M 311trtmling Matit. FRIGHTFUL NARRATIVE In the fall of 184 G I was traveling enstward a,stagecoach frym Pittsburg over the.moun kins - . — Nly fellow passengers were two gentle men and a Indy. The elder gentleman'S coun ensuce interested me exceedingly. In years he seemed about thirty--in air and manner, he wits calm, dignified and polished, and the o.,t!tour of his features was singularly intellee (dal. lie conversed free'y on different topics a oil the road became more precipitous, but it my directing his attention to the great nl ctude of a precipice , on the verge of which o conch wheels were fearfully rolling. His eyes, lately filled with the light of intelligence I come wild, restless ald anxious—the mouth !witched spasmodically, and the forehead was headed with a cold perspiration. With a ,harp convulsive shudder, ho turned his gaze tram the giddy height and clutching my arm t i g htly with both hands, be:hung to me like drowning, man. 4! Use the cologne," said the led•, handing me n bottle, with the instinctive goodness of ber sex I ,prinkled a little on his (nce, and ho soon I;ecame more composed—butit ' Nwas not until we had entirely traversed the mountain, and descended into the country beneath, that_ his fine features relaxed from their perpetual look and assumed the placid, quiet dignity, that I had-at-first-noticed._ " L owe an apology to the lady," said he, with a LI ,nd smile, and a gentle inclination of the head to our fair companion, and some expinitationto my fellow travellers, also; and perhaps I cannot htikter acquit myself of the double debt than recounting the cause of my recent ngitntion." " It may pain your feelings," delicately urged the lady. "On the codtrary, it will relieve them," wne the respectful reply, Having signified our several desires to hear more, the traveller thus proceeded At the age of eighteen, I was light of heirt light of foot. and I fear, (he smiled) light of Lead. A fine propeity' In the banks of the Ohio acknowledged me solo owner. I was hastening home to enjoy it, and delighted to get free from a college life. It was the month of October, the air bracing and mode of conyeyance a stage coach like this,, only cumbrous. The other passengers were few, only three in all; one an old grey-beaded plantar of Louisiana, his daughter, a joyous, bewitching creature of about seventeen, and his son about ten years of age. They were just returning from France, of which country the young lady discourSed in terms so eloquent as to absorb my entire attention The father was taciturn, but the daughter vivacious by nature, and we soon became so mutually pleased with each other, she as the talker, I as the listener—that it was not until a sudden flash of lightning and a heavy dash of rain against the windows elicited an exami nation from my charming companion, that I knew how the night passed us. Presently there came a low, rumbling sound and then several successive flashes of light• ning, accompanied by tremendous peals of thunder. The rain descended in torrents, and an angry wind began to howl and moan thro' the forest trees. 'I looked through the window of our vehicle. - The night was as dark as ebony, but the light fling shilwed the danger of our road. We wore on the edge of a frightful precipice. I could see, nt intervals, huge jutting rocks far down its side, and the sight made me solicit ous for the safety of my fair companion, 1 thought of the mere hair-breadths that were between us and eternity ; a single little rock that wifilri the track of our coach wlicels—a tiny billet of wood, n stray root of a tempest torn tree, restive horses, or a careless driver-- any of these might hurl us from our sublunary existence with the speed of thought. ""'Tis a perfect tempest," observed the lady rari withdrew my head from the window.— . How I love a Sadderrstorm I—there is some thing so grand among' the winds when fairly loose among the bills. I never encountered a night like this. but Byron's magnificent de. seription of a thunder storm in the Jura oc crirred te - My mind. But are we an the mom. twine yet r , . _ll Yes, we have begun the ascent" ." Is It'not said to be dangerous?" "By no means," I replied, ih.as easy a tone I . ,could assume. '• ." I only wish it was daylight, that we might enjoy the mountain scenery. but what's that?" nal . she covered her Byes from the glare of a sheet of lightning. that illuminated the rugged mountain with brilliant intensity. Peal after peal of crashing thunder instantly succeeded ; t here was a heavy volume of rain coming down ath each thunderhurst, and with the , deep moaning of an animal breaking upon our ears, I found the,Cctch had come to a dead , • ~ • Louise, my beftutifuLfello* traveller become as pnle r<a 'ashes. Ellie fixetlit'er searching, eyes oMtininei-*vith n'look.Uf Onions 'dread, anti turning to her father hurriedly remark ed : We arc on the mountains." IVith instinctive activity I put my head, nut of the window and culled to the driver