True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1857-10-07
STEUBENVILLE, OHIO, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 1857

Half mile on teara .tfrma, and the
norse's s feet rang shark and clear on the (
solid ice of the Winnipisseogee. The
SUBMITS of the tall, blue mountains.
which rose on either side Of our travellers,
were shrouded in an impenetrable mist,
and the light wind which blew was ihsuf.
ficient TO break up the clouds Of time that
filled the air
Little or no conversation passed be-
tween these two people, SO recently
thrown together. Argensen was occu-
pied with thoughts of the perilous UNDER
taking before them; the lady, with sad
images of her dying mother-dying with
out Tie kiss Of her only child to smooth
her passage through the dark void be-
tween time and eternity!
With anxious eye, the young noun
taineer scanned the lhickening air, and
the terrible thought 'Oould fiji across his
brain-'f the squalls should rise -
Nearly four miles of the journey was pas
sed over in safety. They had reached
the dreariest part Of the road, and the
darkness became almost palpable Noun.
tains, black as Erebus, completely walled
in the shining track Of ice, and by the
pitching of the cutter, aud the careful
progress of the horse. they knew that
drifts of snow and bilges of ice obslruct.
ed the way. The wind steadily increas.
ed, and cut The face like sharp icicle.-
The breaths OF our travellers CONCEALED
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 dea,hly shivers that involuntariIy stole
over her, but. Argensen felt the effort.
and drawing his arm around her, he said,
in low, earnest tone;- sht..,
Lady, we are strangers. but it is no
time to stand for ceremony, when one is
freezing! Sit as close to me as possible,
and lay your face here upon my breast t;
the wind is rising 10 gale, aud the squall
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 il
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 eben clouds with the
swiftness Of lightning, and scarcely more
than five miles of the way were passed
ere it burst upon them in all its fury
The dreaded white eye enveloped them
Hail and minute particles Of frozen snow
: in thick continuous sheets, blinded the
eyes of The brave Argensen, and shut ou
the dim overarching sky. The morse
drew up under the lee of a wooded island
and could be induced to 60 no farther
Argensen clasped both arms about bis
paralyzed companion, and waited the pro-
gress of the storm. Heavily. and more
heavily, she leaned upon his shoulders
r and at length the fatal truth rushed owe
; him with appalling force the sleep that in
: uaribb precedes death, by freezing, wa
+, upon her! He sprang up wildly.
For the love Of Heaven, awake Rous
I yourself! To sleep Is death!
Z 4 faint moan was the only response
+, He tore off The buffalo robes which en-
4 veloped her, and vigorously chafed he
cold hands, and brealhed upon her icy
a lips. For time he feared that he hell
:, :, only death in his arms but, at last, b.
Il the dim light of the lantern, he saw
flush steal over her face, and her eyelid
slowly Enclosed.
y 'Itis my mother holding me 2 she sal
:, dreamily then, as if remembering all
;, = she drew herself away from the arm
!, that supported her. Argensen soothe,
~ and encouraged her until the storm brok
r and the clouds were swept away. A fe,
4 faint, struggling stars burst through III
. pillows of vapor, and like angels eyes
: looked down upon the wide desert g
= snow. Two hours they waited there
two honrs of agonizing suspense-ere th
noble horse could be made to pursue hi
|" way. With more than mere brute ir
:. stinct, he knew the -dangeIs Of the wa
y y in the thick darkness and storm, and rt
!. fused to subject his master to create
n peril. n
'. As the wind sunk to rest, and the SIX
r. became clearer once more, our traveller
IN went on, aud after an hours swift tro
d they arrived safely at WOlburn. III
h. necessary inquiries being made regardin
ID the where bsuts Of the young lady
Of mother; Argenson drove her 10 the hous
ns specified, and yielded to lhe urgent solc
K, tations Of his fellow uoydgeur, he wei
IS in with her.
r The FIRST question Of the afflicted q
was answered in such manner that Il
ir warm blood flushed over her cheek al
ID brow, and leryopt' Thank Godl" bur
u from herlipso asa 68s ).
s. NMrs. Huntington 10 better" said Il
a ladys whom Miss Huntington address,
d, as aunt /, aud Julia--for that was d
name Of her who had put to such o ri