Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1869-05-13
A NIGHT I'M A STORM.

1t was private parlor of hotel il
the provinces. Two men sat at well
spread breakfast table. The younger
had just pushed back from the table
with an impatient movement.
NO" he said, abruptly, 81 cannot
eat, l cannot drink. If l believed in
presentments l should say l felt q
warning of something disagreeable il
not horrible.
"Well, then, my dear nephew" said
the elder, "as you do not believe in
such things, why net make yourself
comfortable and enjoy your breakfast?
You are not to start until tomorrow,
anyway, you know"
The young man arose from his seal
and walked to the window, throwing il
open and looking out into the frosty,
brilliant sunshine. The air was in.
tensely cold, and Redeemed his cheeks
instantly. He drew in his head, say
ing:
81 shall start this morning. There's
going to be storm, and must GO
Will you accompany me to the staticnf
The train starts in an hour
The uncle shivered and drew hi;
dressing gowngcloser.
mo" he said, 'I'll not leave the
house unless l am obliged to. l die
not leave England to get frozen by. {
Canadian winter. ] did not know you
were so sentimentally foolish. Alice
will not thank you for coming a day
sooner. Women don't like bride
groom around when the wedding prep
arations are going on, no matter how
much in love they are. Take my ad
vice, and stay here until the time ap
pointed for you to start"
Robert Russell, the young man ad
dressed, listened with brave ciyility t.
his companions words.
What was such advice in comparison
with the urgent cries of his whole ma
ture9 He had left England thre
weeks before, to claim the woman o
his choice, who had been year in Mon
treal, whittier she had emigrated will
her parents, carrying with her the low
and promise of one in whom she be
lieved with utter devotion.
Russell's uncle and adopted fathe
had accompanied him, and now sa
smiling at the Impotence, the whims
youth.
"There is storm in the air in spit
of this sunlight" Russell said, still
standing by the window; 81 shoul'
not enjoy being blockaded in by snov
ON my journey
Probably not; but you might a
well expect it in this climate.
"Well, / shall take Alice back t
England as soon as possible" Russo
said, with his hand on the door, "Goo
bye, uncle, then, good bye"
Russell was soon speeding from tn
town, his eyes looking eagerly forwar
over the vast stretches of snow as
he would outstrip even the steam whic
bore him.
He was not half through his journe
by rail, when from the west, where
had fingered throughout the sunni
morning, rose the filmy white veil tha
is the herald of snow. Weather-wis
people looked out of the car window
and shook their heads, saying
"This will be hard one. It's jus
year ago since the terrible storr
that blockaded in this train"
Russell, looking, felt his face gro1
pallid in spite of his hopes, his youth
full energy.
He did not fear the storm while o
the cars; he knew they would go
their destination before the storm woui
be sufficiently advanced to retard theI
much. But he remembered the twer
ty miles he must go in cutter afte
the last station, for Alice waited hiI
at the residence of a relative beyon
Montreal. Her aunt had persuade
her to have the wedding there, wher
wealth could give its glow to the cert
mony, and what girl could resist sue
an invitation?
''If she were only in Montreal!
murmured Russell, and the first fe
flakes began to drift slowly dowI
ward.
Soon the air was filled with fin
sharp particles. 1t grew colder il
stead of warmer, or apparently SO, ft
the wind rose and whirled the sno'
fercely.
1t had showed two hours when Ru
sell alighted at the station in Montrea
1t was already dark, save that Il
gloom was mitigated by full moon.
He was half benumbed by cold an
sitting so long, but he could not wal
Reason told him that he was da
early, and might easily stay in the eli
until tomorrow; but some feverisl
morbid haste urged him ont was in
possible for him to rest quiet M
ment.
He stood few moments by IL
bright fire in the waiting room. The
he decided to go to the house occuple
by Alice's parents.
Arrived at the house be learned vii
dismay that Alice had left two or thr'
hours previous. Oppressed with fea
full forebodings he hurried on, takir
the road which her servant suppose
her driver had selected. As
emerged into the open country Il
runners Of the cutter sank deep IN
1.-THE snow. The horses struggled de