brit ''the only nnswer was the moaning of nn nnimnl borne post me by the windiof"the leinriest:-:- I•seized the handle of the door, and strained in vain—it would not yield ajot, that in stint I felt a cold hand on mine, and heard Louise's voice faintly _ruitleulating in my ear the folloWing appalling .vvords : "The coach is being moved backwards I Never shall I forget the fierce agony with which I tugged at the door, and called on the driver in a tone that rivalled the force of the blast, whilst the dreadful conviction was burn ing on my brain that the coach was bring moved backwards ! What followed Was of such swift occurrence that it seemed tome like a frightful dream. I rushed against the door with all my force but it withstood my utmost efforts Ono side of the vehicle was sensibly going down, down, down. The moaning of the agonized animal became deeper, and I knew from his despe rate plunges against the traces that it was one of our horses. Crash after crash of coarse thunder rolled over the mountain, and vivid sheets of lightning played around our devoted carrittge as if in glee at our misery. fly its light I could see for a moment—only for a moment—the old planter standing erect, with _hialtomis gn his son and daughter, ..his eyes raised to heaven, and his lips moving like those in prayer. I could see Louise turn her ashy cheek to words me as if imploring protection : and see the bold glance of the young boy flashing indignant defiance at the deseencling4nrringe, the war .of elements, and the awfUl . 'antiger that awaited him. There was a roll, a despe rate plunge, as of an animal in the last tbrJes of dissolution —a harsh grating jar—and I had but time to grasp Louise firmly with ono band around thewaist, and seize the leather fastenings attached to the coach roof with,the other, when we were precipitated over the precipice. I can distinctly recollect preserving consci ousness for a few seconds of time, how rapid ly my breath was being exhausted, but cf that tremendous descent I soon lost all further knowledge by a concussion so violent that 1 was instantly deprived of sense and motion. The traveller paused. Ills features worked for a minute or two as they did when we were on the mountain; lie , pressed his hand across his forhead as if in pain, and then resumed his intertsting narative. On a low couch in an bunble room of a small country house, I neat opened my eyes in this world of light and shade, joy and sor row, of mirth and madness. Gentle bands smoothed my pillow, gentle feet glided across my chamber, and a gentle voice bushed for a time my questionings. I was carefully atten ded by a young girl of fifteen, who refused, for a length of time, to hold any discourse with ens. At length, one morning, finding myself sufficiently recovered to sit up, I insisted on learning the result of the acci dent. "You wore discovered," said she, "sitting on a ledge of rooks amidst the branches of . a shattered tree, clinging to the roof of your broken coach with ono hand, and to the in sensible form of a. lady with the other." "And the lady 7" I gasped, scanning the girl's face with an earnestness that caused her to draw back and blush. " She was saved, sir, by the moans that saved you—the frieudly tree. "And her father and-brother?' I impati : ently demanded. 4 , We found them both crushed to pieces, at the bottom of the precipice, a great way be low where my father and uncle'Joe found you and the lady. We buried their bodies both in one grave, close by the clover patch, in our I—meadow-ground' -" Poor Louise ! poor orphan ! pod pity you!" I muttered iu broken tones, utterly uneoncious that I bpi a listuer. God pity her, indeed, sir," said the young girl, with a gush of heartfelt sym- pathy. " Would you like ,to see her?" she added: I found the orphan bathed in tears, by the graves of her buried kindred. She received me with a sorrowful sweetness of manner. I I need not detain your attention by detailing the efforts I made to win her from her grief, but briefly acquaint you that at last I succee ded in inducing her to leave her forlorn home in the sunny' south, and that twelve months after the diendful occurrenoe which I havii re lated, we stood at the altar as man and wife, She still lives to bless my loVe with he - r smiles,. and my children with good precepts ; but on the aniVersary of that dreadful' night she se- . eludes herself in her room and devotee the Lours of darkness to solitary prayer. "As for me," added the traveller,, while the faiiat flush tinged his noble brow at the avowal, "as for me, that accident has reduced me to the ,41rThloact.. o::twi.s.itii,,. .condition of Mythysical coward at the eight of a mountain precipice." "But the driver," asked our lady pnggell~. ger,whp had attended- to the recital of the story with much attention. ...what became of the driver, or did you ever learn the reason of his deserting his post." " Hie body wns, found an the matt,' tvithiti• few steps of- the spot *here Ole coach • tent over. Tin lied been sit uelt deed hr the sonic flash of lightning that blinde'd the •restive .horses." 