The River Falls journal. (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1857-1861, 1860-03-07

it. | was q member of the "Tandem
Club" and considered a crack hand, of
course. l exulted in my skill now, as l
bore my rosy companion through the air,
and the whip went crack, crack, like a
double-barrslled gun going off, and the
sweet bells sang and ehimed. ooh, sweet
echoes of far distant wedding bels.' l
thought-and the crisp snow was split
and scattered into diamonds under the
grinding of the hoofs and the attrition of
the runners; and with an exhiliaration
could not repress, gave vigorous "Hur-
rah," which conveyed itselfto Lota, wrap
ped up in moose aud bear skins, and as
warm as toast. A sweet girlish laugh,
unsteady echoed my exulting, merry
shout.
'You seem to enjoy this, Mr.. Hard
ing!' she said.
IF don't--crack, crack =, filled up
the hiatus. What pair of beauties -
Phoebus, Apollo never drove their like
down the sleeps of heaven. The willy
Ithacan never raised" such cattle when
be cleared the stables of Rhesus of his
horses. Crack, crack and the horses
neigh and toss their arching nccks, and
the bells ars Ginning and tinklng, and
the mad, exulting rush uplifts one Ike
wine
remark, to myself, that the sky has
! deepened into an intense, still, uDearthly
tcnebrous inkiness. betokening coming
snow st rm. No matter-Windy gap is
I right ahead, and the welcome lights will
blaze out Of the window soon, for the af-
ternoon is wearing.
On we go--but l do not see them yet;
and-butno, its ri. right.
Are you warm, quite snug, dear Lota
said |, half turning to look at the rosy,
exquisite face peeping forth with so
much furtive coquetry from this encorde-
meat ofcosy fars.
80, so comfortable" she answered,
wjtha ho8tlilg o:cmout, and a smile
which made my heart leap joyousIy up
ward.
Bat my attention was called away to
the creeping, crepuscuar inkiness OF the
sky. 1t was light, yet not daylight, but
Uaelight; that wintry hue of iyid dark
ening steel, always precursor to q fierce
change in the weather This only made
the long level plains of snow CLEAN with
a lustcr tie more dazzling and intense
I remarked this, but with a momcntariIy
divided an wavering sense.
had never, familiar as we had grown,
said ''dear Lota," before, and the words
were yet in my ears like sweet old bur
then, l loved her with all my heart and
soul, but had never told it. | yearncd
to tell her so now but thought it scarce
~ fair-not up to the mark Of my man
hood-to take what seemed an unfair adj
vantage of the protection | was supposed
to extend over her. l magnanimously
resolved to wait, choking down the words,
but not for long.
Meantime, Crack, crack" when the
long whip, and still 'cIing-cling' went
the Ginning bells, and the horses held
on with undated pace and splendid Wig
or, but-aOAere had Windy gap gone to
all this time! for time was up and we
should be there by this time.
Goodness exclaimed Lota, all at
once, how strange the sky looks; we shall
have more snow-a heavy fall, too
Il fear So replied, 'but, n'importe,
we'll soon be out of it,
We are very long going, l fancy she
continued, reflcctively; you have driven
there quicker than this before. o,
Heaven she cried with the suddenness
of revelation, can we have lost the track@
The blank question harped with hor-
rible jar on my most vivid nerves. Now
or never was was the time to be quite
cool.
No, l think not l replied with assuln-
ed carelessness; I'VE shall come to our
landmark presently
"A clump of firs-an old mill further
on she added, i recolect: but we should
have passed them long ere this. Oh,
fear we are lostr
A cold chill seized me as | tacitly adj
mitted that she was in the right. l could
not account for my error, if such was the
case. | looked round the horizon, but
beheld no friendly sign; it was only a
circle growing closer and gathering dark
er all the while.
Suddenly my brave deer hound lifted
up his head and gave low growl. The
horses gave startled swerve just as sud
denly. A strange, lugubrious, but apall-