The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1871-03-09

uioWhJ tHut hilce hau iclL TWO OF three
hours previous. Oppressed with fear.
ful foreboding, he ehurried on, taking the
road which the servant supposed her
driver had selected. As he emerged
into the open country the runners of
the cutter sank deep into the snow.
The horses struggled desperately through
the drifts, while the blinding storm and
benumbing cold almost ovcrpowered
him. To arouse himself from the leth.
argy which he felt was the precursor Of
death, he stepped out Of the sleigh and
plodded on beside it. For hours, it
seemed to him, he travelled, alternately
walking and riding, the animals he
drove being almost exhausted.
Suddenly with snort of surprise or
alarm, his horses stopped and threw up
their heads, their eyes started in their
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 for.
ward leaving the horses standing there.
A shudder like the first chill of an
impending doom, shook the young man
as he came upon cutter overturned in the
snow. He was close to it before he
could make out whit it was. There
were no horses attached--that he saw
ut glance, but the tugs, cut short of.
were fastened there. The snow had
blown away from one side of the sleigh,
while the other side was deeply imbed
ded. lie leapcd upon the runner, aud
hurridely pulled the buffalo robes away.
A fear came upon him such as he had
never known before
AT last - it seemed to him so long,
though it was hardly niomeut-in that
snowy moooshiue he saw the palid face
of woman lying niotiouless among her
furs.
With surprising cry he lifted that
beautiful form TO his shoulder, and sat
down on the cutter, bending his lips to
the cold one that could net respond to
his earess. And yet she was not dead
"a faint breath just sighed across her
cheek.
Vas It thus he had thought to greet
his promised wife ? lie could not think
he knew nothing but tina. be had
found Alice--aDd his whole being rose
to the resolve that he would save her
that neither snow, nor ice, nor cold
should take her froa hin. She vas his
aud he claimed her despite everything
But he could not linger there; he
must be moving on, though ever SO
slowly.
tie bore his burden to his owa cut
ter, takisg with him the furs that could
not save her after that fearful sleep had
begun. His horses walked oa again
they needed no guidiug-ihey could
find their way better than man eonld
direct.
Anything but iatease lose would
have departed in thst tenpest of snow,
with that pittiless wia4 freezing across
the earth, raising no glow on the blue.
white face against his oxa.
He roughly cLsfed With snow her
hands aud face but Le soon saw that
severer measarers NEST be tried; that
the lethargy was TOO deep. She dimly
felt the deep friction, for shc moaned
aud seemed to shrink from it-a word,
less request to be left aloae.
Russell had forgotten the cold for
himself, the soew swept BY him unheed
ed. Agaia he liiaed her ia his arms
and stepped out into the SNOW. letting
her stand beside him, thea trying to
make her fght her way on, knowing
that ifonce she coald be reused she was
saved.
At 6rst shc fell down helplcssly. sank
iuauimately, with no wish to stir But
10 moment his eeaseless efforts had
some effect, aod he could compel her to
use her ihascles slightly, though her
head dropped ia an unk uowing stapor.
Russell ielt that he had nevsr suffer.
ed before. lie ihoaghtthc paia asd sor.
rows Of all his life we're crowded into
that Que aight. by SLOW degrees,
almost hope lessly slow cons scioasaess and
horrible Suffering returaed.
His face was pale aud sick, as he
knew the agonies she endured. But
pain was the signal Of life, aud not now
would he despair.
At last she looked at him with recog.
niaing eyes, aud when everything else
had failed, love reached the fountain of
crimson, and sent wave Of its red to
her lace.
Weak, suaerass, she reclined upon
his arm, unable to sssse or to speak.
Could he Keep the life ne had saved,
through a much longer journey !
When he left the city there were a