3t fl;imorou~. THE HERRING PIE It wag n cold winter's evening; the, rich hanker Br canker had drawn his easy 'chair close into the corner by tho, stove, and sat smoking Lis long clay pipe with great com placency, while his intimate friend Van Grote, employed in exactly the - same manner, occu pied the opposite corner. All wae quirt in the house. for Brounker'S -wife and children . were gone to a masked ball. and secure Crum. tear of_interrorition.the two friends indulged in a confidential-conversation. "I cannot think," said Van Grote; "why y nushould refuse your consent to the marringe Berkenrode can give his daughter n good for tune, and y u say that your son is desperate ly in love with her." 'I don't object to it,' said Brnunker. 'lt is my wife iihn will not hear of it' •And what reason has she for refusing?' you,'--said- his friend, sinking his voice. •Oh ! a mystery,--come, out with it. You know I have always been frank and open with you, even to giving you my opinion of your absurd jealousy of your wife ' 'Jealous of my wife? nonsense! Have I not just sent her to a masked ball?' 'I don't wonder you boast of it. I should like to have seen you do as much when you were first married. To be sure, you had rea son to look sharply after her, fur she was the prettiest viiiman in Amsterdam. - Unfortunate ly, she has taken such advantage of your love, that the gray mare has become the better horse, and you refuse nn advantageous match -for your son, to gratify her caprice.' , 'You are quite wrong, my good friend. I never allow any one to be master here but myself; and in the present-instance I cannot blame Clotilda.—The secret of her refusal lice ip a herring pie.' 'A herring pie!' exclaimed Van Grote. 'Yes a herring pie. You may remember, it was a favorite dainty of mine, and that my wife could not' endure' the sm.:II of it. Well, during the first year of oui'marringe, I must confess I was a little, a very little—jealous of Clotilda. My situation obliged me to keep o pen house, and among the young sparks that visited us, none gave me more uneasiness than the handsamo Col. Berkenrode.—The repute tion that he bad already acquired for gallant. ry was enough to create alarm, and the mark ed attention he paid my wife convinced me it. was well founded. What could I do? It was impossible to forbid him the house, for he had it in his power to deprive me of the government contracts; in other words, to ruin me. After pondering deeply on the subject, I decided on doing nothing, until the danger should become imminent; all that was necessary was to know how things really stood. Having just pur chased this house, I caused a secret closet to be made behind the stove here. It communi cates with my private room, and from it Lcould overhear everything that passed in this apart ment without risk of being discovered. Thank God, I have bad no use for it for the last twen ty. years, and indeed, I do not oven know what has become of the key. Satisfied with this precaution, I did not hesitate to leave Clotilda when any of the admirers paid her a visit, though I promise you that some of the Colo nel's gallant speeches made me wince.' 'Upon my word,' interrupted his friend, 'you showed a most commendable patience. In your — place I shionlil — iftiVirifffitistittrd — myself with forbiddingmy wife to receive these visits.' 'There spoke the old bachelor., But as I did not want to ,drive her headlong into his arms, I went a different way to work. Day after day I was forced to listen to the insidious arguments of the seducer. My wife—l must own she made a stout defence—at ono time tried ridicule, at another entreaty, to deter him from his pursuit of her. He began_to lose hope in proportion as I gained it, till ono day be bethought himself of threatening to blow out hie brains if she would not show him somercompassion. Moved at this ;roof of the strength of his passion, she burst Into tears, and pleaded that she was not free—in short, she gave him to understand that I was the oh steel° to his happiness. Berkenrode was too skilled. In the art of seduction not to see that ho had gained a point. Ho raved, cursed me as the (muse of his misery; and tried to ob tain. a promise from her in case she should be come a widoti, She stopped him peremterilYl but never closed an eye that night,.. and Clo' tildn,-.though she did not know I watched her, was as uneasy as myself. On the following day, n circumstance occurred that. in rensed her egitation. While nt breakfast, a message enure froni the:cook naking,to see me.nlone I desired him to come in, (as I was not in the habit of interfering in domestic affairs) and communicate his business in my presence When the,man catered he was pale as a ghost, and it'eareely seemed to know what he was a bout At last he told- me he hail received a packet fisnirill bottle three hen 'tired guilders, and a note, in whieb,hewas quested to put the contents of the former-into ' the first herring pie lie should prepare fur me. Ile was assured that he might (1.