Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1920-02-06
SAW DEATH CLOSE
Circuit Rider Looked Into Eyes of
Grim Reaper.
Marvellous Escape From Destruction
at Natural Tunnel in Virginia
Could Almost Be CIassed
as Miracle.


In both the Natural tunnel in Scott
county, Virginia, and the Natural
bridge in Rockbridge county, deep
and narrow 1defile between two hills
Is spanned by huge mass of rock.
over which al public highway passes.
The Natural bridge is more widely
known. Travellers have written about
Ii for perhaps two centuries. and Elihu
Burritt describes it in the "Scene at
the Natural bridge in Virginia" a Sc
LECTION tho has won many prizes in
lists in defamation. But
mel was once the scene
dent, that. while il last
BIS thrilling as the mag
Burritt describes in his
lessed by no spectators,
Qonly two participants.
Methodist circuit rider.
brief space of time it crowd
and agony as terrible as
ling. can endure.
ter the close of the Civil
FL. G. Neal was sent to
circuit in Scott county, which
kthe Natural tunnel within its
Returning one Monday morn
rom a charge where he had
he'd the day before. his route led
Iover the tunnel, and he stopped
enjoy the view from its summit.
Vow. the surface of the tunnel on
side of the highway is covered
IA low growth of bushes. and on
southern side. from which the view
s more remarkable, it is comparative
1ly level TO within a short distance Of
the edge, where 1t begins gradual
but constantly increasing slope down
ward.
Turning from the highway, the
preacher rode through the bushes, in
tending 10 fitch his horse and then
proceed on foot But in winding about
he had gone farther than he had sus-
pected. Feeling the animal slide for
ward. he checked him and saw sud-
denly that the yawning chasm was
only short distance away. He was
now on the edge of the downward
slope with only some small bushes
growing between him and the abyss.
Apprehending as yet no real danger,
he quietly gazed into the immense
void, when his horse again suddenly
slipped forward. Rain had fallen the
night before. and the thin coating of
dirt was soft and yielding. The rider
now attempted TO turn his horses
head Once more the animal slipped
forward All at once he saw that he
actually was in an extremely perlous
situation. The slope was becoming
sleeper, and as the horse kept slip
ping forward the edge of the chasm
was getting nearer. The rider. thor
oughly alarmed, drew hard on the
reins and soothed the horse with soft
encouraging words. Intending to throw
himself from the saddle, he relaxed
slightly on his hold on the reins; but
at once the animal again began slip
ping. He drew hard again. and for an
instant stopped the slipping. Then,
almost imperceptihly. it continued.
Preacher and horse trembled in fear.
n seemed as if the cnasm were reach
ing up invisible hands to pull them
down.
At that terrible moment the sliding
suddenly ceased, and the horse sank
| to his launches. Cautiously, the rider
| slipped from the saddle and seized a
| low, stout shrub with Que hand while
| he held the reins in the other. Crawl
| ing upward the length of the reins, he
caught another shrub, and turned the
| horses head The animal struggled
| to his feet and followed the rider to
! the summit Here the trembling horse
stood painting, and the rider lay on
the ground so overcome with weak
ness that 1t was some time before he
was able TO walk.
Returning on foot to the scene or
the narrowly averted tragedy when
he had recovered his strength, he saw
that ridge of flint protruding above
the limestone had caught the animals
feet and had held the weight of horse
and rider in that perilous moment
Youths Companion.