Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1857-05-02

l.
l began TO be troubled with pain in my Jaw,
from an unsound tooth-lhe commencement OF
mariyrdom fom which am now suilering
worse than ever. The existence of nerves in
ones teeth has always seemed to Inc supor.
fuous provision Of Nature ! should be well
satisfied, at present, if he had omitted them in
my case.
Tbs handmaiden called us soon after o clock.
and brought us coffee while we were still in
bed. This is the general custom here in the
North, and is another point of contact with the
south. The sky was overcast with raw,
violent wind mercury ls deg. below zero.-
We felt the cold very keenly; much more SO
than on Christmas Day. The wind blew full
IN our teeth, and penetrated even beneath our
iurs. On setting out, we crossed the Skelefiea
River by wooden bridge, beyond which we
saw, rising duskily in the uncertain twilight. a
beautiful dome and lantern, crowning white
temple, built in the form of a Greek cross 1t
was the parish church of Skeleftea. Who
could have expected TO find such an edifce,
here, on the borders Of Lapland The village
about 1t contains many large and handsome
houses. This is one of the principal points of
trade and intercourse between the coas, and the
interior.
The weather became worse as We advanced.
travefsing the low, broad hills, through wastes
OF dark pine forest. The wind cut like sharp
sword in passing the hollows, and the drifting
snow began TO fill the tracks. We were full
two hours in making the ten miles to Frostkage
and the day seemed scarcely nearer at hand.
The leaden, lowering sky gave out no light
the forests were black and cold, the snow
dusky gray-such horrible dismal scenery have
rarely beheld We warmed US as well as we
could, and started anew, having for poslIlions
two rosy boys, who sang the whole way and
played all sorts Of mad antics with each other
to keep from freezing At the next station we
drank large quantities of hot milk, favored with
butter sugar and cinnamon, and then pushed
on, with another chubby hop-o' my thumb as
guide and driver. The storm grew worse and
worse; the wind blew fercely over the low
hills, loaded with particles of snow, as fine as
the point Of a needle, and as hard as crystal.
which struck full on our eyeballs, aud stune
them so that we could scarcely see. had
great difficulty in keeping my face from freez-
""N 'ohhIdHlou iuunu HIS CHEEK lOucnG0.
by the lime we reached Abyn, it blew
hurricane, and we were compelled 10 stop. 1t
was already dusk, and our cosy little room was
doubly pleasant By contrast with the wild wealth
er outside. Our cheerful landady, with her
fresh complexion and splendid teeth, was very
Kind aud attentive, and got on very well in
conversation, Notwithstanding her broad dialect.
She was much estonished at my asking for
bucket of cold water, for bathing. "Why,"
SAID She, Il always thought.ihat if person put
his feet into cold water, in winter, he would
die immediately y" However. she supplied il.
and was little surprised 10 ind me none the
worse this morning.
passed terrible night from the pain in my
face, and was little comiorted, on rising, by the
assurance that much snow had fallen. The
mercury had risen 10 zero, and the wind still
blew, although not so furiously as yesterday
We therefore determined 10 set out, and try TO
reach Piea. The landlady's son, a tall young
Viking, with yellow locks hanging on his
shoulders, acted as postillion and took the lead.
We started at nine, and found ii heavy enough
at first. 1t was barely light enough 10 see our
way, and we foundered slowly along through
deep drifts for mile, when we met the snow
ploughs, aler which our road became easier.
These ploughs are wooden frames shaped some
what like the bow of ship-in fact, have
seen very fair clipper models among them
about Is feet long by 10 wide at the base. and
SO light that, if the snow is not too deep, one
horse can manage them. The farmers along
the road are obliged to turn out at G O'Clock in
the morning whenever the snow falls or drifts,
and open passage for travellers. Thus, in
spite OF the rigorous winter, communication is
never interrupted. and the snow-road, at last,
from frequent ploughing becomes the finest
sleighing track in the world
The wind blew so violently, however, that
the furrows were soon filled up, and even the
track of the baggage-sled, fifty yards in advance,
was covered. There was one hollow where
the drifts OF loose snow were five or six feet
deep, and here we were obliged to get out and
struggle across, sinking to our loins at every
step. 1t is astonishing how soon one becomes
hardened TO the cold. Although the mercury
stood at zero, with violent storm, we rode
with our faces fully exposed, frost bites and all,
and even drove with bare hands, without the
least discomfort. But of of the scenery we
saw to-day can give no description. There
was nothing but long drifts and waves of spot
less snow, some dim, dark, spectral fr-irees ON
either hand, and beyond that wild chaos of
storm. The snow came fast and binding, beat
ing full in our teeth. twas impossible TO see
the fine particles so stuns our eyeballs that we
could not look ahead. My eyelashes were load
ed with snow, which Immediately turned to ice
and froze the lids together, unless ] kept them
in constant motion. The storm hummed and
buzzcd through the black forests; we were all
alone on the road, for even the pious Swedes
would not turn out to church on such a day
1t was terribly sublime and desolate, and en-
joyed it amazingly. We kept warm, although
there was crust Of ice quarter of an inch
thick on our cheeks, and the ice in our boards
prevented us from opening our mouths. At l
O'Clock, we reached the second station, Gefre,
by our nearest friends. Our
eyelashes were weighed down with heavy frin-
ges of frozen snow; there were ccles an inch
long hanging TO the caves of our moustaches,
and the handkerchiefs which wrapped our faces
were frozen fast to the flesh. The skin was
rather improved by this treatment, but it took
us uraat Whila IN tba nuf