Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1870-09-03
Wistellaau.
A NIGHT IN A STORM.

1t was a private parlor of "a hotel in the
Provinces. Two men sat at a Widespread
! breakfast-table. The younger had just
pushed back from the table with an impa-
tient movement
mo-" he said abruptly, 81 cannot eat,
cannot drink. If believed in PRESENT.
ments, l should say felt warning of
something disagreeable, if not horrible
"Well then, my dear nephew said
the elder. ''as you do not believe in such
things, why not make yourself comiorta.
! BILE and enjoy your breakfast? You are
not to start till tomorrow, anyway, you
know"
! The young man arose from his seat and
walked to the window, throwing it open
and looking out into the frosty, brilliant
sunshine. The air was intensely cold
and reddened his cheeks instantly. lie
drew in his head. saying:
81 shall start this morning. There's
going to be a storm, and must go. Will
you accompany me to the station? The
train starts in an hour"
The uncle shivered and drew his dress
ing gown closer.
| NO" he said, "Tll not leave the house
unless l am obliged to. | did not leave
England to get frozen by Canadian win
/ ter. | did not know you were 50 senti-
mentally foolish. Alice will not thank
you for coming a day sooner. Women
don't like a bridegroom around when the
wedding preparations are going on, no
matter how much in love they are. Take
my advice, and stay here until the time
appointed for you to start"
Robert Russell, the young man address
ed, listened with brave civility to his COM
panion's words.
What was such advice in comparison
with the urgent cries of his whole nature
He had left England three weeks before,
to claim the woman of his choice, who
had been year in Montreal, whittier she
had emigrated with her parents, carrying
with her the love and promise of one in
whom she believed with utter devotion.
Russell's uncle and adopted father had
accompanied him, and now sat smiling al
the impatience, the whims of youth.
''There is a storm in the air in spite ol
the sunlight" Russell said, still standing
by the window; II should not enjoy
being blockaded in by snow on my jour
ney.N
Probably not; but you might as wei
expect it in this climate"
"Well, | shall take Alice back to Eng
land as soon as possible" Russell said,
with his hand on the door. "Good-by,
uncle, then, good-by."
Russell was soon speeding from the
| town. his eyes looking eagerly forward
over the vast stretches of snow as if he
would out-strip even the steam which
bore him.
He was not half through his journey by
rail, when from the west, where it had
fingered throughout the sunny morning.
rose the filmy white veil that is the herald
of snow. Weatherwise people looked
out of the car windows and shook their
heads, saying;
This will be hard one. It's just a
year ago since the terrible storm that
blockaded in this train
Russell, looking, felt his face grow pal
lid in spite of his hopes, his youthful en-
ergy.
He did not fear the storm while on the
cars ; he knew they would go to their des-
tination before the storm would be suffi-
ciently advanced to retard them much.
But he remembered the twenty miles he
must go in cutter after the last station,
for Alice waited him at the residence OF
relative beyond Montreal. Her aunt
had persuaded her to have the wedding
there, where wealth could give its glow
to the ceremony, and what girl could re-
sist such an invitation?
'If she were only in Montreal.' muir
INJURED Russell, and the first few flakes be-
gan to drift slowly downward
Soon the air was filed with fine SHARP
particles 1t grew colder instead of warm
| tlx- fpt tho wind
and whirled the snow fiercely.
1t had showed two hours when Russell
alighted at the station in Montreal. 1t was
already dark, save that the gloom was
mitigated by full moon.
| He was half benumbed by cold and sit
ting so long, but he could not wait. Rea-
son told him that he was day early, and
might easily stay in the city until to-mor-
row but some feverish, morbid haste
urged him ONT was impossible for him to
rest quiet a moment.
He stood few moments by the bright
fire in the waiting-room Then he decid
ed to 90 to the house occupied by Alice's
parents.
Arrived at the house he learned with dis
may that Alice had left two or three hours
previous. Oppressed with fearful fore
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her servant supposed her driver had select
ed. AS he emerged into the open country
the runners of the cutter sank deep into
the snow. The horses struggled desper-
ately through the drifts, while the binding
storm and benumbing cold almost over
powered him. To arouse himself from
the lethargy which he felt was the percur-
sor of death, he stepped out OF the sleigh
and plodded on beside it. For hours, 1t
seemed to him, he travelled, alternately
walking and riding, the animals he drove
being almost exhausted.
Suddenly, with snort of surprise OF
alarm, his horses stopped and threw up
their heads, their eyes starting in theii
sockets at something indistinct in the
gloom ahead.
There is something injecting in the
alarm of an animal. and Russell felt his
cheeks pale as he moved slowly forward
leaving the horses standing there.
A shudder like the first chill of an i'm
pending doom, shook the young man a:
he came upon cutter overturned in the
snow. He was close to it before he could
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