The Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, Ohio) 1853-1861, 1856-12-25

nolent state, that the coach would possibly wal
his pleasure for when, at last, he arose and wen
down stairs, he was much disappointed TO find til
coach really gone. His first impulse on such a
occasion was naturally to order post-horscs whe
he suddenly recollecte, that this would be violating
his promise to the doctor he therefore inquired
with some misgivings. yhep the next coach woul,
come past and learned, to his dismay, that as ,
coach only started twice a week from London, hi
must wait three days before another would come tc
the inn, and even then take the chnnce of its bein.
full
Driven to madness by the prospect of spending
three mortal days in a hum-drum inn, in lttlt
market town, possessing neither the picturesque
ness of the country nor the eenvenences of Lon
don, the pampercd inmate of the Albany suddenly
came to n resolve that would have astonished nonc
more than himself day back; and this was to leave
histrunk behind, to be sent after him. and 10 start
on foot, accompanied by lad to carry his carpet
bag, and walk as many miles on the road as he
conveniently could
For The doctor has not forbid me to walk.
said he to himself "0n the contrary, he alwav.
quarreed with Inc for not taking exercise enough.
Much to the regret of the landady, who had
hoped to detain the rich gentleman (for such she
argued him to be from his ussiness till the arrival
of the next coach the Hon. Theodore Norton nov
set out on foot and, considering how seldom hi.
walks extended beyond a stroll in Hyde Park he
acquitted himself tolerably well of his pedestrian
uuI grt1 al aptu nall 41n
eight miles before he putup at inn and dismissed
his :!tcndant.
Somewhat proud of his feet. and invigorated by
such an unusual exercise, Norton diaed with much
better appetite than the day before, thocqh at a
much humber inn and the next day, not being
able to nl anybody to carry his travelling-bag, as
all the hands in the village were employed, he had
50 far imprevcdin the new science of helping him
self that he resolved to carry it with his own
hands
"Wha; would my friends think" said he to him.
self, with faint smile, "if they saw me in such
plight as this reduced to be my own servant ?"
Fora while he walked on with toerablc resolu-
ton, till cold, DRILLING rain set ill., which seemed
10 pierce him 10 the very skin He would now fain
have got unler shelter almost anywhere but
dwellings, mad become few and far between; he had
begun BY deeming this cottage too mean to enter,
and that waysde public house too low for gen
tlcman to put up at, till at length he could see no
either right or left, anil nothing before
him but wide bleak common
" 1t the doctor calls this wa.e.cure" though,
Theodore II suppose tits By killirs me-"
TO complete his distress,the wind had shifted and
the cold drizzng rain turned first to seat and then
to snow. Theodore was at first tempted to turn
back and try to reach the inn at whchhe had slept
but the snow beat so full in his accon his attempt
Ing to do so that he found it less impracticabe TO
90 onwarls AMI enicavor to find an ASYLUM some
where. His clothes and carpet-bag were soon as
completely coatel with snow as twelfth-cake
with sugar. To add to his distress, the wind kept
drifting the snow across the path, till all traces Of
the road were entirely ef4ced and, as might be
expected, he was soon lost on the common, and
was at a'loss to know whether to turn to the right
or to the left.
For while the kind OF indignation he felt at the
opposition the clements were offering him. helped to
keep up the fainting courage of the imaginary in
valid bat soon both the Indignation and the
courage were conquered by the numbing effects
of cold upon his hands AMI feet neither of which
were properly guarded against the severity of the
weather. For, accustomed as he was to travel in
luxury, Theodore had never thought of providing
himself either with thick boots or warm gloves and
still less had he calculated upon a snow storm, in
the month of April
81 shall never be able to carry this weight any
further" said he, dropping the carpet-bag on the
ground and hinging himself down beside it to re,
n-.,:. .--I-s~,' .'..~..o--, uvvv0t, uv1tvi
this is downright manslaughter."
Aud with the apathy of his nature, Theodore
gave over all further struggling TILL benumbed and
helpless, he sunk into that dangerous torpor which
IS so apt to prove the forerunner of death. How
long he remained in this dreamy state he knew not
but he was suddenly reused to consciousness by {
mart rap Oh his back, and cheerful voice crying
ont
"Hallo there, old fellow jump up and be alv,
or you'll presently be done for.
1t is said most truly that the ruling passion
shroudcd the halffrozen Norton's mental faculties
the feeling most predominant at the moment wa
neither gratitudeto to Providence nor his deliverer-
No Theodore Norton's first movement was indig
nation at being thus famarly styled (he, the so
of an earl,) "old fellow by an unknown boor-
Too weak, however to be able to sp.ak at the nj
ment, he ssuiIcrcd, himself to be raised by his u
known friend, a stalwart healthy young farmer
about two-and-twenty, who shook the snow off b
garments and took up his carpet-bag with OF
hand, while he supported him with the other
| Theodore Norton knew not whittier he was goin
but he suffered himself to be led like a child.
t How lucky came just in the nick of time
t said Henry Day, for that was the young farme
name, on whose countenance nature had stamp
: both health and good humor.