East Saginaw courier., 1864-03-02
A NIGHTIN A sNowDRIFT.

the incidents Of my story win supply
one. ~ .f4-s DA s'"i
Several years ago-neycr mind how
many-I was in America, employed
in surveying, prior to the construction
Of one Of those vast lines Of railway
which are now found of as great util-
ity for warfare, as they were then in
tended for peaceful traffic. ''4e.I
Il had gone out from England with
very few pounds in my pocket, but
with a good education, and, / may
say with some ability. ~ si5 .iol
/ entered into my work and found
it highly .renumerative. 'a4edA
Although / highly enjoyed the oc-
cupation, aud the many rough and ro-
mantle incidents inseparablo from it,
/ could never asimilate myself with
the American character; and, as /
was the only Englishman on that
part of the line, my loneliness was ex-
treme-relieved, indeed occasionally
by violent quarrels with men who
sneered at the ssullSy Britisher."
One day in the depth Of as severe
a winter as / ever experienced, had
to take a long journey, the greater
part by rail-then only q single line.
At the wretched shed dignifed by the
name of 'station" somewhat curious
party attracted my attention.
They were four.
An old and apparently totally par
alyzed gentleman, SO swathed in
shawls, comforters, fur cap and buff
falo robe, that only small strip of
his face was visible, and that was OF a
death like hue.
A young lady, thiclsly vailed, appa-
rently not the daughter of the invalid;
for sho eoen, "a TO ovord looking at or
approaching him, as he half sat, half
lay, propped up by boxes and bags in
a corner Of the one bench.
Two sallow, evil-looking mon com
pletel the number. They were
dressed in q much inferior manner to
tho others, but evidently had charge
of both invalid aud lady.
/ got. into the same car with this
strange party; anything a little out
of the commInon being acceptable to
me.
Whether / coull have done so
could I have foreseen the tragic ter
minatioh of our journey ! can not tell.
The snow was lying very deep on
the ground, and occasionally, where a
drift had formed across the limo, we
had much to do to force our way
through il.
i was tho ouly occupant OF the cal
besides the party / have described,
ond amused mysolf by specializing on
the connnetinr links between sneh .
strange qunrtctta.
The lady was lady evidently
Though l had not caught q glimpse
of her face-as she had not onco lifted
the heavy vail she wore-yct every
fold of her dress, every movement Of
her figure, showed refinement.
Wo had been plodding along at a
miserable rate for many hours, the
snow becoming thicker and thicker.
TO look out Of tho windows were
useless; for tho ground was snow, and
the air seemed to be snow, 50 thiclxly
was it falling.
What colld I do but watch my
companions
/ had forgotten to say that in the
early part Of the journey / had made
some casual remarks to the two mon
about the entire helpless state of thcir
charge; but / received such a short
answer, accompanied by such an evil
look, that l resolved to hold my
tongue for the remainder Of the jour
ney.
Tho young lady, whom I spoke TO
the men, gave quick sort Of half
turn toward me, as she would have
spoken; but was instantly checked by
one of the men desiring her, in a
rough and porcmptory manner to
change her seat.
Still dragging along-and more
snow, moro snow.
| The mon having refreshed them
selves several times from spirit
flask, took bottle and spoon, and
prepared to feed tho paralyzed gentle
man.
i could not sec what they gavc him,
or whether he ate !. for tho men care
fully placed themselves and the young
lady between the sick man and me. /;
should here say that tho young
lady had absolutely refused to taks
any food whatever, though several
times pressed by the men.
They werc bending over tho invalid;
the young lady, BY their direction,
also standing, with her side face to-
ward me, -
With quick and silent movement
she raises her vail, and looks for an
instant with q Questioning, agonizing
glance in my face.
She must have seen honest pity
there; for. slightly leaning towards
me, paid as death, she formed word
with her lips-but without sounding
it--pointing to the men; then lowered
her veil again.
Although the whole had taken
place in a second or two, the men had
observed some movemet and turned
tiercely to her, looking like devils at
both. Of us.
j, however, was already sitting with
folded arms, and eyes half Shut as if
sleepy, not SO sleepy, though, but |
had caught a. moments view of that
strip of face ] had seen at the station
That second look satisfied mo of
what ] had doubted---the word
dumbly spoken by the young lady
the word was "nrdcr Z" ~ ''a
sat still and thought
"Here j am with a couple Of MUIR
derers probably armed -their vic
tim apparently the father of that lovely