East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1859-10-13
The Longest Night I'm a Life.
BY CHARLES DICKENS.

snow lay on the ground for weeks, when
railways were unknown and the electric
telegraph had not been dreamed of save
by the speculative Countess of London.
The mails had been irregularfo for month,
and the letter bags which did reach
the Post Office had been brought thither
with difficulty. The newspapers were
devoid of all foreign intelligence, the
metropolis knew nothing of the doings
of the provinces, and the provinces knew
little more of the affairs of the metro
polls. But the columns of both were
crowded with accidents from the inclem-
ency of the weather, with heart-rendering
accounts of starvation and destruction,
With wonderful escapes of adventurous
mail-coachmen and guards. Business
was almost at a standstill, or was only
carried on by fits and starts; families
were made uneasy by the frequent long
silence of their members, and the poor
were suffering great misery from cold and
famine.
The south road had been blocked up
for nearly month, when partial thaw
almost caused public rejoicing coaches
began to run, letters to be dispatched and
delivered, and weatherbound travellers to
have some hope of reaching their desti-
nation.
Among the first ladies who undertook
the journey from the west of Scotland
to London at this time, was a certain
Miss Sterling, who had for weeks past
desired to reach the metropolis. Her
friends assured her that it was fool
hardy attempt and told her of travellers
who had been twice, nay, three times
showed in upon their way to town, but
their advice and warning were of no avail;
Miss Sterling's business was urgent, il
concerned others more than herself and
she was not one to be deferred by per-
sonal discomfort or by physical difficulties
from doing what she thought was right
So, she kept to her purpose, and early
in February took her seat in the mail
coach for London, being the only passen-
ger booked for the whole journey.
The thaw had continued for some days;
the roads, though heavy were open; and
with the aid of extra horses here and
there, the first half of the journey was
| performed pretty easily though tcdiously
The second day was more trying than
the first, the wind blew keenly, and pene.
trated every crevice of the coach; the
partial thaw had hut slightly affected the
wild moorland they had to cross thick
: heavy clouds were gathering round the
red raylcss sun and when on reaching
the little roadside inn the snow began tc
fall fast, both the guard and coachmar
urged their solitary passenger to remain
there for the night, instead of tempting
the discomforts and perhaps the perils o.
the next stage. Miss Sterling hesitatec
for moment, but the little inn looked
by no means pleasant place to be snow
ed up in, so she resisted their entreaties
and, gathering her furs more closely
around her, she nestled herself into cor
ner of the coach. Thus, for time, she
lost all consciousness of outward thing
in sleep.
A sudden lurch awoke her and sh
soon learned they had stuck fast in
snow drift, and that the efforts of the tire,
horses could not extract the coach from it
unpleasant predicament. The guar,
mounting on one Of the horses, set on
in search of assistance, while the coach
. man comfortcd Miss Stirling by tellin,
her that, as nearly as he could calculate
they were only mile or two from 18th
squires," and that if the guard coul
e. find his way to the squire's the squir
was certain to come to the rescue wit
his sledge. 1t was not the first time th0
the squire had got the mail bags out {
a snow wreath by that means.
The coachman's expectations were fu
81 filed. Within an hour, the distant tinl
ling of the sledge bells was heard an
lights were seen cleaning afar; the
nd rapidly advanced nearer and nearer an
soon a hearty voice was heard hailin
: them. A party of men, with lanterns an
T. shovels, came to their assistance.
:. strong arm lifted Miss Stirling from Il
- coach, and supported her trembling stel
ig to sledge close at hand and almost b
lie fore she knew where she was, she four
ut herself in large hall, brilliantly light,
er by blazing wood fire. Numbers of ros
: glowing, childish faces were gather'
round her, numbers of bright eager ey
were gazing curiously upon her, kind
N, hands were busted in removing her wrap
he and welcomed her and congratulated h
of on her escape.
lal cay, ay, Mary" said her host, addre
IS. sing his wife, 81 told you that the sleds
se would have plenty Of work this wintc
- and you see was right"
ee GAS you always are uncle" a mer
nd voice exclaimed. awe all say at Ha'
,p- tree that uncle Atherton can never
ne wrong"
ge "Atherton Hawtree ~ repeated Mi
er, Stirling, in some amazemcnt, and utter
cd in that familiar voice, "Ellen, Ellen Mi
ed dleton, is it possible that you arc here
it A joyful exclamation and a rush in
or her arms were the young girls reply
ID, this question, as she cried,
I'D "Uncle Athcrton, Aunt Mary, dol
he you know your old friend Miss Stirling
'ut Mrs. Atherton fixed her soft blue ey
ri on the stranger, in whom she could
pct first scarcely recognize the bright hair
ter girl whom she had not seen for eighte
m, or twenty years, but by and by she sat
'cd fed herself that, though changed, $
he was Ellen Stirling still, with the sal
,ns sunny smile and the same laughing Q