.
"Peal after peal Of thunder instantly
succeeded; there was q heavy volume
Of rain coming down at each thunder
burst, and with the deeper moaning Of
an animal in dreadful agony breaking
upon our ears, I found that the coach
had come to q dead halt.
"Louise, my beautiful fellow-travel-
er, became pale as ashes. She fixed
her eyes on mine with a look of an1-
ious dread, and, turning to her father,
she hurriedly remarked:
"'We are on the mountains.
Get reckon we are was the uncon-
cerned reply.
"With instructive activity, I put
my head through the window and call
ed to the driver, but the only answer
was the moaning of an animal, borue
past me by the swift winds Of the
tempest. I seized the handle Of the
door and strained in vain-it would
not yield. At that instant I felt a
cold hand in mine, and heard Louise
family articulate in my ear the fol-
appalling words:
"'The coach is moving backwards
"Never shall I forget the fierce
agony with which Itugged at the coach
door, and called on the driver in tones
that rivalled the fierce blast Of the
tempest, while the conviction was
buring on my brain hal the coach was