rtar from the latter
covered the hearth, the cloth over-head was twisted into the funniest
possible wrinkles, the couch had jumped two feet from the side of the
house, the little table lay on its back, holding up _four_ legs instead
of _one_, the chessmen were rolling merrily about in every direction,
the dishes had all left their usual places, the door, which, ever
since, has obstinately refused to let itself be shut, was thrown
violently open, while an odd-looking pile of articles lay in the middle
of the room, which, upon investigation, was found to consist of a pail,
a broom, a bell, some candlesticks, a pack of cards, a loaf of bread, a
pair of boots, a bunch of cigars, and some clay pipes (the only things,
by the way, rendered utterly _hors de combat_ in the assault). But one
piece of furniture retained its attitude, and that was the elephantine
bedstead, which nothing short of an earthquake could move. Almost at
the same moment several acquaintances rushed in, begging me not to be
alarmed, as the danger was past.

"But what has happened?" I eagerly inquired.

"O, a large tree, which was felled this morning, has rolled down from
the brow of the hill." And its having struck a rock a few feet from the
house, losing thereby the most of its force, had alone saved us from
utter destruction.

I grew sick with terror when I understood the awful fate from which
Providence had preserved me, and even now my heart leaps painfully with
mingled fear and gratitude when I think how closely that pale
death-shadow glided by me, and of the loving care which forbade it to
linger upon our threshold.

Every one who saw the forest giant descending the hill with the force
of a mighty torrent expected to see the cabin instantly prostrated to
the earth. As it was, they all say that it swayed from the
perpendicular more than six inches.

Poor W., whom you may remember my having mentioned in a former letter
as having had a leg amputated a few weeks ago, and who was visiting us
at the time, (he had been brought from the Empire in a rocking-chair,)
looked like a marble statue of resignation. He possesses a face of
uncommon beauty, and his large, dark eyes have always, I fancy, a
sorrowful expression. Although he knew from the first shout what was
about to happen, and was sitting on the couch which stood at that side
of the cabin where the log must necessarily strike, and in his
mutilated condition had, as he has since said, not the fain