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Mr. Addington, who was engaged to the eldest daughter, and another gentleman, being seven in all. About sunset all went down together, and crossed over to Goat Island, and from thence to Luna island, which lies still further out in the river, toward the Canada side. Here, within about ten feet of the brink, and directly upon the edge of the hurrying mass of waters, Addington and his betrothed stationed themselves. A little in the rear of these were my friend and the second sister, and farther back still, Mr. DeForest and his lady. Little Antoinette, seven years of age, was running around in high spirits, from one to another of the group, laughing and dancing in all the light-heartedness of childhood. The rest were conversing with peculiar vivacity and cheerfulness. The sullen mass of waters bearing onward heavily and irresistibly, the unchanging sound of the descending torrent in its rocky contact, the dying beams of the sun silvering the illusive brink, and then the colder radiance of the moon tinging the restless foam, seemed to inspire an unusual flow of thought and of feeling from all the party. It was nearly eight o'clock. They had conversed long and pleasantly. Little Anny was still dancing and playing as hard as ever. Her joyous laughter rang through the air, and her innocent gambols had brought many a smile to the lips of her parents. Soon, however, her father perceiving that she approached nearer to the river, warned her away and called her to him. Young Addington immediately turned around and said, "Never mind; I will see that she is safe." With this, in girlish playfulness and spite, she ran up behind him and pulled his coat, "Aha, you rogue!" said he, "I have you now; I will throw you over the Falls!" Taking her gently and playfully by the arms, he lifted her up and swung her just over the water. Alarmed at her situation, she struggled while suspended at the farthest, and slipped from his

A LEAP FOR LIFE.

hands. The instant she touched the water she was borne full six feet from the shore. Addington turned -spoke but a syllable to the horror-stricken girl beside him, and sprang after her-clasped her at the waist-struggled for a moment in the dark torrent, and then, with the precious burden of his embrace, was hurled like a bubble over the brink!

A LEAP FOR LIFE.

THE following singular circumstance was narrated in a Welsh newspaper in July, 1849. As the names of persons and places are given we presume it is a fact:

"As the supervisor of inland revenue at Aberystwith, Mr. J. Miller, his nephew, and two professional gentlemen, geologists, were last week examining some strata of rock in the cliffs between Aberystwith and Llanrhystid, they proceeded along a narrow ledge of projecting stone on the face of the cliff, about 120 feet above the level of the sea, which providentially happened to be at full flow. In passing round a projecting angle, "which for ages has frowned on all below," the professors and the revenue officer had rounded the point, and the young man was in the act of doing so, when the rock suddenly breaking from under his feet he was whirled round with his face towards the sea, and as he descended he seized with one hand the ledge beneath his uncle's feet, whilst he extended the other hand to him, and it was firmly clasped by the revenue officer, who held him suspended for full five minutes, during which time he with great difficulty maintained his position, there not being more than six inches to stand upon. At length a breathless pause ensued, whilst Mr. Miller gazed on the rugged

projection of rock about 90 feet below them, and on which he concluded the unfortunate youth was inevitably doomed to be dashed. But the uncle (who calls himself "an awful coward,") at length said, with all the calmness imaginable, "Tom, there is but one way for it; I'll save you, or we will both perish together," and with a firm voice, he commanded the young man to loose his hold of the rock, which was mechanically obeyed, with a faint reply, "Yes, uncle." At this awful moment, Mr. Miller sprang straight out into the air, carrying the young man with him; and such was the force with which he leaped, that the check caused them to perform several sammersets over each other as they descended linked together. With the rapidity of a flash of lightning they disappeared beneath the foaming billows, having cleared the craggy ledge, which projected more than six feet from the perpendicular of the point over which the youth was suspended. To the delight of their companions, who were for a moment horror-struck, they rose about twenty yards apart, buffeting the heavy swells of the flowing and returning waves. At length they struck out for a rock that lay about seventy yards in the sea, on which they were shortly seated, and from which they gave three hearty cheers. Their companions attempted to procure their rescue by obtaining a boat, but owing to the breach in the ledge, found it impossible, and had to proceed onwards for more than three hours before they were able to extricate themselves. To their delight, the geologists then found that their brave and dauntless companions, who had once more committed themselves to the deep, had swum to an accessible part of the cliff, and returned to Llanrhystid, where, with the exception of the loss of hats, the officer's boots, (which he had taken off on first starting on the ledge,) and a few slight cuts and bruises, they appeared not a whit the worse for their perilous adventure."

WONDERFUL PRESERVATION.

THE evening of the Lord's-day is peculiarly a time of rest to his ministers; for the day itself, though a day of rest to others, is a serving-day to us. Joyful and blessed our serving is; but it is often laborious and fatiguing. At no time does the cheerful quietness of my family circle seem so delightful to me as on the evening of the Lord's-day.

The evening prayers were over, and our family party had separated for the night. I remained alone after every one had retired to rest, that I might see if the doors and shutters were closed, and the house in safety. As I stood in one of the passages, I heard that the deep stillness of the night was broken in upon by the sudden rising of the wind. A door in the court-yard was slamming so violently that I went out to close it, and I found that the wind had begun to blow a gale; but as our residence stood high, and open to the south-west, there seemed to me nothing unusual in the loud and sweeping wind which blew warmly and strongly over my face.

Before I retired to my own chamber, I went, as I usually do, to give a passing look to the children of the household.

By the side of one of the youthful slumberers I lingered for some minutes. He was then the youngest of the family, and a younger brother's child. My mother stood beside me—for he slept in the dressingroom adjoining her chamber-and shading the light I carried with my hand, we looked down on the calm sweet countenance of the sleeping boy. There is something very lovely to me in the innocent security of a child's repose, the cheek so delicately flushed on on the side pressing the pillow, the eyelids so lightly closed, and the soft regular breathing just parting the rosy lips. I rather touched than clasped the little hand, carelessly resting on the pillow, and more than once I stooped down to kiss the soft cheek of the

unconscious child, so tenderly loved by us all. As I turned away, I heard the roar of the tempest from without; but all was peaceful in the hushed stillness and the soft gloom within.

It was impossible to sleep, nor could I wish to sleep during that awful night, and yet I was too fatigued not to feel at times almost overcome with drowsiness. The wind became louder and mightier in its force: never had I heard such long, terrific blasts. At times there came a long, long pause of deep and awful stillness, as if the tempest were collecting its strength-like the string of a bow strained back, or the mountain billow drawn down to its lowest depths, and thus gathering force to rise to a towering height, and to burst with overwhelming power-and then the blast came rushing on, and the house seemed to rock to its very foundations. Hour after hour passed, but there was no cessation of the hurricane. I thought of those who were out upon the sea, exposed to its wildest fury; and who could do otherwise than pray for all such? But as my spirit turned to Him, "who walketh upon the wings of the wind," I remembered that he is as gracious as he is glorious as merciful as he is mighty. I felt how great a privilege it is that we are permitted, and indeed invited to commend all for whom we ought to pray, to his good providence, and to his all-sufficient grace; and it was then a high and holy delight to call upon him, who, while "he thought it not robbery to be equal with God," came in the likeness of man, and lived and died among men, sharing our griefs and carrying our sorrows.

I thought of Him asleep in the midst of the storm, and I could not help, like the fearful disciples, entreating him to rebuke the tempest, and say, as he said in answer to their prayer, "Peace be still." Oh the blessed, blessed privilege of having such a refuge, such a Saviour! so gentle, so sympathizing, so humane a friend! Still the storm continued, when suddenly

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