The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-04-25

there had Deen no wind in the late frost), like /
natures iretted Gothic, against the clear sky. /
Here and there the fr-trees bent their |
branches to the ice, weighted with the undis- |
turbed snow, and the iccles hung pendant |
from the picturesque old boat house nearly in
the form and size of stalactites. All was lit
up by the blaze of pine-wood torches: and if
the furs and bright-colored ribbons and vel
vets OF the ladies' OF the house threw a warm
and cheerful glow over the lake, as thev elided
smoothly along on their skates, the farmers,
daughters and the peasant girls, with their
bright red petticoats, helped the ami
nation of the scene, as they spread
themselves about in groups with their
companions. The sharp night air was
cut by their cheerful voices, and the business
of the scene and the warmth of the welcome
had obliterated the recollection that there were
ten degrees of frost in the air.
"In the midst of life" no, rather let me
say, ''No man, fortunately, knows how closely
allied are our happiest moments to great
calamity" few even suspect it, Cows must
be watered, even in a frost, and to the detri-
ment of good ice; and for this purpose on the
further side of the lake, and in one of its most
beautiful spots, overhung by the crystallized
trees, it had been found necessary to break the
ice for some little distance round. Many of
the skaters had gone home: some were pre-
pairing for start even now; most of those from
the "big house" were trudging UP the steep
hill which led to the garden gate and terrace
which looked down upon the lake. Two or
three of the men still remained, and with
them Dick Whistler. Lady Dorothy, devoted
to skating, was oblivious of Lady Woorlcraft
and was prolOnging her enjoyment They
were under the trees still, neari the watering
place, and ignorant Especially 10y torchlight)
of the danger at hand. A few spectators were
there, watching Lady Dorothy and Mr.. Whist
Ter, who was doing his best. At once, with
out a moments notice, the ice broke, and
Lady Dorothy fell in. Such an accident at
night, even by torchlight, is calculated to
arouse alarm. The extent of the danger was
unknown, and the yokels held back from fear;
the guardsmen were not much better; they
came rushing to the spot, but beyond calling
to Lady Dorothy, they did little for her pre-
servation. Dick Whistler was more at home,
and, really anxious to be of service to the
lady, proceeded more systematically. 1t was
a moment for action, not poetry.
''Take hold of that I" said Dick extending
his stick with one hand, and holding torch
with the other. "NOw, then, Lady Dorothy,
try to reach it ~ and he leaned over still more.
The lady's clothes held her on the surface for
a moment; but they were becoming saturated,
and she exhausted. She made violent effort,
however, and caught the stick. But Dick
Whistler had neglected to take hold of any
one for support, and the sudden jerk broke
the edge of the ice ON which he stood, and
pulled him in. At that moment one of the
farm servants caught sight of a ir-pole of con-
siderable length, lying on the bank of the lake.
Without much difficulty it was launched; and,
laid across the hole, sustained their weight on
either side. The Guardsmen assisted man.
fully: Dick supported Lady Dorothy in his
arms, who had tainted; and the two were
drawn from the water, just as the lady had
ceased to murmur her thanks to Dick, and
her representations Of her own inevitable fate.
From that evening matters progressed more
satisfactorily, and in a few days there was
thaw, physical and metaphysical.
"Wel, Whistler, there'll be hunting to
morrow, and I've ordered the Duffer and Soft
sawder to be sent on for you. We shall have
to start pretty early-breakfast at eight-ff-
teen, sharp"
"Thank you, my lord, must go tomorrow
morning; my time is up, and Ive something
to do in town that must be dOne.''
"Oh impossible; everything gives way to
hunting after such a frost as we've had
lately"
Everything excepting the publishers.
Business is business''-but just then Dick, l
suppose, caught sight of Lady Dorothy, and
as the swells were nearly all gone, and she
had thawed as well as the weather, he hesi-
tated so far as to ask whether he could get
away by the night train.
y
absurd to leave good dinner for cold and
comfortless railway carriage. Won't the next
morning do as well At all events, the horses
can go on, and you can settle about it to-
morrow. If you like to stop, there's plenty
of room, and lots of horses just now, as you
| see."
And somehow or other Dick Whistler did
stop, after a consultation with Lady Dorothy
in the library; and Mr.. Brewer, the pub
| Usher, went nearly out of his mind writing
after those clever sketches of the aristocracy
| which had been promised for the PiccddHLy
Monthly. What made it worse was that he
| got neither the sketches nor an answer, con-
duct of course objectionable in a man who
! lived by his wits In three weeks more he
threw up all his engagements with the press,
which has been great comfort to many of his
readers, and has announced to his friends and
the public, through the Court Journal, that
he is about to be married to the amiable
and accomplished daughter of the late
Lord Blossomvllle Lady Dorothy herself
with forty thousand pounds-need not have
despaired, even at eight-and-thirty; but she
knew her people best, and had become very
suspicious of the motives of her order. Major
Thrustham and his young friends were capital
fellows, and worthy of the names they bore;
| but if Dick Whistler did live by his wits, at
| any rate he pulled her out of the water.-I EN-
| pie Bar.