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