Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1857-07-31

sad images of her dying mother-dy;nS with
out the kiss of her only child to smooth her
passage through the dark void between time
and eternity!
With anxious eye, the young mountaineer
scanned the thickening air, and the terrible
thought ,couM fit across his brain-"Tf he
sqMafLs shOnH riSer'
Nearly four miles of the journey was passed
over IN safety They had reached the dreariest
part of the road, and the darkness became
almost palpable. Mountains black as Erebus
completely walled in the shining track of ice,
and by the pitching of the cutter, and the care
full progress of the horse, they knew that drifts
of snow and bilges of ice obstructed the way
The wind steadily increased, and cut the face
like sharp icicle. The breaths of our travellers
eOngealed almost before they left their bodies,
and the dark sides of the horse were covered
with feathery frost.
The cold became intense, permeating the thick
| buffalo skins as If they had been mere cobwebs
and the delicate frame Of the young girl was
chilled through. Bravely she suppressed the
death shivers that involuntarily stole over her,
but Argensen felt the effort and drawing his
arm around her, he said, in a low, earnest tone:
Lady, We are strangers, but it is no time to
stand for ceremony, when one is freezing Sit
as ciose to me as possible and lay your face
here upon my breast; the wind is rising to gale,
and the squalls will be upon us ere long ~
With one powerful hand he guided the horse
with the other one he held close to his side the
little, trembling form of his companion; and
the noble gray, as if feeling that everything
depended on their reaching the end of their
journey before the breaking of the squall over
their heads, tore bravely on.
In vain in vain! in vain, The mad wind
bore along the ebOn clouds with the swiftness of
lightning, and scarcely more than five miles of
their way were passed ere it burst upon them
In all its fury. The dreaded ''white-eye" en-
yeloped them. Hail and minute particles of
frozen snow, in thick, continuous sheets blinded
the eyes of the brave Argenscn, and shut out
the dim, Overarching sky The horse drew up
under the lee of wooded island, and could be
induced to so no further. Argensen clasped
both arms around his paralyzed companion, and
waited the progress of the storm. Heavily
and more heavily, she leaned upon his shoulder,
and at length the fatal truth rushed over him
with appalling force-fhe sleep that iuUaria5iy
pTeeede' death by freezing acas upOn her. He
sprang up wildly.
For the love of Heaven, awake? Rouse
yourself! TO sleep IS death ~
A faint moan was the only response. He tore
on the buffalo robes which envelOped her, and
vigorously chafed her cold hands, and breathed
upon her icy lips. For time he feared that
he held only death in his arms; but at last, by
the dim light OF the lantern, he saw flush steal
over her face, and her eyelids slowly unclosed
" Is it my mother holding me?" she said
dreamily; then, as if remembering all, she drew
herself away from the arms that supported her
Argensen sOothed and encouraged her until the
storm broke and the clouds were swept away.
few faint, struggling stars burst through the
billOws OF vapOr, and, like angels eyes looked
down upon the wide desert of snow. Two hours
they waited there-two hours of agonizinc sus-
pense-ere the noble horse could be made to
pursue his way. With more than mere brute
instinct, he knew the dangers Of the way in the
thick darkness and storm, and refused to sub
Ject his master to greater peril.
AS the wind sunk to rest, and the sky became
clearer once more, our travellers went on. and
after an hours swift trOt they arrived safely at
Wolf burn The necessary inquiries being m ade
regarding the whereabouts Of the young lady's
mother, Argensen drove her to the house speci
fled, and yielding to the urgent solicitations of
his fellOw-rOyageWr, he went in with her
The first question of the afflicted girl was an
sWered in such manner that the warm blood
flushed over her cheek and brow and feryent
Thank Godt' burst from her lips
" Mrs. Huntington is better, much better
said the lady, whom Miss Huntington addressed
as aunt" and Julia-for that was the name
of her who had put to such trial the courage
Of William Argensen-advanced towards him.
and laying both her hands in his, she burst into
a food Of tears.
He took both the hands and pressed to his
lps. 1t was all the reward he nsked-all she
sought to give.
One year later, and in one of the most splen-
did residences in Boston, there was a wedding
the groom was William Argensen, the bride
Julia Huntington. That night of horror had
become the parent Of a love stronger than death
more enduring than life, and before that love
the naughty pride of Julia mother had melted
away like snow before the sunshine The noble
young mOuntaineer for the sake of that love,
left the hills and valleys he loved, and in a cele-
brated university, his mind, already rich in the
royal gifts of Natures God, became refined in
the flames of heaven-sent knowledge
They are very happy now in their gorgeous
home-that fair young wife and her noble hus-
band and often do they bless the fortune that
caused them to pass that night upon the Win
nipisseogee SDlrIt