- so without 'fear, as tiro contents of the bottle were quite harudess, and would give a delicious flavor to the pie. AO additiimal re'ward Was promised if he complied with the, request and kept hie awn counsel. The honest fellow, who was re slily much attached to me, said he was convin ced there mast be something wrong in the af fair, and should not be happy till the brittle and money' were out of his bnnds. • I poured a few drops of the liquid on a lump of sugar ittid gave it to my. wife's l'.p deg. It fell into con vulsions, and died in a few minutes. The case is now plain; there-had been an attempt t: paisttn me Never shall I ffrget Clotildn's pale face as she threw herself - weeping into my arms---'Poison ! A murderer she exclaimed,. clasping me ns if to shield me from danger: 'Merciful Heaven, protect,us both !' I consoled her with the assurance that I was thankful to my unknown enemy, who 'was - the means of 'shelving me how she loved me. That day 11cr itenrede came at the usual-hour; but in vain did I take my rent in the hiding place. he was - trot iidtiiiftcd I "afterwards found Ant slie had sent him a letter, threatening if ever he came again , that her husband should be Inform ed of Of that intepassed. Ile made many attempts to - soften her resolutions, but to no iturpose, and n year afterwards ho married. No acquaintance has ever existed between the families ; and now you know why my wife re fuses her consent to our son's' marriage with 11-rkerrode's daughter.' 'I cannot blame her,' said Van Grote. 'Who would have thought that Berkenrode, a soldier, and a man of honor, could have been capable of bIICIOII raseally . deed ?' ! ha! ha!' laughed Brounker, 'and do you really think .it was the General who sent the poison !' 'Why, who eletel' •Myself to be sure! The whole was my own contrivance, and it cost me three hundred guilders in a present to my cook; but it was money well laid out, for I saved my Wife, and got rid of her troublesoine lapdog at the same . time.' 'Do you know, Brounkcr, I think it was ra ther a shabby trick to leave Berkenrode under such an imputation; and now that your son's happiness depends on your wife being nude ceived—' am aware of all flint, but to undeceive her now is not so easy as you think. Flow can I expect her to disbelieve a circumstance. in which, for „the last . twenty years,.sho has put implicit faith Ile was interrupted by the entrance of Vrow Brounker. Iler cheeks were flushed, and she saluted Van Grote rather stiffly. .What! not at the ball, Cloti:da? asked her husband- 'No 1• I bad a bad headache,' she replied, 'and Maurice has promised ,to take charge of his sisters. But I have come to tell you that I have been thinking over his marriage with Mina Berkenrode, and have altered my mind on that subject. In short, I shall withdraw my opposition to the match.' The friends looked at each other in astonish ment. .By the by, love,' she continued, 'Lore is a key I found some time ago ; I think it must belong to you.' Clotilda,' said her husband, striving to bide his confusion as he took the key, 'this is good news about the marriage--,'' , Suppose you and your friend celebiate it by a supper. There . is a herring pie in the house, and you need not fear that it is poisoned.' She left the room. Brounker looked foolish, and Van Grote rubbed his hands, as he ea clamed--Caught in your own trap! Ile who digs a pit for his enemy, shall fall into it him self.' 'Nevertheless,' replied . Brounker, think bavo got well out of mine.' THE PROGRESS or CHRISTIAN SENTIDIENT..— I Can look to nothing but to the progress of Christian sentimont upon earth to arrest the Strong current of its pOpular aud prevailing partiality for war. Then only will an imperi ous sense of duty lay the check of severe prin pie on all the subordinate testes and faculties of our nature. Then will glory be reduced to its right adulate; and the wakeful benevo lence of the Gospel, "chasing away every spell, wilkhoturned by the treachery of no delusion whateveVrom its simple but sublime enter priseAW the good of thu 7 species. Then the reign of truth. and quietness will be ushered into the world, and war, cruel,•atrocious;- un relenting war, will be stript of its many and bewildering fascinations.