Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1854-03-30
Galts anb gkettbes.
A THRILLING SKETCH.
THE MANIAC
Or, the Longest Night fss n life.

Ii was one of those old fashioned winters IL
the days Of the Georges, when the snow lay on
the ground for weeks, when railways were IN
known, and the electric telegraph had not been
dreamed of save by the speculative Countess of
London. The mails had been irregular for
month past and the letter-bags which did reach
the post-ofice had been brought thither with diff
fculty. The newspapers were devoid of all for
eign intelligence, the metropolis knew nothing of
the dongs of the provinces, and the provinces
knew little more Of the affairs of the metropolis
but the columns of both were crowded with acci-
dents from the inclemency of the weather, with
heart-rending accounts of starvation and desti-
tuition, with wonderderful escapes of adventurous
travellers, and of still more adventurous mail
coschmen and guards. Business was almost at
. standstill or was only carried on by fits and
starts families were made uneasy by the fire.
quent long silence of their absent members, and
the poor were suffering great misery from cold
and famine.
The south road had been blocked up for nearly
. month, when partial thaw almost caused a
public rejoicing coaches began to run, letters to
be dispatched and delivered, and weatherbound
travellers to have some hope Of reaching their
destination.
Among the first ladies who undertook the
Journey from the ives: of Scotland to London at
this time, was a certain Miss Stirling, who had,
for weeks past, desired to reach the metropolis.
Her friends assured her that it was foolhardy
attempt, and told her of travellers who had been
twice, nay, three times, showed up on their way
to town !; but their advice and warnings were OF
no avail Miss Strings business was urgent, it
concerned others more than herself, and she was
not one to be deferred by personal discomfort OF
by physical difficulties from doing what she
thought right.
So, she kept to her purpose. and carly in F"h-
ruary took her seat in the mail for London, being
the only passenger who was booked for the whole
journey.
The thaw had continued for some days the
roads though heavy were open and with the aid
of extra horses here and there the first half Of
the journey was performed pretty easily, though
tediously.
The second day was more trying than the first;
the wind blew keenly, and penetrated every Gre
vice of the coach ; the partial thaw had but
slightly affected the wild moorland they had to
cross thick heavy clouds were gathering round
the red ravless sun and when on reaching a lit.
tie roadside inn the snow began TO fall fast, both
the guard and coachmen urged their solitary pas
senger to remain there for the night, instead O
tempting the dscomforts and perhaps the periis
Of the next stage. Miss Stirling hesitated ior
moment, but the little inn looked by no means
pleasant place be showed up in, so she reslste'
their entreaties and, gathering her furs NOR
closely round her, she nestled herself into cor
ner of the coach. Thus, for a time, she lost a
consciousness of outward things in sleep.
a sudden lurch awoke her and she soon learn
ed that they had stuck fast in q snow drift, anC
that no efforts of the tired horses could extricat
the coach from its unpleasant predicamcnt. Th