The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1820-09-20
The Snow Storm
CO N L N u L d.


The snow began to drift so fast, ths, be.
fore he had reached the head of the Glen,
there was nothing TO be seen bu, little bit
OF the wooden rail Of the bridge across the
Sauch.burn. William Grieve was the most
acuve shepherd IN a large pastoral parish, he
bad often passed the night among the wIntry
hills Tor the sake OF lew sheep, and oil the
snow that ever fell from Heaven would no,
have made him turo back when Hannsh Lee
was before him and as his terrified heat
told, 10 imminenI danger of being lost. As
ne advanced, Inc felt that il wa, 40 longer a
walk OF love or friendship, for which he had
been glad OF an excuse. Death stared him
In the face, and his young soul, now begin
ming TO feel all the passions OF youth, was
filled with PhrenEy. He had seen Hannah
overy day, at the hreslde, at work, IN the
Kirk, on holidays, at prayers, bringing supper
10 his eyed pa ents, smiling and singing a.
bout the house from morning ill night.
She had often brought his own me al 10 him
among tho hills; and ne now found ,hei
'housh he had nevor talked TO her about love,
except smilnely and playfully, tina, he loved
her beyond father or mother or his own soul.
Z" viii save thee Hannah" he cried with a
snow and We will die together in youth"
A wild whistIing wind wen, by him, and the
snow fakes whitled so 6ercely round his
head, that he staggered on for while in u
ter blindness. He knew the path tba, Han
nah must have taken, and went forward
shouting aloud, and stopping every twenty
yards TO listen, Tor a voice. He sent his
well trained dogs over the snow IN ell direc.
hons repeating TO them her name, " Hannah
Lee" ina, the dumb animals might, in their
sagaciy, know for whom they were search.
ing; and az they looked up in his face, and
act off to scour the moor, no almost believed
that they knew his meaning, and il is proba.
bic they did and were eager TO find IN her
bcwildcrment tho kind maiden by whose
hand they had so often been fed. Often
wen, they off into the darkness, and as often
returned, but their looks showed that every
quest had beep in vain. Meanwhile the
anov was Of fearfol depth, and falling with.
out inle'mission or diminution. Had the
youog shepherd boon thus alone, walking a.
cross the moor on his ordinary business, il is
probable that he might have been alarmed
for his own safety; nay, that In spite Of all
his strength and agility, he might have sunk
down beneath the iDclemepcy OF the nigh,
and perished. But now the passion of his
ssul carried him with supernatural strength
along, and ex,ricNed him from wreath aud
pit fall Still there was no trace OF poor
Hannah Lee and one Of his dogs at last
came close to his feet, worn out entirely and
afraid to leave its master, while the other
was mute, and, as the shepherd thought,
probable unable to force its way ou, Of some
hollow or through some houndering drift
Then he all al once knew that Hannah Lee
was dead and dashed himself down in the
snow in fit Of passion. 1t was the First time
that the youth had ever been sorely tried ;
all his hidden and unconscious love for tho
fair lost girl had flowed up from the bottom
Of his heart; and at once the sole object
which had blessed his life, and made him the
hsppies, Of the happy, wss taken away and
cruelty destroyed so that sullep, wrathful,
bsffsd and despa,riog, there he lay, cursing
his exIs'ence, and in too great agony to think
of p' aver. "God" he then thought, {" has
forssken me and why should he think on
me, when he suffers one SO good and beauti
Tul 0, Hannah, to be frozen to death" God
thought both of him and Hannah .and thro'
his infinite mercy forgave the sinner in hi.
wild turbulence of passion. William G rieve
had never gone to bed without joining 10
prayer aud he rcvered the Sabbst day and
Kept Il holy. Much Is forgiven to the bu.
man heart BY him who so fearfoly framed
Il and God 10 not Glow to pardon the love
which one human being bears to another, In
bis f'sil,y even though ths, love forget or
'sraign bic own p0slsepipg prsvidenee.