Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1867-01-17

! W scNcH IuS ll5ilJ 80 tuaL L1lS SldllOi
was at least twenty miles long.
nj decided to take supper while tht
horse was eating his feed They haC
not expected any more travellers a.
the station, and We're not prepared
The keeper had gone on with the two
lumber-merchants I; but his wife "a
friendly, rosy-faced woman-prepar
ed me some excellent coffee, pota
toes, and stewed reindeer-meat, upon
which | made an excellent meal. The
house was on the border Of large
dark forest, and the roar of the icy
northern wind in the trees seemed to
increase while | waited in the warm
room. | did not feel inclined to &c
forth into the wintry storm, but, hav.
ing set my mind on reaching the vii
lage that night, | was 10th to turn
back. sa. -easasg.a .ta '.a
(" 1t is bad night" said the wo.
man, and my husband will certain
ly stay at Umea until morning. His
name is Neils Peterson, and | think
you will find him at the post-house
when you get there. Lars will take
you, and they can come back togeth-
| er."
Who is Lars ?" | asked.
My son." said she. He is getting
the morse ready. There is nobody
else about the house tonight" -
Just then the door opened, and in
came Lars He was about twelve
years old but his face was so rosy,
his eyes so clear and round and blue,
and his golden hair was blown back
from his face in such silky curls, that
he appeared to be even younger. l
was surprised that his mother should
be willing to send him twenty miles
through the dark woods on such a
night. a- -at.Ha ... ..r 5....a
Come here, Lars" | said. Then
took him by the hand, and asked,
Are you not afraid to go so far to-
night ?"
He looked at me with wondering
eyes, and smiled and his mother
made haste to say You need have
no fear, sir. Lars is young but he'll
take you safe enough. If the storm
don't get worse, you'll be at Umea by
eleven o'clock" r g~s a.f . -
| was again Ola the point of re-
naming but while | was deliberat-
ing with myself, the boy had put on
his overcoat of sheep skin, tied the
lappets of his fur cap under his chin,
and a thick woollen scarf around his
nose and mouth, so that only the
round blue eyes were visible and
then his mother took down the nit
tens of hare's fur from the stove,
where they had been hung to dry. He
put them on, took a short leather
whip and was ready. .-. ......-
l wrapped myself in my furs, and
we went out together The driving
snow cut me in the face like needles,
but Lars did dot mind it in the least.
He jumped into the sled, which he
had filled with fresh, soft hay, tucked
In the reindeer-skins at the sides, and
VIC cuddlcd together ON the narrow
seat, making everything close and
warm before we set out | could not
see at all, when the door Of the house
was shut, and the horse started on
the journey. The night was dark,
the snow blew necessarily, and the
dark fr-trees roared all around U.S.
Lars, however, knew the way, and
somehow or other We kept the beat
en- track. He talked TO the horse SO
constantly and so cheerfully, that
after a while my own spirits began
to rise, and the way seemed neither
SO long nor SO disagreeable.
Ho, there, Axel !" he would say.
" Keep the road,-not too far to the
left. Well done. Here's a level now
trot a bit" a ra-. aHr. I'D. ..
SO we went on,--sometimes up hill,
sometimes down hill, for long time,
as it seemed. began to grow chilly,
AMI even Lars handed me the reins,
while he swung and beat his arms to
keep the blood in circulation. He no
longer sang little songs and frag
ments OF hymns, as when we first set
ont but he was not III the least
alarmed, or even impatient When
ever asked Gas did about every
FIVE minutes) J, "Are we nearly there?"
he always answered, "A little far
ther." .........-.... .....r.-
Suddenly the wind seemed to in
crease BANS -..
."Ah," said he, "now know where
we are it's one mile more" But
one mile, you must remember, meant
seUe1l .-.-.-..r g-
Lars checked the horse, and peered
anxiously from side to side in the
darkness. | looked also but could
see nothing. ars- t.. lsE.. g.sgsa
What is the matter ?" ! finally
asked. r.5 ~.
'"We have got past the hills on
the left,n he said 1.-The country is
open to the wind, and here the snow
drifts worse than anywhere else ON
tnt road, if there have been no ploughs
out to night we'll have trouble"
You must know that the farmers
along the road are obliged to turn
out with their horses and oxen, and
plough down the drifts, whenever
the road is blocked up by storm.
In less than a quarter of an hour
we could see that the horse was sink
ing in the deep snow. He plunged
bravely forward, but made scarcely
any headway, and presently became
so exhausted that he stood quite still
Lars and | arose from the seat and
looked around. For my part, 1 saw
| nothing except some very indistinct
shapes of trees !; there was no sign
| Of an opening through them. In a
few minutes the horse started again,