Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1896-03-20
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"Never shall forget the fierce agony
with which I tugged at the coach door,
and called on the driver in tones that
rivalled the fierce blast of the tempest,
whilst the conviction was burning on
my brain that the coach was being
slowly moved backwards.
"What followed was Of such swift
occurrence that it seems to me like
fiightful dream.
II rushed against the door with all
my force but it withstood my utmost
efforts. One side of our vehicle was
sensibly going down, down, down.
The moaning of the agonized animal
became deeper, and I knew from his
desperate plunges that it was one of
our horses. Crash upon crash of
thunder rolled over the mountain,
and vivid flashes of lightning played
over our heads. By its light l could
could see for moment the old planter
standing erect, with his hands on his
son and daughter, his eyes raised to
heaven, and his lips moving as if in
prayer. 1 could see Louise turn her
ashy cheek toward me as if imploring
assistance and I could see the bold
glance of the boy flashing indignant
defiance at the war of elements, and
the awful danger that awaited him.
There was roll, a desperate plunge,
a harsh, grating jar, a sharp, piercing
scream of mortal terror, and l had but
time to clasp Louise firmly with one
hand around her waist, and seize the
fastenings attached to the coach!roof
with the other, when we were precipi!
tated over the precipice.
~ can distinctly recollect preserving
consciousness for a few seconds of
time, how rapidly my breath was be-
ing exhausted, but of that tremendous
descent soon lost all further knowl!
edge BY conclusion so violent that !
was instantly deprived of all sense and
notion"
The traveller paused. His features
worked for minute or two as they
did when we we're on the mountain |;
he passed his hands across his forehead
as if in pain, and then resumed his
thrilling narrative.
"On q low couch in an humble room
Of a small country house, I next open:
ed my eyes in this world of light and
shade, Joy and sorrow, mirth and mad
ness. Gentle hands soothed my pillow,
gentle feet glided across my chamber,
and a gentle voice for time hushed
all my questionings. I was kindly
tended by . fair younggirl of about 16,
who refused for while to hold any
discourse with him. At length, one
morning, finding myself sufficiently re-
covered to sit up, I insisted on knowing
the result Of the accident.
"'You we're discovered" she Bald,
sitting on ledge of rocks, amidst the
branches of q shattered tree, clinging
to the roof of your broken coach with
one hand, and the insensible form of a
lady with the other
"sAnd the lady = I gasped, scanning
the girls face with an earnestness that
made her draw back and blush.
"'She was saved, sir, by the means
that saved you-a friendly tree
"tAnd her father and brother" I
impatientiy demanded.
"'We found both crushed to death
at the bottom of the precipice, and we
buried them in one grave by the clover
patch down in our meadow
"'Poor Louise poor orphan God
pity you = I muttered, in broken tones,
utterly unconscious that had a
listener.
"God pity her, indeed, sir she said,
with gush of heartfelt sympathy.
Would you like to see her" she
added.
II found her bathed in tears for her
kindred, and she received me with
sorrowful sweetness of manner. l
need not detain you by describing
the efforts made to soothe her grief,
but briefly acquaint you that at the
last succeeded, and 10 months after
the dreadful occurrence which l have
related, we stood at the altar as man
and wife. She still lives to bless me
with her smiles, but on the anniversa-
ry of that terrible night she secludes
herself in her room, and devotes the
hours of darkness to solitary prayer.
GAS for me-" added the traveller,
while faint blush tinged his noble
brow, "as for me, that accident has re-
duced me 10 the condition of physi-
cal coward at the sight of mountain
precipice."
"But the driver" asked the lady
passenger, who had listened to the
story with much attention, "what be-
came of the driver, and did you ever
learn the reason of his deserting his
post ?"
"His body was found on the road,
within a few steps of the place where
the coach went over. He had been
struck dead by the same flash of light
ming that blinded the restive horses"
And thus ended the thrilling and
remarkable story of life.