The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-12-25

powerful to protect you yonder than heref Fl
made that world of eternal ice and snow, an.
where He is there is safety. No, Hlcnard, 1 WI
not despair. will not stand between yen AM
fame. heard you talking in your sleep las
NIGHT as you havo talked many nights eft tina
distant solitude and know that your heart l
there. Shall keep my husband prisoner whei
his heart has fled from me? No, R!chard' yo'
shall CO."
was blinded by nv own selfish folly. ard dl'
NOT perceiye how much of her fortitude was tn
courage of des2air 1 thought only OF ne
generosity, and my release. 1t was not 100 lat
for mo to accept the command of the Forlor7
Hepe. I thanked MY wife with hundred
kisses as her sweet eyes opened upon mo onc'
more.
"Ny darling, shall mover forget this"
cried: "and il shall be the last journey, TIT
very last. swear it by sll that is most sacret
to me. There is no danger, believe me, none
for man who has learned prudence as nave
done-:n the school of hardship"
There was only Meek for leave-takiaS;
s'I can bear it better so" said my wife "suof
o blow cannot bc too sudden"
other absence and, remember, 1t is to be the
last time" w.t.,
"No, Richard, do not tell me that. thinl
| know you better than you know yourself. a
man cannot serve tao masters. Your master
IS there. He beckons you away from me-"
ssBut for the last time, Isabel"
9.WsII yes she answered with profound
sigh, 81 think that when you and l say good.
bye next week, we shall part for the last time.
The sadness of her tone seemed natural to
the OCCASION nor did 1remark the melancholy
significance Of her words.
ssI will make you flag, Richard she SAID
10 me next day. "If you should discover any
new spot OF land out yonder, you will Like to
u -. ....l<. -. 10. tl,nra nd
like to think that my hands are associated Will
your triumph"
She set to work upon the fabrication OF
Union Jack. remembered melancholy IN
cldent in the life OF Sir John Franklin and
hardly cared to see her thus employed; but
could not sadden her with the story, and she
worked on, with q happier air than could ol
have believed possible to her. Alas! little
knew that this gaiety was but aa heroic as
sumption sustained to save mo pain.
| NV darling insisted upon examining my
charts, and made me show her every stop oi
our projected journey-the point where we
hoped to winter the land which we intended
to explore on slsdges-the spots where we
should erect cairns to mark our progress. she
dwelt on every detail OF the journey With an
interest intense as my own.
II think know that distant world as wall
as you R,chard,' she said to nae n the last
day OF oil. ''In nay dreams shall follow
ou-yes, know that I shall dream ef you
every night, and that my dreams Will DO true.
There must be some magnetic chain between
two beings 30 closely united as wo are, AMI
am sure that sleep Will show you to mo AZ You
are-ssfe or in danger, triumphant or despond-
ent. And in nay waking dreams, too, dear, l
shall be on your track. My llfo will be dou-
| bio onc--the dull commonplace existence ut
| home, where nay body must needs be. and the
mystic life yonder, whore my soul will follow
YOU. And, dear husband" she continued,
clngirg to me, and looking. up with new
, cht in her eyes, "if should die before You
roturn-" ..
Isabel |"
s.Of course that is not likely, you know; but
| If should be taken from you, darling, you
will know it directly. Yes, dear, at the DEATH
hour my spirit will fly to you for tt: last tond
parting look upon earth, as surely as hope it
| will await you in Heaven!'
tried to chide her for her weird Scottish
superstition; but this speech OF hers, and !h o
| locks that accompanied it, shook me moro than
I cared to confess to myself; and ii it had been
possible to recede with honor, think should
have resigned the command OF the Forlorn
Hope, and stayed with my wife. o, God, that
L had dono so, nj any cost OF honor, at any
sacrifice of friendship.
But INV fate drew me Aorthward, aud [ went
wa had chosen for our winter harDor at tao
end of August. Here wo vailed our vessel
rouad with snow, and roofcd her over, and III
this grim solitude prepared to await the oEea-
inc se,s Of summer. 10 me the winter SEEM
ed unutteraby long and dreary. was no
longer the careless bachelor who found amuse-
ment in the rough sports OF the Sallofs, anu
deIirht in all occasional raid upon tho relndeor
OF the ice-bound coast. had, indeed, trleo'
to serve two masters; and tho memory OF hsr
/ had left behind was ever with me, q re preach
Ful shadow. II, now. I could have recalled tho
past and found myself once more by tnat
hearth beside which had !anSuiShod for tho
old life of adventure, how gladly woult' nave
made tho exchange!
Tho summer came, the massive lc2-pscks
were loosensd with sounds as CT thunder, ah'i
drlttcd away before southern breeze. But
our freedom brought us nothing save dlsrp-
p,iutmcnt-ao traces of our friends ot the
ttarmigan gladdencd our eyes, 40 discovery
rewarded our patience. Scuiyy had cost lis
four oil our best men, aud The crew was Shofl-
handed. Before tho summer was enued we
had more deaths, and when the n01t winter
began, Murtyn and l facod IL drcarily, With thS
prospect Of scant stores and scatter fuel, a!io
with q sickly and disheartencd crew.
BEFORE tie coldcst season set in, VIC LETT our
vessel in toleraby safe harbor, and started on
land expedition. still bent on cur search lol
traces uf the missing PtarmigGn. No words
can paint the dcsolatiUn OF this Wild rcSlou-
no mlnd can imagine that horror OF .perpetua
suo5. lllimItablc as ciornal. Wo had hoped tc
fall IN with IL tribo OF Esqunauy, but SAN none
after those from whom VIC bought our dogs.
| SO ne tollod on, appalled, oy tue Grll
change III each others FORMS and taces, rs snof,
rstiors and fatigue did their WORK. Iho dSso
WINTER found us again reduced in numDar. we
bailt ourselves roomy snow house Wltn
cabin for the dogs, and here my friend, fF;:nh n
| Martyr, lay sick With three other ihva.us
throughout our hopciass ChristmEs. sF OWL
health held out wonderfully. hf Spirh
with the extremity o. tfial, aiiu i''oEu "a
darkening future boldly, bcsulllns mysell wlIl
drca,n-plc ;ulcs of my retarn home, ana my
wilu's glad face when she l0oheo up lroln uei l'
lonely hearth and saw ME standing on tht
threshold of tho door. -, m
It was Christmas day. We had dIned Oh
pemmican, biscuit and leo. SplFlts VIC M.
none save q little carefully stored in case ol ur
can't need. After our brIef rcpaSt the apl'
mou went ont III body in search oil sport Iol
their Guns. but with little hope of flndlhs any
| tbIuy. The invdlids slept, and sat by lht
iiro OF dried mos5 which served 10 light 0ul
| hat with tho aid OF 4 slimmer OF cold dui
| DAYLIGHT that came to us throush WlhuoW o
| transparent ice Ia the TOOL. ;r.
| wa. thinking OF England and my WIG
what else did I ever tnlnk CT now when on'
of LIE aen rushed suddenly INFO Inc hut, ant
| fell on tue snoEbank that served lor u D1neii
| Pc WAS white to tho lips, and s.lyerinE ~ II
maa shivers from cold aonc ,o,
..Good God, Hanley, what is the matter Z
cried. alarmed by Inc mans terror. .
II went away from tue others, Captain, N
beeap. in rapid, gaspinG accents, thlhhli%
saw the traces of bear upon tue snow, ana