The Lambertville press. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1858-1???, 1860-03-28
HOW ITOLD
A cHARMINeLY WRITTEN SKETCH.
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Oh, the glories of sleigh-ride il
the sparkling, bracing air of Cana
dian winter The sky, clear and ex.
hilarating -keenly bright, but with a
different degree of lucidity from that
of bright summers day Broad, ex
banding plains-the city receding be
hind US, rs the horses, leaping onward
to the music of the Ginning BELLS make
for the broad boundleSs country =
The fir forests are clasped in a shad-
owy, ghostly slum5cr. Far away on
our right are those painless funeral
groves where the wolves congrcgatt
in hundreds. To the left rises ridge
of hills sloping down to the river
which is locked up in the iron manacle
of the Winter King. Ahead, and
right before us-whither we are bound
over waste, and plain and clearing
lies snugly-sheltered village the
headquarters of the g mmberer" and
the UOydgeur. Our destination is not
quite so far.
This said destination is broadly
spread, low-lying farmstead, with its
almost numberless houses, consist
ing of cattle sheds and diaries, corn
stores, rooings for winter fodder, wood
stacks surrounding the dwelling; all
palisaded by zigzag fences to pro-
tect the comfortable citadel. Within
it, warm fires blaze and sparkle from
the huge and odorous logs cracking on
the broad and bounteouS hearth. In
the great common chambe", raftered
and picturesque gothic hall, are warm
hearts and flashing eyes. Bearded
men and fair women are there-laugh-
ing maidens and strapping young hum
tiers, who had inst shaken the snow off
their furs at the portals Despite the
stern, yet musical baritone of the sing
ing cheeks, biting noses into purple,
and making the blood tingle, shouts
of mirth and laughter rise above the
-boreal blasts; and our leaping sleigh
gliding-hying along rather-to the
music Of the soft musical bell, is fast,
fast approaching its terminus
In the mean time" asks the read
err, "who occupy this sleigh ~ I
hasten to answer this question.
First, there was your humble SER
want, the narrator, Dick Harding by
name, but few months back from the
banks Of the Isis, with the Char" in
prospect. add few ofmy personal
itenas. Rather good looking a fair
shot; can hit with wonderful vigor
straight out from the shoulder; am
five ten and-growilg; can play the
fiddle, game of pool, and have the
temper of an angel. | had been one
of party of adventurous sportsmen
getting in " for something worthy of
Alexander, and, with fishing tackle,
spears, and shooting irons" had
doDen inconsiderable execution among
the denizens of the Canadian woods
and hunted the bear in his own bold
and picturesque fastness.
Enough of myself. Now, then, for
my companions
Place aur Danes, therefore-for
nesting by my side, wrapped up in
rugs and warm furs, Lota d. Arville-
a bright-eyed, rosy Tipped, laughing
Canadian, as lovely a girl-woman of
seventeen as glance of man ever rested
complacetly upon. The Canadian
mother and the French father were ex-
pressed in her name. Her playful
lambent eyes had exercised their sor-
Gerry upon ere this; and the modula-
tions of voice, unequalled for its low
soft sweetness, completed the young
syren's triumph. This by the way
for we had exchanged no confidence
as vet on subject very near my heart.
We were bound to merry sleigh.
ing party at Windy-gap farm-osten
sibly to hunt upon vast scale, which
accounts for my two rifles and ammu.
milton lying in the sleigh, and for the
noble deerhound, the third "individu,
al, who had curled up his great bod,
at our feet, and aided to keep then
warm / had known her brother;
young officer in the Canadian Rifles
had killed g bar" at the Salt ticks
: with him; had met Lota and her fam
lily on board ST. Lawrence steamer
and was now a guest at their house
enjoying their frank and bounteou
hopsitality.
Hurrah 4" Through the keel
sonorons air, sleigh and horses boun,
along ceiling !-Clang go tn
Ginning bells tCrick i Crack
goes the long thonged whip with
CHEEKY significance. NY "Madawask
Cariole," a sleigh which is the perfec
ton of locomotion, is not less perfec
ton than the fiery steeds, with thei
sinews of elastic steel, which / drive.
Driving sleigh tandem is the east
est thing in the world, When you ar
used to 1T. / was member Of tn,
Tandem Club, " and reckoned crac
hand, of course. | exulted in my ski
now, as / bore my rosy companion thro