The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1854-04-21
\ MISCELLANEOUS.
THE LONGEST NIGHT IN A LIFE.
ny CHARLES DICKENS.

In was one Of those old-fashioned winters,
in the ,lays of the Georges, when the snow
Law or the ground for weeks, when railways
were unknown, and the electric telegraph
had moi been dreauied Of save by The spec
ulalive Countess OF London. The mails had
been irregular for mouth past, and The
,e,ier.bays which did reach the posi.ofiice
had b eu b, ou.ht ,hiiher with difficulty
The newspapers were devoid OF ell foreign
intelligence, The metropolis knew nothing
of the duinas OF the provinces, and The
provinces knew lille more OF the affairs of
The metropolis; bu. the columns OF both
were crowded with accidents ftom the in.
clemency Of the weather, with hearirend-
iug accounts OF starvation and desillulion,
with wonderful escapes 0i adventurous ira,-
.,ll.rs, and Of sill more adventurous mail
coachmen and guards. Business was al
mn,i nj a siandslill, or was only carried OH
by iii, and slarls: families were made un.
easy by the frequent long silence of their
ab.en, members, and the p or were suffer.
ing .rea, misery from cold aud famine.
'rhe souih road had been blocked up for
nearly mouth, when partial lhaw almost
caused public rejoicing; coaches began
10 run, letters 10 be despatched and deliver.
ell, and weaiher-bound travellers 10 have
some hope OF reaching their destination.
Among the first ladies' who undertook The
Journey from The west Oi Scotland to Lou
don n, this time, was certain Miss Stirling,
who had, for weeks past, desired TO reach
the metropolis. Her friends assured he:
tha, i, vas foolhardy attempt, an'l told her
OF travellers who had been Twice, nay, three
times, showed mp OF their way TO Town; but
their advice aud warnings were OF no avail (;
Miss S:erliny's business was urgent, il con.
cerned others more than herself, aud she
was mol one 10 be deferred by personal dis
comfort or by physical difficulties rom do
isg wha, she though, was right .....
So, she KEEP TO her purpose, and early IN
February took her seal in The mail for Lon
don, being The only passenger who was
booked for The while journey. ...r.
The ihaw had continued Tor some days;
the roads, though heavy, were open and
with the aid OF extra horses here aud there
the frs, half Of the journey was perloImed
pretty easily, though iediously. a. y.
The second day was more tryingthan the
first; the wind blew keenly, and penetrated
every cievice OF the coach !; the partial 'haw
had bu, slightly affected the wild moorland
they had 10 cross !; thick heavy clouds were
gathering round the red rayless sun; and
when on reaching li,tle roadside inn the
snow began 10 fall fast, both the guard and
roachman urged their solitary passenger 10
remain there for the night, instead OF tempt.
ing the discomfors and perhaps perils OF
the next stage. Miss Stirling hesitaied for
a moment, bn, the little inn looked by no
means a pleasant place 10 be showed up in,
so she resisted their en:ieaties, and, gaiher-
ing her furs more closely round her, she
nestled herself into a corner Of the coach
Thus, Tor time, she los, all Consciousness
Of outward things in sleep. ..
A Asu,lden lurch awoke her; and she soon
learned that they had stuck fast in snow
drif,, and that no efforts Of the tired horses
could extricaie the coach from It's unpleasant,
prcdicament. The guard, mounting one Of
the leaders, sci off in search OF assisiance
while the coachman comiorted Miss Stirling
by telling her, that rs uearly rs they could
calculate, they were only u mile or Two
from ",he squire's." and that il The guari
could find his way TO the squire's, the squire
was certain to come 10 their rescue with bis
slsdce y I, was not the first lime thai the
squire had got the uiaiI bags out'of . snow
wreath by that means. ''1' :" '''1' -