Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1896-03-20
The STORY Teller.
IN THB MOUNTAINS.
A Thrilling and Remarkable Story

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A Thrilling and Remarkable Story
In the fall of 1876 was travelling
eastward in stage.coach from Pitts.
burg over the mountains. My fellow.
travellers were two gentlemen and q
lady. The oldest gentleman's ap.
pearance interested me exceedingly.
In years he seemed about so !; in air and
manner he was calm, dignified and
polished, and the contour of his fea-
lures were singularly intellectual. He
conversed freely on different topics, un-
til the road became more abrupt and
precipitous but, on my directing his
attention to the great altitude of pre-.
cipice, on the verge of which our
coach wheels were leisurely rolling,
there came a marked change on his
countenance. His eyes, lately filled
with the light of intelligence, became
wild, restless and anxious-the mouth
twitched spasmodically, and the fore
head was beaded with a cold perspira.
ton. With a sharp, convulsive shud.
der, he turned bis gaze from the giddy
height, and clutching my arm tightly
with both hands, he clung to me like
a drowning mau.
"Use this cologne" said the lady,
handing me bottle, with the instinc.
tive goodness of her sex. -.
sprinkled 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. ..;...
~ owe an apology to the lady,"
said he, with a bland smile and q
gentle inclination of the head to our
fair companion, land some explana.
tion, 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" 49,.
ut 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 IL was light of foot
and I fear (he srniled) 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
bracing, and the mode of conveyance
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, betwitching 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 discoursed in terms 30 eloquent
as to absorb my entire attention.
"The father was taciturn but the
daughter was vivacious by nature,
and we soon became SO mutually
pleased with each other, that it was
not until a sudden fash of lightning
and heavy dash of rain against the
windows elected an exclamation from
my charming companion, that I knew
how the night passed. Presently there
came low rumbling sound, and then
several tremendous peals of thunder,
accompanied by successive flashes OF
lightning. The rain descended in tor
rents, and an angry wind began to howl
and moan through the forest trees.
~ looked from the window of our
vehicle. The night was as dark as
ebony but the lightning showed the
danger of our road. We were on the
edge of a frightful 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, tiny billet
of wood, a stray root of a tempest-torn
tree, restive horses, or careless driver.
Any of these might hurl us from our
sublunary existence with the speed of
thought.
"'Tis perfect tempest observed
the lady, as withdrew my head from
the window. 'How I love sudden
storm! There is something grand
about the winds when fairly loose
among the hills. I never encounter
ed night like this, but Byron's mag
nificent description of thunderstorm
in Jura recurs to my mind. But are
we on the mountain yet {?
"Yes; we have begun the ascent. ,
"Is 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.
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