The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1862-09-17

up their minds; while occupying the
bridesmaids station in the rear, was an
open. mouthed cluster of wondering juve-
niles, the offspring of the bride and bride
groom, who had long been legally, as they
were DOW religiously married.
The young peoples turn was next; and
despite the struggles of the little ones,
and the boisterous laughter of their elders,
they were all duly chrlstened, and then
led away by their newly welded parents,
amid hurricane of congratulations and
cheers, which lasted until they had driven
off 10 the two trains awaiting then.
Then came the wedding Of our own fair
bride. and she seemed almost sc2red TO
find how solemn were the words which
bound her TO share the burdens as we'll
as Joys of her bridegroom; but she had
always meant to do so and taking heart
of grace, she smiled happily as he handed
her into my sleigh for the return journey.
Again we swept through the bush with
laugh and Jest, and in the intervals my
servant Antoine sang jublIant bridal
paans. and troled old ballads of love and
marriage enough to have turned Hymen-
ward a whole community. But after a
time there was none but the newly wed
ded aud myself to listen for my high bred
horses, fresh as when we started, had far
outsped the heavy steeds of the other
travellers, and were running them out of
sight and hearing.
LET us go by the lake-shore," cried
the bridegroom; then you'll see :he 'tuul-
ble,' and we will be home yet before
they are"
The idea was highly approved by the
new made wife, and as | was somewhat
weary myself of the monotony Of the
woods, | readily agreed. Between US
and the shore was winding gully filled
with frozen snow. which soon brought us
to the broad belt of ice bordering the
land. Beyond was the lake, which, so
far as we could see, stretched vast ex-
paDse of blue, refreshing to the eye
wearied by the universal whiteness, and
troubled by a recent gale, it heaved and
rolled in the heavy swells, whose very
action was cheering amid the deadly still
ness Meanwhile we BOWED merrllY on
over the wavy ice, which flashed and
sparkled IN a thousand binding and gor'
geous rays beucath our horses feet; while
on our left the land rose into lofty prom
ontories, crowned with battlements Of
snow, or swept back into deep bays bor-
dered with pine forests, or with vast ex-
panses of dreary swamp, where the loon
made her nest among the mess, and the
water-snake lprked beneath the rushes.
At length a deep reverberation an
nounced the tumble-a succession OF
foaming cascGd des, by which the waters of
a lofty river found their way into the lake,
and whose picturesque beauty was en-
HANGED by the long lines Of glittering
icicles which fringed the overhanging
rocks, and the glacier-ike cone of ice the
spray had raised before it. This duly
admired, we pressed on, fer the short day
was drawing to close, and just as the
sun sank behind the pine crest Of dis
tant headland, we came to a wide estuary,
whose further point 1t formed. Beyond
was the farm. ana we urged the horses
to swifter pace, for with the suns 'dcpar-
ture came a great access of cold.
The estuary, some eight miles wide,
stretched deep into the land, and to save
time, We drove straight across the vast
sheet of ice which bridged it. Night fell
as we proceeded, out though the moon
had not yet risen, the misty reflection OF
the snow lighted US on our way, and ahead
was the promontory, showing darkiy
against the starlt sky. We had about
reached the centre of the bay, when a
sudden report, like discharge Of artll-
lery, filed the air, and rolling back over
the ice, was repeated by the thousand
echoes of the wilds. 1t was the unmls-
taxable sound of cracking ice; and with
out word, | put the horses to their speed.
The next moment, yet louder ard
pharper concusslon broke on the silence,
quickly followed by third which sounded
as if it rent the ice asunder.
At once, the truth flashed upon US
As often happens, the heavy swell of that
great inland sea was breaking up tie
solid ice; and so far from land, among
the shattering fragments, We were in
position of the utmost peril, in which our
only resource was flight; and again |
urged on our bounding steeds. Mean
while, my companions peered eagerly into
the dimness. seeking to discover where
the danger lay. but the silvery haze baf-
fed them, aud we could ouIy speed on
blindly.
At length, our horses stopped, and
looking before them, we perceived dark
belt of heaving water. The crack was
across our path, and the chasm was too
broad for nnr horses to lean: all left US.