Buchanan County bulletin and guardian. (Independence, Iowa) 1866-1869, 1867-01-15
ON TIIE ICE.

4 DcHsFe LHg'ife NJutl nave ititFtI VI w"
heavens fell; he had kept ne by his side all
the afternoon with he con.ltuai plea, 4" j. as,
try this once more, Eloise,' unIil | almos,
forgot To be we,ry-a blis=tul iurgeitulurss,
but then a most prosaic reaction luoined
darkiy up in the distance. lhefeiure | WAS
quite grateful when Joe Baker came mp wi;h
the question :. ANY news, Eugene r ,A0n.h
| knew il was asked more to vex the absorb
ed pianist than from any curiosity on the
part Of the speaker. But for ouee Eugene
allowed himself TO be interrupted without re
war4ing the unfortunate of uaer with y
froWn. lie even smiled as lie saii =. News
yes any amount Of u. The most important
being Iha; tie "povers ,lat be have or
dained a skaiing party, tonight. Let me
advise you 10 secure Miss Layton's hand be-
fore it is too late
THANK YOU, III az, on your suggestion
at once, and let me requite il by observing
that Miss El1ise. vour indispensable CRITIC.
Judge aud jury, locks aweary. a@eary,' . ay
le; the poor ,G.id rest" Then Alice auc joe
dashed of il pnrsu.t-of TIE litle ii e eyed
hgare tha, had jus disappeared in lie door
way, while Eugene looked itto my face iali
iHqu.ringly, SAYING al inst, = l'.n sure you re
not fired. Eloise p III a tone, which set med
10 imply tli.t he woald consider It pess u
al insult II admitted that | was. 50 said
No" and tired - say It eheerfully, but he
looked dissatisfied. WHY. if you really arr
tired land lie half arose from the siooll
"we viii consider our ner.oraanta at an
end, uf'--IIiuterrupte1 him eagerly, " as
sure you, Eugene, am not very tired let
Is try this anihem once more We tried it
az in and again, Eugene iuterrupting him
self every now and then to exelaim. Don't
let your voice drag so on that solo Eloise;
Stag i Ike this = aud his grand voice all
ways arose clear and strOug, seeming 10
catch inspiration from the words. While I,
mortified by repeated failures. invariably
tumblcd and made hall requiem of what
should have iten jubilee. L g@tie flung
lhe music from him ~ hast. !" Yoa ll;le
WITCH he said laughiegly, von are almost
asleep, OF else you are trying ,e stag bailS
SO to get me 10 20 skating Skating. the
very name hal is chasrn. /" O. Eageue. do
go skating; il you .!oa'i, l'llask Walter S..ue
~ take n,e
" Horrible. Nothing more is wanted to
drag me out; drum up tie res; Of our forces
and We Il start al once.'
There were jus. EN- uf us tha, poured farth
from the open door of the old farmhouse an
hour later, fully equipped ter The eAhilera-
iing and healiLid exercise. We we're 50
wild aud noisy ii our mgih, even The s,aid
Eugene forgetting his dignity for the nonce,
tina, We scarcely heard Mrs. W.llrtw's re,
peated so'ic iaIion, a. Vow 30 be careful. Il
OF yoG yoa know it las been quite warm f,r
raaiber of days and tie lie mas; be get
ting unsafe"
She caught Eugene's attention at last,
9" Oi course We shall be III, mother.
D. nj worry how ooald any one b. unsafe
with me, looking so riiicnlogSiy patriarch-
al as be spoke, sha: al laughed extelt
Ms. ~iidre@. Eagene, she said g,ave.
is, yoa must remember that Weston
Creek has been riziug Tor ever..l DAYS, ana
i may overflow or tear away the lev, at any
minute, aud then God help those Who are on
the river. | was not afraid, in spite of her
dOleiul predictions, but her dear Old face
looked 50 white and anxious that | whisper
ed 10 Eugene, e Perhaps We had better not
20. foGr mother, he interrupted me quick-
ly, 20 you little coward. WHY. th Sc hor
rible coljec,ures that we have Just been
treated to, are ogly TIE oEshoo,s Of muther's
excited imagination, | assure you. E'oise.
the ice IS as safe as this floor Tell vosr
mother So, then, she IS SO anxious So he
told her al extrayasant amount, of hosh, in
dGcins her 10 admit ut last ttat her fears
we're without the least foundation. and thea
.oat ior the fields of g'iite.ing ice
Where the skater merry go,'
we started at last. | thii.k never eninyed
ANYTHING so intensely as did tie firs, huar
OF that reckless skating, for Of course we bad
left OR caution hehi,.d Us. Eagene and
were standing a lille apart from til. rest. al.
m.riag tie e.et. Of the ohill winter inaon>
light on the snow covered crust q. Bempmts
Ledge when onr attention was attracted by
a load shou, from Joe Baker. Hear. hear.
my irieads." cried tha, dramatic youth, ".e,'>
res I've ourselves into cur nstise-ahem-
elements, ,-couples, and race up To Wesinh's
Levee." The scheme was "a mad one for
halt way up to that point this broad shining
sheet Of water narrowed suddenly, aud the
ice never formed so thiohly over the deep
swift csrrent but what we coali hear the
huarse iaurmur ., the waters nuter our feet.
Onee N the narrow pass, To regain the bank
without passing the entire distance, or relra
ciug our steps, would be impossible. for the
rocky banks. o. ether 81 ie. arose = lm,,sf reF-
per dicularly for many feet and ii addition
- this the ice al the edges was ALWAYS thin.
nrr than III the middle, and that VAS thin
enough. All this flashed through my mind
an Instant. ami did no, Join in the loud
hurrahs which Joe's proposal elected; to my
surprise Eusen. was also silent. Nhca the
enthusiasm had some hat ahatei, lie stopped
and whispered, !, Is best for IS not 10 take
utter lesve Of our senses under any eireunl-
sianfe es; this vii he a hazardous business.
Shall We go?' The dark glowing eyes look
ing steadily into mine, the proud face look.
ing rreuaer and paler than ever in the still
moonlight, seemed 10 saw, IL shal. lie as
y0a saw, even II death awaits us ia the dis
lance" ! shid Me- hurredlv. aud un-
guarded'y said il aloud. Joe B ker skating
up with Alice on his arm, caught my answer
No! no What? Is sle T. asiHg YOU no; 10
go. Eugene he cried. looking quite sian-
ished. Eugene looked annoved. No. Mr..
Baker be said, eoldly "oa the contrary
we are quite agreed on the subject.
"Indeed, Pray NAV common sinner be
permitted to ask voar lordship the nature Of
your agreement ?"
"Cer,aiuly. tbs plan is fae!shly hazari-
Gus, and we will 20, join it, and drawing
nv hand under his arm. Encene turned and
We were ska,ing slowly away, but Joe follow
cd persisiently.
.Now, Eugene, this is too bad. They'll
all bsck out if won don't GO"
al am glad fit. shall feel that have
kept item from rushing iu.o grca; dan
SER"