The Southern Literary Messenger, Vol. I., No. 3, November, 1834Various
History
The Southern Literary Messenger, Vol. I., No. 3, November, 1834
Various
American literature -- 19th century -- Periodicals
I had, it is true, no respect for him, and perhaps his death
could scarcely be deemed a calamity; but he was one of the great family
of man, and what right had I to sit in judgment on my fellow creatures?
I found Drayton at home, standing at the front door, surveying the
ravages committed on his estate. He greeted me, and commenced a
harangue on the terrible phenomenon he had witnessed, which I cut short
by inquiring if Mr. Willis was within--"within! No he had not seen him
for several days." As briefly as I could, I then informed him of
Willis' passing me on the road, of the obvious danger he had incurred,
and requested he would accompany me with some of the servants, with
axes and other implements, that might be necessary in prosecuting our
search. He hastened to comply with the request, and we soon set forward
with some dozen assistants. We commenced our disagreeable undertaking,
at the gate on the lower side of the prostrate oak, which lay obliquely
across the road, endeavoring every now and then, to peep through the
confused mass of tangled and shattered boughs that lay in heaps about
us. Presently, one of the negroes uttered an exclamation, and pointing
with both hands, cried out that he saw a man under the tree. We
immediately gathered around him, and looking in the direction
indicated, could perceive not only the object he had discovered, but
also the prostrate body of a horse. There was now little doubt that
Willis had here met his wretched fate.
The sun, which had come forth, was about an hour high, but we had great
difficulties to overcome before we could reach the spot, where the body
lay. One of the men was despatched to the house for further assistance,
and we soon had all the efficient laborers of the estate at work; while
the boys and women, whom curiosity brought there, were employed in
holding torches, for the evening shades had fallen, before we got half
through with our labor. At length, we succeeded in freeing Willis's
body from the superincumbent load that pressed upon it. Life was
totally extinct; his death had doubtless been instantaneous, for his
bones were broken in many places, and the scull driven in, until its
sides almost met. We hastily constructed a hand-barrow on which we laid
the mangled remains, and were about to move off, when one of the boys
came running to us from the wood on the opposite side to the gate, and
with terror in his looks, informed us there was another man lying dead
there. We hastened to the spot, which there was little difficulty in
reaching, for the individual lay just on the skirt of the prostrate
trees, and had probably been struck down by an upper bough as it fell.
His face was towards the ground, and his hands outstretched. The back
of the head had received a severe wound. We gently turned the body
over. My heart sunk within me and a faintness came over my senses, as
the light of the blazing torches revealed to my view the pallid face of
Heywood.
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