St. Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (St. Charles City [Charles City], Iowa) 1857-1861, 1860-03-01
NUMBER 9.

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low, soft sweetness, completed the
young syrcn's triumph. This by the
way for we had exchanged no conf
dence as yet on a subject very near
my heart.
We arc bound to merry sicighing.
party at Windy-Gap Farm-ostcnsibly
to hunt upon vast scale, which ac-
counts for my two rifles and ammuni-
tion lying in the sleigh, and for the
noble deer-hound, the third "individ-
ual,' who had curled up his great
body at our feet, and aided to keep
them warm. had known her broth
er in the Canadian Riiies-had killed
" bar at the "Salt Licks with him;
had met Lota and her family on board
a Lawrence steamer, and was now a
guest at their house, enjoying their
frank and bounteous hospitality.
"Hurrah y Through the keen, sono-
rous air, sleigh and horses bound
along! Cling-clang J" go the
Ginning bells. "Crick-crack! goes
the long-thonged whip, with a sharp,
cherry significance. My Madawas-
ka Carole," Il sleigh which is the per-
fcction of locomotion, is not less per-
lection than the fiery stceds, with their
Driving sleigh-tandem is the easiest
thing in the world-when you arc
used to it. was member of the
Tandem Club" and reckoncd a crack
hand, of course. | cXulted in my
skill now, as bore my rosy compan-
ion through the air, and the whip
went crik-crack 2" like a double
barreled gun going off, and the sweet
bells sang and chimed. "Oh sweet
echoes of far distant wedding bells !"
| thought-and the crisp snow was
split and shattered into diamonds uu-
der the grinding of the hoofs and the
attrition of the runners )" and with
an exhilaration could not reprcss,
gave vigorous "hurrah !" which
conveyed itself to Lota, wrapped up
in moose and bear-skins, and as warm
as toast. A sweet, girlish laugh
echoed my cxulting shout.
You appear to enjoy this, Mr.. Hard
ing she said.
"If don't" Crick-crack I"
filed up the hiatus. What pair of
W, beauties Phebus, Appollo never
drove their like down the sleeps of
heaven The willy Ithacan never
raised such cattle when he cleared
: the stables of Rhesus of his horses.
"Crick-crack and the horses neigh
and toss their arching necks, and the
- bells are Ginning and tinkling, and
the mad exu!ting rush uplfts one like
wine.
remark, to myself, that the sky
has deepencd into an intense, still, un
in earthly, tencbriOus inkincss, betokcn-
a. ing a coming snow storm. No mat
X ter" Windy gap is right ahead, :,
a and the welcome lights will blaze out
At of the easements soon, for the after
q, noon Is wearing.
g On we go-but do not see them
H. yet and-but no-it's all right
$, Are you warm-quitc snug, dear
y. Lota ?" said l, half turning to look at
T. the rosy, exquisite face peeping forth
n with so much furtivc coquetry from
al this cRcardemem of white, cosy furs.
te 80, so comfortable !" she answered,
&c with nesting movement, and smile
r, which made my heart leap joyously
"a upward.
nd But my attention was called away
nd to the creeping, crcpuscular inkiness
- of the sky 1t was light, yet not day
he light, but Uue-iight-to coin word ;
nd that wintry hue of livid darkening
tc steel always the precursor to fierce
change in the weather. This only
d. made the long level plains of snow
Is CLEAN with lustre the more dazzling
St and intense. l remarked this, but
IN with momentarily divided and wa
Dd vering sense.
IT. | had never (familiar as we had
ed grown, and was honest as the skin
Il. fact)-I had never said "dear Lota "
lie before, and the words were yet in mine
k ears like sweet old burthen loved
h. her with all my heart and soul but
ed had never told it. yearned to tell
Iic her SO now but thought it scarcely
lg fair-not up to the mark of my man
Ell hood-to take what seemed an unfair
nd advantage OF the protection | was
ad supposed to extend over her | mag
at unanimously resolved to wait-choking
yet down the words-but not for long.
nd, Meantime Crack, crack !" went
ng the long whip, and still 'cling-cling'
he went the Ginning bells, and the horses
nd held ON with unabated pace and splen
5 did vigor, but-where had Windy
ne gap" gone to all this time for time
he was up and we should be there by
III this time.
Goodness !" exclaimed Lota, al
3D. at once, how strange the sky looks
we shall have more snow-a heav.
cr- fall, too"
by II fear So" replied, "but, n'in,pOrtt
he we'll soon be out of it."
in ave are very long going, I fancy.
On she continued, reflectivcly you hav'
air driven there quicker than this before
,or o, Heaven !" she cried with the sud
am denness of revelation, "can we hav'
ay lost the haek?"
we The blank question harped with
zen horrible jar on my most vivid nerves
.ts- Now or never was the time to be quit
or cool
ng- "No, l think not" Ireplied with as
s." sumed carelcssness we shall come I
ion our landmark presently"
an A clump OF tirs--an old mill fu
nd ther on" she added, recollcct bu
md we should have passed them long CT
this. Oh, fear we are lost !"
my A cold chill seized me as | tacitl
admitted that she was in the right.
,st- could not account for my error, II sue
lgs was the case. Hooked round the hor