The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1864-12-16

BIDDEFoRD, ME-, FRIDAY MORNING, DEC 16, 1864.

caused profuse perspiration to start tortn
upon his bosom and brow in spite Of the bit.
ter cold. He, however. was utterly uncon-
sious Of this, and felt neither cold, nor heat.
nor fatigue. His whole FOUL was possessed
with the one fixed resolve OF overtsking the
phantom; he neither saw nor heard any ything
else but the aeeing form and the echoes that
rolled along the glib leo from the skate
strokes nor did he relax his speed for an In.
stant. whether in shade or In moonshIne, nor
give other heed to his course than to make It
as straight and swift as that Of an arrow
launched by stout archer from M ashen
bow!
The chase had now entered on its third
mile, and hero the river became tortuous and
irregular. q sharp curve spreading out into a
broad, bay.l,ke exp,nse, and rs suddenly clos.
ing up again into a deep, dark gorge. only to
carve out It's banks again, u few yards further
on, into another brief space Of clear moon
light and calm water.
Whenever these open spaces occurred. the
phantom hugsed the shore, which was al.
ways in partial shadow, while Jack held
straight across the open space, hoping there.
by to gain upon the fugitive by substituting
the straight line for tho curve. The advan.
tage. however, had been but slight and tran.
sient 20 far, and the race bade fair to carry
them both to the sea, which was hut twenty
miles further down, when. as Jack Phillips
entered the third Of the openings above do.
scrib;d. lie beheld (for his eye wac ever stead
ily fixed in quest Of the phanton), with u
grim delight. the form scarcely two.thirds oil
the distance around It's margin, and evidently
gliding with diminished speed. The pace
had ut last begun to tell upon it.
Jacks heart bounded 6ercely, for he was
possessed with q kind OF rage against this
weird skater, who had thus far Ioiled his
powers of speed and endurance, and, with q
desperate effort, he shot. almost with the
speed Of light, straight out across the moon
lit space, feeling confident that he should
head the phantom of in the mouth Of the
opposite gorge llis eyes were It'll fixed up
on the dark form s,en indistinctly skimmns
along under the shadow Jf the further bank.
He was more than halt way across tho open
In. and nearly abreast of tho figure, when
there was sudden crash. lie felt the Ice
givc way beneath him. and in an instant he
WAS plunged into the deadly cold water with
a shock that caused him to utter wild,
sharp shrek OF mingled terror and pain ere
his head sunk beneath the bubbling surface {!
Fortunately, the river was not very deep
at this point nor was tho current at all rap.
id, and in another moment Jack was Strng.
Cling manfully among the broken ice to reach
the tirm edge of the sir.hole. But encum
bcred as he was BY his skates and his heavy
clothing, and nearly paralyzed by the intense
cold OF the water. II is more than doubtful
whether hs would have succeeded In rescu.
ing himself from horrible death. Help,
however. was near at hand! The phantom
had heard the shrek and sgen Jack disappear
and, swift US swallows fight, 1t had sped
to the rescue. On the very edge Of the air
hole it halted, and rapidly tearing of long
cashmere scarf. with which its throat and
shoulders were protected, planted its skates
firmly athwnrtwise TN the Ice. and flung the
end of tho scarf. with skillul aim, right in.
to Jacks face. crying at the samo time. In q
clear. sweet voice
"Hold hard, Jack, and never fear Now
for IT,"
That voice gave Jack new life. A sudden
glow seemed to gather round his heart. and
10 start tho warm blood airesh through all
his stifF-ning frame. Hc caught the scarf in
his teeth and then, grasping 1t with his left
hand. was enabled without great strain upon
his rescuer's strength. to climb upon the sol
ia ice, hoar.sly circulating. "God bless you,
Fanny" and instantly lost consciousness.
There was not moment to lose. Assist.
ance must be had at once, or Jack had only
been saved from one death to succumb to an.
other almost as speedy. Thcre stood small
cottage on the shore Of tho stream. iphabit-
ed hy the ferryman. Tc this cottage Fanny
Ieyton, brave and devoted girl, and no Ion.
ger the provoking phantom, dew rather than
skated. A few heavy blows with large
stone soon awoks the inmates, ten hurried
words told tho tale, and In u. few minutes
Jack Phillips was stripped, wrapped in blank.
cts and laid on mattress before blazing
are, while Rnoch, the erryman. concocted
powcrfuLhot gin toddy, his panncea against
all aes ly Ills, for his slowly reviSing guest.
Fanny Layton, having sent Enoch BY land
to her own house with news Of tho affair.
hcroically rebuoklcd on her skates and start
ed as swiftly Nc ever up the river to bear the
tidings to Mrs. Phillips and Kate. In mn
hou, Jack was as well US ever, apparently.
and ,ouk u second toddy with deched relish.
and in less than two hours later. Mrs. Phil.
lips's carriage, with Kate and all sorts Of
remedies and clothing within. drove up to
the ferryman's door. and carried Jack homo.
The next morning. however, Jank was not
80 we'll. He had high fever, and every
limb seemed 10 burn and throb, ~ IL with
acute rheumatism. About nine O'Clock came
Fanny, with anxious inquiries about his
health and before she left Kate. with whom
she wis In close cunfab for AN hour. she wrote
a fsw lines with her pencil which she desired
might be given to Jack us soon as she was
gone. D. ...o4
: Az nv friend would never show me the
note nor communicates the contents, lam un.
able to give them to the reader. But that
they were emincntly agreeable / feel cond.
dent, for 40 soon a. Jack recovered, which
was in vory lew days, he called ut tho Ley.
ton mansion. and continued to repeat his vie.
It's d,ily for the next month. at the end OF
which perio0.hs announced t' me. and to the
rest Of man kind who cared TO know Il, that
he was engaged to Miss Fanny Layton.
They have been married moro than year.
and happier couple never desire to ses.
They still 20 skating now and then. bnth by
day and BY night. when there ID moon:
but always together. and 90 they are surc
never to bs bstrsyed into danger by the fan.
tastic chase Of Phantom Skater!
~ Tho blsst-furnsce slsg is nov verf
neatly disposed Of. BY applying blast 0
air, or q jet Of steam. to the alag ~ Il runs
from the smelling furnace in q melted state.