New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1868-08-23

slipped and fallen, and was slipping again
| now as he was trying to rise. swung
| open the gate and went forward. A wind
from the ledge drove me back as if with a
warning that this way | must not tread
| But l needed not the wall. The next mo.
ment l half stumbled over human body
lying close to the horse. With a whitening
of lips, with sudden pressing together Of
hands under my cloak, l turned with a
wild, supplicating face oceanward, as if be-
seeching my tried friend to help me bear
this horror for thought the man dead.
shrank shudderingly, but l knew that
over this unknown man ! must bend, and
render 10 him what offices of humanity
were in my power.
In that hour felt that were all alone
in the world of gray whiteness-I and the
dumb object that lay still at my feet. !
stopped and lifted his cap, which was
| pressed down over his face.
Though that face was still as the rocks
above me, an unerring instinct told me that
it was not dead, and that it was conse-
quently my duty to save this man. As one
turns back to fair past, and shrinks from
the unknown fnture-skeptica concerning
that gloom which he can not read-sO l
stood with hesitating and trembling above
this stranger that lay at my mercy. ! knew
| that l should do all that | could TO assist
him, but in that knowledge was an mex
picable shrinking
The horse had risen at last and stood
with head dropped above his master,
low, imploring whnny breaking the mo-
| notorious rush Of wind and wave
Again stopped, and now took the
| thickly gloved hand in mine. | drew of
rIga-~ VI. E i Al. ~
wondering if 1t were not better to leave
bin and go to the village; but that was
long walk around the marsh and dared
not GO though trembling and longing to
fee, with "a curious dread as of a new des-
Tiny upon me, | could do nothing to re,
viye him | had no stimulants with me.
and dropped his hand, still hardly able to
decide ii ! should leave him and send aid
The horse raised his head and looked ut me.
something more than animal pleading IN
the subdued fire of his large eye. In that
moment the horse seemed more human
than anything else in that snowy dreari-
ness
With quick impulse reached up and
touched the soft, warm face. and | was
foolish enough to think the touch gave me
sensation Of invigOration it was the
contact Of bounding, warm life, while
around and about me was the chill of ice.
do not leave us, even for a moment
that pleading voice said to me.
a faint stir of the snow-covered breast
of the man, q tremble of the pale lips. and
| waited with hurrying pulses for those
lips to be raised, when | should see what
manner Of man l had found in the snow.
The feeble eyelids lifted a ray of light
came to me from eyes whose color could
not then see-WhOse expression was only
one OF bewilderment and weakness.
waited for his mental powers 10 return
to him, and then bent down and said:
" If it is possible, 1 will assist you on
your horse. The storm increases. "
spoke calmly. From childhood | had
disliked innovations upon my regular rou-
tine of life, and | was never romantic
therefore this adventure was very disagree
able to me.
Besides, foresaw that if the man wa.
helpless in any way, it would be to my
house he must come, for in this storm he
could not possibly get round the marsh.
He looked up at me as / spoke with an
instants flashing glance then be said Just
audibIy:
d" will try to mount"
saw that | must help him, and ex-
tended both my hands.
He held fast and pulled hard. but was
strong, and the very next moment he stood /
on his feet, one arm over his horses neck. |
as he leaned heavily against him. That |
action, though natural, seemed 10 my self |
accusing sense as reproach for my cold |
assistance, and | resented with flushing |
cheek my own thought. 1t was but mo, |
nent, aud he had seated himself upon bis |
horse, and with weak movement his head |
sank down to the animals neck. and
through the snow l saw the dull glow OF
crimson stream from his temple
The sight gave me tremor of terror.
moved a step nearer and exclaimed:
You are wounded, sirr'
Yes, by the rocks, he said. rs it far
to shelter y -
Half a milep
pushed against the heavy gate thai had
closed again. The horse and his draining
'ider passed slowly through.
| hurried on and walked lust in front
,Ver the snow-ooEered ridge Of the beach
he mild-eyed horse following every step
ike great sagacious dog.
Every glance backward revealed the
iim, bent Inquire, that sat as If it drew life
md power only sufficient to keep its seat.
That figure demanded nothing OF me: il
vas weak and helpless, and yet rebelled
n blind, imbecile way as l struggled on.
he swift wind from the sea pressing
tgainst me and wailing in my ear the re. .
ords Of my past days.
had been happy. Irepelled every sign
hat. whispered of change. Let no new {
ista OF unknown joys or sorrows open 4
efore me. Let me tread my own way. |
ould have remorselessly struck down the !
and that should unbsr to my life path 1
ifferent from that in which my imagination
ad trodden.
Thus gloomily, with eyes fixed unseeine- ]
upon the snow at my feet, / wendell nv {
ray homeward, followed by my unbidden !
uests. |
A Wild sweep Of wind rushed upon ms as j
re turned to mount the steep, narrow path t
bat led to nv cottage. It tnrust aside the s
loak OF the man, and whisked his cap far c
ut OF sight The horse half paused and c
ent bis head to sustain the shock. t
turned, casting one look at the CLEAN
- white face turned toward me then +
sized the bride and led the horse into tbe /
tue stony yard-now soft and painless /
nth snow--and up to my door, where was '
ever guest welcomed so strangely by G
ost or hostess | threw open the door and r
ztended my hands to assist him. He Aid Il
'om his horse to the step, and | led him /
trough the tiny hall into nv parlor which
as also my studio. What glamour cams :
yer my eyes Upon those pictures. preo- 4
ant with my heart itself, was halo e. i
lme other life, whose characters / ao,.ia
1t read, so strongly did feel that pres. 1,
ice in my work-room. =
The stranger sank uDon the louuca