Weekly Trinity journal., 1869-12-25

| II.
suddenly overcome by sense of shame at hi:
want of family feeling in so long neglectng hi:
Winston relations. So he endeavored TO renal,
old errors by frequent visits, and established ar
extensive acquaintance in the neighborhood
He grew fond of social gaites He cultivated
all Winston. At every important gathering hi
was made welcome.
At last the winter came, and everybody know!
how delightful the winter is in New England
country town, where the thermometer never b,
an excess of exaltation gets more thar an occa
sional degree or so above the 0; where frozer
noses are to be seen at every corner, and are
deemed neither uncommon nor ornamental
while frozen toes are accepted almost in the
light of luxury; where ice-cream indissolubly
associates with breakfast, and where for many
months life is but perpetual shiver. Mr.. Lang
ford, anxious to experience all these joys, came
| up to Winston in the middle of February to re-
main two days, bringing with him baggage
sufficient for three weeks, to which term, afteI
much interchange of entreaty and expostulation
he was induced to extend his visit.
The first time he met Miss Brandon, be
tempted her with the suggestion of sleigh-ride
Said he, "a sleigh-ride in winter is seldom
amiss,' and was thereupon sharply criticised oil
admitting the possibility of such a thing at any
other season. However, Miss Brandon con.
Nsented. She would ride with him the next after
moon.
In the morning Mr.. Henry Langfort' gravely
inspected the family stable, but found nothiu g
therein equal to his own idea of the magnitude
of the occasion. AT the public stable he was
more successful. AT first he contemplated the
luxurious magnifcence of span, but an ire
sistible impuse subsequently induced him to set
tie upon single course. (One horse may be
driven with one hand J 1t is difficult to imag-
inc what impelled him to seek with such perta-
nacity as he did for the narrowest sleigh in the
collection.
AT four o'clock, P. NJ, the light-hearted young
pair dashed away, as full of good natured glcc
as the sleigh was full of them-and they fitted
very compactly. Miss Brandon, knowing the
country more intimately than her companion,
undertook to pointtbe way, manner of pro-
ceeding quite agreeable in view of the male
creatures total ignorance of localities. They
glided on, turning hither and tbither, until ere
long they left the clustering cottages of Win
ston quite distance behind. For while both
chattered and laughed with a ygor that put
them into precious glow but by-and-by Mr..
Henry stopped short, in unaccountablc man
ner, and left Miss Lucy to do the defamation
contenting himself with watching the sparkle of
her eye, or the pretty curve of her lip, as she
threw out incessant little sprnkles of feminine
wit. Presently he observed, with wonder a
faint suspicion of flutter trembling through
him, and attributed it to their rapid notion rec
ollcctiug similar sensations in earlier youth
caused by swinging.
He must have expressed something odd in his
couEtenance, for, of sudden, Miss Lucy cut
short her fun, and subsidized into dim, oblivi-
vious tranquility. Just one minute after it
flashed upon Mr.. Henry Langford that he had
for the past six months been steadily and unih-
terruptedly occupied in making a muf of him
SELF that the notion of '' excellent friendship"
SO far as he and Lucy Brandon were concerned,
was utterly absurd and degrading to think upon !;
that the truth was he loved her dearly, and that
he ought to have known it long ago, and should,
if he had ever before been alone with her. as he
had now found himself Having settled all this
to his own satisfaction, he took courage and a
bold step.
"Miss Lucy" (rathcr shakily), "are you COM
fortable?"
"Oh, perfectly"
"Not cold ~
"No, indeed
Now what be wanted was, that She should say
she was cold ; and he considered him self little
ill-usec because she did not. But he would not
be beref of his idea, so gathering the reins in
one hand, be cautiously disem mbarrassed the
other, and swinging his arm around the back of
the sleigh, caused the vagrant member to encirclc
the big bundle of buffalo bandages which con-
fined the gentle form beside him. Not word
of remonstrance, but silence dangerously omn-
Gus, if he had known it. Incoherently mumbling
q repetition of the inquiry concerning comfort
etc., he permitted the arm to venture upon a
faint suggestion of a squeeze. This time the
little face, now sadly flushed, came round upon
him and disconcerted him horribly, but with
desperate imprudence he remarked quite care
lessly, and looking earnestly at point of the
road, at distance of half mile ahead "Please
shut your eyes minute" Down want the lids
The calm was over. First came torrent of
ron rhoc tod
crushing weight, then an intrusive little tear,
which had better have stayed away then dea d
silence. Mr.. Henry Langford was sorey af-
ficted. If she did not want me to kiss her" ;"
thought he, " then why did she shut her eyes r.
AS he could make nothing of it, he endeavored
to effect quiet pacifcation but all encouraging
respose was withheld Hardly a word was
youchsafed him, and the few he got were by no
means of character to fill him with rapture.
In the midst of his ANXIOUS argument there came
a cry from the side of the road
Harry pulled up and melancholy look
ing woman, not well clad. but strongly framed,
standing with child in her arms, by the sleigh.
She asked how far it was to Linvile
How far to Linvile, Miss Brandon ?' in
quired Harry, in blissful ignorance
q Four miles "-(rather pettishly).
The woman of melancholy mein furthermore
desired to know the direction. Was it straight on
" Is it straight on, Miss Brandon?'
I" Yes '-(stiff and short)
The lugubrious female murmured a thank and
the sleigh moved off. Ia about minute Mr..
Langford clutched the reins savagely, and
uttered an exclamation which would have salts
fed any listener Of his innocence of theological
tendencies.
Miss Lucy emitted high D, head register,
stdccato.
' / think am BRUTE" quietly remarked Mr..
Henry Langford.
Miss Brandon now assumed an air of resigna-
tion, as if expecting an apologize explanation
of the recent rudeness. She was disappointed,
and when the sleigh began to turn about, became
perpexed.
The woman is going to Linville, wherever that
is" continued Harry. s'Of course she is She
mustn't walk four miles through the this
weather. And loaded down with big baby,
too"
Miss Brandon gave out symptoms OF unea siness
" You not going all the way to Linville, -
said she.
"Certainly, am, Miss Brandon, and be
drew up beside the pedestrian of dolorous asnect