Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1857-09-24

.
i mp the clouds of rime that filled th
air.
Little or no conversation passe
E between the two, so recently throw
: together Argensen was occupie'
with thoughts of the perilous under
taking before them; the lady, wit
sad images of her dying mother
dying without the kiss of her only
child to smooth her passages through
| the dark void between time and etern
Iity! With anxious eye, the young
Imountaineer scanned the thickenine
air, and the terrible Thought would
ilit across his brain if the squalls
should rise!
Nearly four miles of the journey
was passed over in safety. They had
reached the dreariest part of the road
aud darkness became almost palpabIe.
Mountains hlacktas Erebus completely
walled in the shining track Of ice, and
by the pitching Of the cutter, and the
careful 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 congealed. almost before
they left their bodies, and the dark
sides Of the horse were covered with
a feathery frost.
The cold became intense. permeat-
ing the thick buffalo skins as if they
had been mere cobwebs, and tie de-
icate frame of the young girl was
chilled through. Bravely she sup
pressed the deathly shivers that In
voluntarily stole over her, but Argen-
'on felt the effort, and drawing bis
nm around her, he said, in a low earn
st tone, Lady, we .are strangers, /
out it is no t, ae to stand for ceremo-
W, when one is freezingl Sit as close
0 me as possible, andfsy your face
lere upon my br asst; the wind is ris-
ng to a gale, and th@ squalls will be {
lpon US ere long!' I
With one powerful hand be guided t
he horse; with the other be held close t
0 bis side the little,l ,ltrembling form |
f his companion; and the noble grey,
5 if feeling that everything depen-
ed on their reaching the end of
heir journey before the breaking Of !
le squall over their heads, tore +
ravely on. i
In vain! in vainl in vain! The Q
lad wind bore along the ehon clouds a
ith the swiftness of lightning. and I
,arcely more than five miles of the
ay Were past ere it broke upon them is
all its fury. The dreaded "white a
ge" enyeloped them. Hail and '
mute particles of frozen snow, in i
lick continuous sheets, blinded the =
yes of the brave Argensen, and shut y
1t the dim, overarching sky The Il
orse drew up under the lee of a
Ooded island, and could be induced h
go no further Argensen clasped fl
,th arms about bis paralyzed COM @
lnion, and awaited the progress of a
e storm. Heavily and more heavi- :,
she leaned upon his shoulder, and, b
length the fatal truth rushed over ST
m with appalling force-the sleep a
at invariably precedes death by e.
eezing, was upon her! He sprang lie
, wildly. rC
"For the love Of Heaven, awake! d
ouse yourself! To sleep is death" b
A faint moan was the only response. "
e tore off the buffalo robes which
lyeloped her. and vigorously chafed
II cold hands, and breathed upon y
II icy lips. For time be feared "
at be held only death in bis arms, cl
it at last by the dim light of the s
ntern, he saw flush steal over her o,
,e, and her reyelids slowly unclosed. "a
as it my mother holding me?" she &C
id, dreamingly; then as if remember 8
9 all she drew herself away from the h,
ms that supported her. Argensen dl
othed and encouraged her, until Ii
{ storm bloke and the clouds were d,
ept away. A few faint, struggling /;
lrs burst through. the billows of t,
por, and like angels eyes, looked "a
wn upon the wide desert Of snow. ae
70 hours they waited there-two #
urs of agonizing suspense-ere the al
BILE horse could be made to pursue m
, way. With more than a brute
'tinct, be knew the dangers of the
" in the thick darkness and Storm, q
d refused to subject his master to NJ
eater peril. sI tb