Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1864-02-11
THE EVENING STAR.
4 HIsHT IN A sHowDRIrr,
From Once aWeek. !

Ssntioping names, dates or piacss. need not
asssgn reason the incidents Of my story Will
Some years ago-never mind how mauy-I
was IN America, employed In surveying, prior
Of oi a az hnss Of
HOT waIhke. as they were then intended for
peaceful traffic.
i had gone ont from England with very few
ponds in my pocket, but with good education,
and, may say, with some ability.
entered heartily into my work, and found it
Although thoroughly enjoyed the occupa-
noe, AM The many rough and sometimes romano
really a.ssmiiase msss,f WITH the american
snaracter and, as was the only Engiisnman
On , that part Of the line, my loneliness was ex-
quarrels with men who sneered at the {, sulky
Britisher
One day in the depth OF as severe a w,ntar O..
ever experienced, had to take q long iournev
The greater part by rail-then only sinrle line
At the wretched shed dignifled with the name
ed my attention.
They were four.
,,a An old and apparently totally paralysed gem
cap, and buffalo robe, that only q small strip of
his face was visible, and that was OF q death
A young lady, thickly yelled, apparently not
the aan ghter OF the invalid for she seemed to
AVOID looking at or approaching him, as he half
sa,, nal lay, propped up by boxes and bags in
Two sailow, evil-lookirg men compile ted the
number. hey were dressed in much nferior
manner to the others, but evidently had CHARGE
OF both invalid and lady.
got into the same car with the strange party
ANYTHING little out of the common being &C
cept1bie 10 me.
Whether should have done so could have
1oreseen the tragic termination Of our journey (
car not tell.
The snow was lying very deep ON the ground
and occasionally, where q drift had formed
across the line, we had much to do to force our
way through II.
Twas the only occupant OF the car besides tina
party have described u land amused myself BY
specuaating on the connecting lines between
knch strange quartette.
The lady was a lady evidently. Though I
had not caughta glimpse OF her face-as she
had not ONCE lifted the heavy vel she wore
yet every fold of her DRESS every movement OF
her figure, showed refinement
We had been plodding on at a miserable rate
tor many hours. the snow becoming thicker and
To look ont of the windows was useless; for
the ground was snow, and the air seemed to be
snow, SO thickIy was 1T falling.
What could do but watch my compan.
ions I
I had forgotten to say that in the early par.
OF my journey had made some casual remark
TO he two men q bout the entirely hopeless state
OF their charge; but 1 received such a short
answer, accompanied by such an evil look, that
resolved to held my tongue for the remainder
OF The journey $751;
The young lady. when spoke to the men,
gave quick sort of ha..fturn towards me, as
checked by one of the men desiring her, in a
rough and peremptory manner, - change her
sn Sill dragging along-and more snow, more
The men, having refreshed themsel YES sever.
al times from spirit flask, took bottle and |
spoon, aud prepared 10 feed the paralyzed gem
tieman.
1 could not see what they ave him, or whe-
Their he ate Tor the men carefully placed them
selves and the young lady between the sick
man and me
I should here say that the young lady had
he Nf nIHr rofYa coA snl-~
ever, though several times pressed by the
men.
Theywere bending over the in valid; the young
lady, by heir direction, also standing, with her
eide lace towards me.
With a quick and silent movement she
raises her veil, and looks for an instant with
a questioning, agonized glance in nv face
Size mnst have seen honest pity there; for
Tightly leaning towards me- pdllid as death
fht formed a word to her lps-but without
kounding-poipting 10 the men then lowered |
her veil again.
Although the whole had taken place in a sec
end or TWO, the mt II had observe some move
devils at 10th of u.s. |
I,towever, was already sitting with folded
al ms, and eyes nall shut, as if sleepy not SO
sleepy, though, but lhatI caught a moments
vieW OF that stIlp OF face had seen at the sta.
lion.
The second look satisfied ne Of what had
doubted-tne T0rd dumtl y spoken by the young
lady he WoTd was Aarder ~ =.
sat still and thought
10 |
probably aTned-thelr victim apparently the
father OF that lovely girl. Yes-this is the ex-
plaLatlon OF her stunning him at the station,
and in lifting him into the cars. I have nv
revo1Ter-nGt loaded if il were | couldn't
shoot these men down without more proof
against them than soord-only seen not heard
IoIriey tor, OF course, they will say that,
hall d. ad when h. started, he died OF the cold
in The car cars Cold Yss-b,tsrly, pisrcin"'
the heat that it should and - 20 give
tre;! .-'nere is no more
...nourh could not see through the young
-laty'B veil she doubtless could see me through
1t. l nodded slightly to her, and fumbling in the
folds of my cloak, half exposed the barrel Of
my revolver.
The answer was a scarcely perceptible shake
Of the head.
For tie twentieth time we pushing and
battering at a drift this time it must be deep |
one. for we are come to dead atop.
50 j guess must get some wood from that
darned conductor. or we shall be friz,' said one |
of the men, the shorter and least evil. looking
OF the two. |
DO" said I, Z" for 1t is awfully cold, even for
us who are strong; what must it be for your
Invalid charge -
"Oh he won't hurt" replied the man.
Is You shut up, and fetch the woodr' said the
other.
He returned soon, and said the engineer
would II OF let him have a stick; declaring it
was not his business to supply the cars-that
he had barely enough to keep his own fire
up.
On going ont 10 see the state OF affairs for nv.
self, found the drift, in which we were fast
was OF q most formidable size and saw once
that without digging, the engine could not DOS.
sibly force its way through.
l went TO the engineer, whom I knew, and
asked II he would spare US a log or two; but |
even whilst asking saw how useless the re.
quest was-he had more rood
Nine o'clack at night-still snowing-no fire,
no fuel!
Fast buried in a snowdrift, on sin gle line of |
rails-miies away from any house
/ must spend the night with a dead ma and |
his two muruereTs
But the poor gul! How can she bear the
CoIdl
All the m' IL set 10 work vigorously to clear
the line, " hlisG there yet fire enough and
steam enough 10 carry through, !
We were not many miles from our destina- |
ton.
Dig yes - hut who can dig without q !
spade
. Small progress was made; it soon became APP !
parent 10 ali hat we were fast, until o'clock,