Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1860-03-15
From "Opce Week. u
A Night ON the Ice.


A Night ON the Ice.
Shortly after my arrival in Canada Sc
we're accident, received on shooting expe-
dltion, caused to be placed for q time un-
der the hospital roof of the stipendiary
magistrate of Tircouga, one of the prospec-
tive cities of the far west; and during the
severe illness that followed, I could not
have received more kindness had been in
my own home. When l left the woods,
the tints of autumn were flushing them
with crimson and orange, as if their leaves
had suddenly burst into blossoms; but l
looked on them again, their glories had all
vanished beneath the stern sway of the
northern winter, with its train of biting
frosts and deep SHOWS, while the broad
winding Ticouga river, which l had last
seen SO blue and wavy, was now hushed
and settled by the universal ice-fetter.
To me, but recently arrived from Eng
land, it seemed strange how, amid SO wild
a solitude, this advent of six or seven
months winter could be welcomed rs l
saw it, by those around me. did not
yet know that winter was the only season
when the bonds of their isolation was
loosened, nor that the show was the magi-
clan smoothing the difficulties of social
intercourse in a district where neighbors
dwelt miles apart, and the roads between
them mere lanes cut through the primeval
forest, and abounding in holes and. ruts,
and stumps of trees.
As soon as was sufficiently recovered,
| was the companion of Mr.. Norton and
his daughters in all these exchanges of
courtesy and if l cared little for the visit
ing, greatly enjoyed the drives in the
swiftly gliding sleigh over the cleaning
snow; while, instead of leaves, the trees
above our heads were hung with icicles,
sparkling and flashing in the sunshine like
the ruby and emerald fruit and foliage of
eastern story, and the long rhyihmical
chimes of our sleigh-bells, echoing through
the arches of the trees, were the only
sounds, save our own laughter, that broke
the silence of those ancient woods.
We went TO merry-makings, too-real
back woods '.frolcs" s"-held in rude barns,
whose decorations were essentially rustic,
but the warmth of the hospitality COM
pensated for every deficiency the friend of
a guest was kindly welcomed, the passing
traveller was pressed to stay, and the wan
dering merchant, with his stores of fnery
and news, was received with delight, espe-
cially by the fair sex. Then the home
coming was almost as merry; The long
strings of sleighs, with their bells sounding
cheerfully through the midnight woods,
and the joyous leave-takings of the occu-
pants as each went his separate way.
On one occasion we had been to one of
these festivities, some six or seven miles
beyond the Tircouga, and were returning
home in two light one-horse sleighs, the
first containing Mr.. Norton and bis elder
daughter, the second her sister and myself.
The night was calm and beautiful in its
dim snow-light, and the red glow f the
northern streamers above our heads flashed
and leaped and quivered in thousand
brilliant corruscations; while strangely and
sweetly through the gray old woods sound
ed the clear girlish voices of the sisters,
as from the different sleighs they sang in
alternate stanzas one Of The quaint old bal
lads of the middle ages.
At length we reached the banks of the
Tircouaga, which lay between us and our
home, mirror of ice, and we at once
commenced its passage. As we swept
quickly on, it seemed to me that some 9th
er sound mingled with the firm foot falls
Of the horses and the chime of their bells
"a low, threatening murmur like the echo
of distant tempest. But Mr.. Norton
drove gaily on, as if he either heard it not
or thought nothing of it, and dismissed
it from my mind, until, as we drew near
the bank of the river, dark spots, like cloud
shadows, began to flock its cleaning sur
face.
The next instant one appeared right on
Mr.. Norton's path, and too close for him
to avoid. With long leap the horse
bounded over it, and as the sleigh was
drawn quickly after, there was splash,
that told it had struck against water l
could see Mr.. Norton spring hurriedly up.
"Back back for your lives!" he cried
to US, "the ice is breaking up!"
turned to follow bis directions, but it
was too late-two or three such spots lay
between us and the bank. / looked around;
they were rapidly appearing on every side;
and then | remembered TO have heard that
the ice of the Tircouaga, like that of sew
eral other Canadadian rivers, was treach-
erous, in consequence of hot springs in the
bed Of the river, which at times burst forth;
and that, particularly in the early part of
the winter, tine morning would see the riv-
er covered with ice, of which, before even
ing, not trace would remain.
Perceiving how matters were, Mr.. Nor
ton babe US follow him, and quickly, for
that not moment was to be lost; and
then dashed off at rapid pace for the op-
posite bank, leaping the chasms, and speed
ing lightly on over the frozen portions, as
if he hoped by swiftness to diminish the
danger; apd with the same breathless
speed We hastened in his rear.
Meanwhile, larger and more numerous
grew those dork-blu spaces, and longer
and more frequent our no ses' leaps. At
length there came cbasm mine could not
venture. l looked eagerly around for
some more favorable spot; but as my eye
glanced onward, it fell on constantly widen
ing water, until it had gone the circuit;