—Pr. Chalmers. An Amerous Aeronaut A lnte Fret ch joarrall relntes :he following itory, which, it will he 'Well. is ti'rench all o'- ver. nevi le being immensely fnnnv While Mons.' Godard wan Flinn!! an immense balloon in theChltnip dr 111 in,. he rrmittekthe spectator§ by sending up the smell fienre of a man. the perfect semblance of lfr Tlii:•rs with out the spectacles Tine little m. O hiding filled with gas. rose majestically into the air, and .was soon lost to view among idoinds His adventures, which hecnme 'erahwn the nest day, were curiniis Thanks to aat I'oll :! nnd favor ;lig- gale, which impelled him en hi§ nottrse, the little balloon man arrived the -nrav erternoon, in the nieht era fine Limitary houqe in the neighborhood of flievro. It was near the-hour of dinner, and the lady of the mansion, who naturally thought herself perfectly safe; Wao occupied in the mysteries of Lr r toilet. It was a warm day, and she hrol opened one of 'her windows which look e d out upon the park, and was safe froM any prying. eyes. While tranquilly engaged by the assittnnee of a cor set-lacing, in reducing her Nv ist to a size and shape that weald reflect credit on her hue hand's taste, she was Muldenly started by strange noiseDind immediately the easement was thrown , open, and our little balloon-man entered her chamber Unannounced The lady utters a cry of terror, and throws n shawl over her shoulders. The little man, driven by the wind, throws himself upon the unhappy wo man, who, screaming lender than ever, push(' him off, and he conceals himself under the bed. Just as the wife, in a supplicating voice says to thisrmyel,Pon,lotml "Alt !..Monsieur. go away, or you will ruin me!" the bushant furiously rushes in.cryiug: "Ah! the wretch I hive him now !" end goes'in search of hi sword to run him through the body'''. The wife, more dead than alive, reiterates in the midst of Bobs : Fly ! fly Mousiest and save me the sight of a dreadful tragedy. The husbaud arrives, aimed to the teett followed by' the whole household, who seek t moli fy his anger Idle two of his friends hold the husband, third, stooping down, perceives our little friend, who, for it good cause utters not a word, and catching him by the leg, draws him forth from his concealment, when lo 1 Monsieur bal loon, no longer held down by the bedsidts raises himself erect, swells out, and Thies ma jestically to the coiling, to the immense arnuise ment of the spectators, while the poor jealous husband slinks away, sword and all, heartily ashamed of his causeless wrath. All Mankind cannot rejoice at the 'same circumstance, because " every sweet has its bitter." The heavy rain storm which dooms store clerks to a day of idleness awl emrtY counters, creates a wilderness of mud that occupies the shoe dealers with customers thld cheerfulness for the next fortnight, while at the same time it lays in such a stock of bron chitis, that Dr Gammon will dispose of a great quantity of his "Anti-Phlogistio Elixir" than he has done two months previous. The poor rejoice nt the inauguration of Spring that the sun will furnish gratuitous warmth to limbs that have, 1 een injured by chilling winds and, biting frosts ; the coal merchant on the contrary views it with a jaundiced eye, and considers April as synonymous with idleness and attenuated pocket-books. We know of no more beneficent dispensation of Providence than the fact that "one man's meat may be the poison of the other." How OUR BODIES ARE MAUI UP. —The fel lowing is a forcible illustration of the way we 'supply the natural waste of the be dy : Let it . be remembered that, to take food, is to make man. Eating is the processby which the noblest of terrestrial fabricsis constantly repaired, All our limbs and organs have been picked up from our plates. We. have been served up at table many times over. Every Individual is litrally a mass of vivified viands; ho is an epitome of innumerable meals; he has dined upon himself, supped upon himself, and infact—paradoxical as it may appear—has again and again leaped down his own throat.. Lei big-states-th a t-a n-ndult-pig-weighing-onet--- hundred and twenty pounds will consume five thousand, one hundred and ten pounds of po tatoes in.the course of n'year, and yet at the ' expiration of that period its weight may not have increased a .single 91111C0 • 11. A. DREEJt, SEEDS3IAN AND FLORIFT, N 0.59 niclinut near Eccond,Fbiladelpbia • Ham now arranged and completed hit • , i stock tor tho r:p ring of 1855. as tvilows : . VEMETADL.P.,SKEDS—in great tali*- st ty, Including the linoat varieties of )ithEl. Deets, Cabbage Cauliflower, Lettuce, Om • ions, Melons, 4g -plant, TOMlttkl*, Pat. Dadlslict, Ac. /tr. FLOWED St:YDS.-111s collection is unetitudled 1y any in this coon try for extent and quiality. nod ees the finest Tnrietits of Asters.'"Eteek;a; Pansies, Wnilflowers, Daisy, ,tr. (IRAS'S SEEDS—of nil kinds, includhigPlueandOrcen nrato. White l'utrlA Clover, Sweet Scented WI tnin;nni. Iterronnint Eity inrass, Dueerne, &e, RSES, &a—Choloe ever-I,l‘ oniintt Pyre's, entnoillnf, Verbenos, 11:11:11:o, Ontins Vlnca. Fruit Trees., Fhrnblt ry Ac. S. W. 11AVEDF.TiCii, fobIS • • Agent fer Carlhic. , CARRIAGE FOR .. SALE.- A first-lute Family Caeringe fir ono nr tmo horq It 14 strongly I,llllt the test innt et idle, abd 111111, 1.1 for e;shli. A vply to iv,:te,ll7-I;tit 1):,111:Y!,101.11 - C„,l A\' E ( ()J 1 ENA pad fl .r OLD METAL. such :tr. Copper. Fr r and I ron, at the Carlirle Foundry and .111achire tiht p, OA RD 11,1N1 • EMi
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