The Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1859-1865, 1860-03-01

ed itself to Lota, wrapped up in moose
and bear-sklns, and warm as toast. 4
sweet, girlish laugh echoed my exulting
shout
you appear to enjoy this, Mr.. Har-
ding :" she said.
''If l DON'T" "Crick-crack ~ filed
up the hiatus. What pair Of beauties
Ph9bus Apollo never drove their like
| down the sleeps of heaven The willy
lthican 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 exult-
ing rush uplifts one like wine.
remark, to myself, that the sky has
deepened into an intense, still darkening
blue-darkening with strange, unearth-
ly, tenebious inkiness, betokening q com
ing snow-storm. No matter-sWindy
Gap" is right ahead, and the welcome
lights will blaze out Of the easements soon,
for the afternoon is wearing.
On we go-but | do not see them vet :;
and yet-but nO-it's all right
''Are you warm--quite snug, dear To-
ia - said [, half turning to look at the
rosy, exquisite face peeping forth with so
much furtlve coquetry from its encradem-
e'tt Of white cosy furs.
ooh, so comfortable" she answered
with 4 nesting movement, and a smile
which made my heart leap joyously up
ward
Bat my attention was called away to
the creeping, crepuscular inkiness of the
sky. 1t was light, yet not daylight, but
Glue-hght-to coin word that wintry
hue Of livid darkening steel, always the
precursor to a fierce change in the wealth
e.. This only made the long level plain
Of snow CLEAN with lustre the more
dazzling and intense. | remarked this,
but with momentarily and divided sense
had never (familiar as we had grown,
and | was honest as the skin between
your brows,' as ste was in fact)-I had
never said 'de0r Lota' before. and the
words were yet in mine ears like a sweet
old burthen. l. loved her with all my
heart and soul, but Inever told it, | yearn-
ed to tell her so now; but L thought it
scarcely fair-not up to the mark of my
manhood-to take what seemed an unfair
advantage Of the protection | was supposed
to extend over her. | magnauimouslv re-
solved to withholding down the words
but not long.
Meantime, 'Crick-crack " went the
long whip. and still .clng-c,ang' went
the Ginning bells. and the horses held on
with undated pace and splendid vIgor.
but-lrhere had 'Windy-gap' gone to all
this time for time was up, and we should
be there 10y this
''Goodness " exclaimed Lota, all at once
chow strange the sky looks we shall have
N ore snow-a heavy fall too"
Il fear so" | replied but n n'iinporte.
we'll soon be out of it"
We are very long, l fancy," she CON
tinued, refectively you have driven
there quicker than this before Oh. Hea-
ven.' she cried, with the suddenness of
revelation, ''can we have lost tie tract: p
The blank question harped with hor-
rible jar on my most vivid nerves. Now
or never was the time to be quite cool.
''No, think not, l replied with assumed
carelessncss; 1--WE shall come to our land
mark presently"
\ clump of frs-an old mill farther
on yes" she added, Il rccollect; but we
should have passed them long ere this
Oh, | fear we are lostn'
A cold chill seized me as [ tacitly ad-
mitted that she was in the right [ could
not account for my error, if such was the
case. | looked round the horizon, but
beheld no friendly sign; it was only cir
Gle gathering closer, and growing darker
the while.
Suddenly my brave deer-hound lifted
up his head, and uttered a low growl.-
The horses gave a startled swerve just as
suddenly. A strange, lugubrious, but ap-
palling sound came all at once from wind
ward, wailing like death-cry--a prolonged,
awful, groaning gdiscordance-over the white
cleaning snow and then it died away.
The horses halted, trembling; only the
shivering tinkle of the bells broke the
death silence that fell, like an eclipse over
all
"What is hat?" asked Lota, in a shud-
dering whisper, as she clutehed my arm.
| listened. at is the wind signing and
dying away in the pine forest" answered
"And We do not go near the forest" she
said. clark there tits again. Oh, what
-whot can it be-"
Again the indescribably hideous and lu-
gubrious sound broke forth, clearer-near-
er. 1t increased; it multiplied; the hor-
rible crescendo, bowling, shrieking, and IA
wing, was NOT that of the wind this time.
"Merciful God"' gasped Lota; "The
Wolves"'